When I started this blog, I never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to review great products. While I take this responsibility very seriously, I love working with companies to make you aware of items available. I have learned about amazing authors, toys, and products that I didn’t know even exsisted. Hopely you have too!
While working with Moody Publishing over another book (to come soon), they suggested that I read two books by Kendra Smiley. A new author to me, I went in without big expectations. I was quickly drawn in and went to get a highlighting utensil!
Be The Parent: Seven Choices You Can Make to Raise Great Kids is an easy read but filled with partical, down to earth, Biblical ideas to help you “be the parent” that you and God want you to be. Divided into seven chapters, Kendra Smiley and her husband John help you choose to be the parent, be a role model, be present, be an encourager, discipline in love, allow failures and success, and pray. From experience of raising three boys, the Smiley team use simple terms to help all parents be the godly parents who train their child(ren) in the way he/she should go.
Momma C’s Thoughts:
While most of the concepts in this book were not new to me (I have reviewed a lot of parenting books), God used this book to remind me of a several areas in my parenting that I need to focus on. Areas that I have let lax or need to remember now that our kiddos are getting order. On the flip side, God used this book to encourage me. Encourage me to keep on, keeping on. We are going through a tough spell right now with a couple of our kiddos and it helped to know that we are doing the right thing. God will bless it.
Although, I will expound on some of these later in the blog, here are some of the points that I wanted to highlight:
- Children don’t instinctively know the behavior boundaries for a giving situation. It is important to take the time to communicate with the child beforehand.
- When you pick a battle, you must win.
- Help [your] child “sing the song God put inside of them.”
- Your children are listening and watching.
And I could go on and on.
At just 136 pages and $5.20 on Amazon at the time of this blog, I encourage you to read this book. While it will not give you specific discipline techniques nor is there anything earth shattering, you will learn choices you can make as the adult. I am learning that while it is important to discipline, so much of my children’s behavior are simple mirrors of mine. Ouch!
Momma C’s Rating:
