Adele Faber

Adele Faber (January 12, 1928 – April 24, 2024) was an American author and educator best known for her influential parenting and communication books co-written with Elaine Mazlish, including Siblings Without Rivalry and How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk.
Born in New York City, she studied theatre and drama at Queens College and later earned a master’s degree in education from New York University. Before becoming a full-time writer, she taught in New York City high schools and worked in education and human development settings, including parenting workshops and university programmes.

Faber’s work was strongly influenced by the child psychologist Haim Ginott, whose ideas about respectful communication between adults and children shaped her approach. She and Mazlish later developed practical, workshop-based methods for improving family communication, which they turned into bestselling books and widely used training materials.

Her books focus on helping parents and caregivers communicate more effectively with children by using empathy, clear boundaries, and non-punitive guidance. Siblings Without Rivalry in particular offers strategies for reducing conflict between brothers and sisters while encouraging healthier family dynamics and emotional understanding.
Faber died in 2024 at the age of 96.