Machiavelli for Moms: Maxims on the Effective Governance of Children* - Softcover

"Suzanne Evans humorously adapts the Renaissance political philosopher's sometimes ruthless precepts to running a family."

"At her wits' end with her four uncontrollable children, a mom turns for advice to - of all places - the philosophical wisdom in the 1532 book 'The Prince' by Niccolo Machiavelli. Toward the end of the yearlong 'experiment, ' she had to face 'the ultimate Machiavellian question: Is it better to be feared than loved?'"

A mother of four, Suzanne Evans is fed up with tantrums, misbehavior, and general household chaos. Desperate to get the upper hand, she turns to Machiavelli’s famous sixteenth-century political treatise, The Prince, and wonders: Can Machiavelli’s rules on warfare and statecraft be suc­cessfully applied to parenting?

Using The Prince as a guide, Evans embarks on an unlikely experiment in “power parenting” and quickly learns that Machiavellian maxims can go a long way when running a kingdom—and a household.

· Study the actions of illustrious men: How to lead by example.

· It is dangerous to be overly generous: A good ruler sets limits.

· It is better to be feared than loved: Sometimes a leader has to be a meanie to ensure the security and obedience of the people.

Heralded as a “funny, creative, new parenting guide” (Parade.com), Machiavelli for Moms offers one woman’s unorthodox approach to modern motherhood—and stands as a manifesto for other moms willing to act on Machiavelli’s sometimes shocking but ever practical advice.