Stop right here and read Dr Gordon ! It's from where they got the techniques you listed. Not only you'll get much more detail and insights, but you'll have the "why?" question answered as well with sound reasonning. Note that Gordon started those techniques for managers and work relationship and only afterwards applied them on children, so... There's book on sales, patients, leadership => http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Gordon/e/B004MZK0O0/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 You should also be able to find "gordon centers" where you can be helped, teached in practical session and get more experience than from books, as parents, those are invaluable. => http://www.gordontraining.com/