Books

I love to read and learn, so I thought I’d use this space to not only let you know what I’m reading, but also include some notes from the author so you can determine whether or not you want to check it out for yourself!
*Please note, all the points listed (unless otherwise notes) are taken directly from the books and should be credited to the respective authors*

Faith Training: Raising Kids Who Love the Lord
by Dr. Joe White
Working for a motherhood ministry, I get a lot of questions about good Christian resources for kids, not to mention my own need for it! This book is one very practical tool that I found at a Family Life conference and continue to use daily. The appendices are almost as long as the rest of the book and filled with exercises and study guides for kids of any age. In fact, they have a year long “Read, Study, Memorize, Meditate” section that I believe is intended for junior high kids and older, but I’ve been using it daily as a jump start for my own quiet time!

I particularly appreciate their suggestions for scripture memorization. They, like some of my beloved mentors, believe strongly in the importance of memorizing chapters of the Bible, not just a verse here and there. While individual verses are important and included on the age-appropriate memorization list (found on page 57), there is great value in hiding the Word of God in your heart chapter by chapter.

If you’ve been in search of a tool to help you truly instill a love for God in your children, this is a great resource to begin with.

Shepherding a Child’s Heart
by Tedd Tripp
I just started this Bible Study at a church here in Nashville. The focus is on discerning the heart issue of the child instead of simply trying to change behavior (which will inevitably continue if the root issue is not addressed).

Sacred Parenting
by Gary Thomas
I’m a new big fan of Gary Thomas. Very intelligent yet practical and easy to read. He has other books with a similar premise (Sacred Marriage, etc) that I hope to tackle soon.

Parking Lot Rules & 75 Other Ideas for Raising Amazing Childrenby Tom Sturges
*I have to admit, I didn’t thoroughly read the whole book, and I almost didn’t check it out from the library, but he does make some interesting points and gives some great ideas that you may have heard already, but frames them in interesting ways. The ideas are framed within 7 chapters and listed under each chapter are some of my favorites:

1. Every Day
#4: Smile when you see them (make your child feel welcome from the first moment he sees you)
#5: Once seen, never unseen
#9: Make life promises and keep them
#10: No hands to the face (this followed the points “everyday stay healthy” & “wash hands”)

2. Communicating with Your Children
#14: Yes, not what (when your kids call you, answer “yes” instead of an annoying “what???”)
#15: The Excellent Question game (teach kids to ask questions they truly don’t know the answer to)
#18: The 5 best times to talk to your child (bath, drive, bed, wake-up and anytime!)
#22: When you get upset, whisper (also, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it)

3. Manners Matter
4. No Lost Children
5. Disciplines and Punishments
6. Pain Happens, Now What?
7. Play Sports, Period.

Raising Your Children with No Regrets
by Catherine Hickem
Of course, I’d be negligent if I didn’t mention this one. 7 principles of an Intentional Mom.