Amy Sheldrake’s new job at Aqua World, a fictitious marine park in Key West, is one of learning the ropes to become a trainer of killer whales. As the working mother of two-year-old Josh, she is likewise challenged on the home front. Readers of Amy’s story share her discovery of how the philosophy of Whale Done animal training can be put into practice in her job as a parent.

Once Amy and her husband Matt get the hang of the Whale Done principles, they’re able to bring them to bear on bedtime routines, dealing with tantrums, introducing new foods, teaching Josh to share, avoiding overuse of the word No, learning to care for a pet, and instituting time-outs.

Whale Done is much more than a set of techniques; it is a way of looking at people and seeing the best that is in them. Great leaders, saints and sages have developed this skill. Since most of us parents are less advanced than those paragons, we need a primer for how to bring out the best in our children.