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Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told
We need a parenting revolution!
Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by?
But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.
You’ll learn . . .
• how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don’t have to rely on you to get things done.
• the four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.
• ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.
• how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.
The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development—this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.
Join the revolution!
Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by?
But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.
You’ll learn . . .
• how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don’t have to rely on you to get things done.
• the four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.
• ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.
• how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.
The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development—this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.
Join the revolution!
261 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2015
75 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
April 9, 2015
When I first started reading Motivate Your Child I wasn’t really sure what to expect. It’s been a long time since I read a book on parenting. My main reason for requesting this book was because I have read and reviewed a few of Dr. Turansky’s wife’s Christian fiction books, and through blogging have gotten to know her. I admire her godly and compassionate spirit when she talks about her husband and family, and that’s what ultimately led me to want to read this book.
That being said, I have been undeniably convicted about my own parenting skills, or lack thereof, as I read Motivate Your Child. My parenting was/is based on a combination of how I was parented and what I didn’t like about it. For the most part, I thought mine was a sound method. We all make mistakes, but wow, when reading this book I could see all the places that I failed miserably. Wait. I still see some of those things and I don’t like what I am seeing. It’s too late for me to go back and start at the beginning, as mine are all grown, but I have begun implementing with our 18 year old who still lives at home the “What’s your plan?” rather than “Please do this or that” method that I had been using. So far, it actually seems to be working. He is taking his responsibilities more seriously and getting to them sooner rather than later. We still have a ways to go as it's easy to fall back into old habits. But, isn’t it the goal of every parent to raise conscientious and responsible adults that don’t have to be told what to do and when to do it?
I can see where training them early on to want to willingly and joyfully participate in household activities such as taking out the trash, picking up their toys or making their bed without being bribed or constantly instructed, is a more effective and loving way to parent. This book deals with heart, or internal, motivation and how to instill in your children the proper motivation for doing things without being continually harangued, which causes frustration in both the parent and child.
Parenting is a lot of work no matter how you go about it but in order to use the method laid out in this book, you had better be prepared to devote yourself 110% to being a hands on parent! Which, I hope if you have children, you are willing to do so. Not only is there a lot to teach your children but there are wonderful skills to acquire as a parent. I do believe I can use some of these with my grandchildren, so maybe it isn’t too late for me after all.
Motivate Your Child is not a complicated read. Make sure you have a highlighter handy because you will find yourself needing one. I believe any parent can glean from this book whether they are Christian or not. The principles laid forth are timeless. I plan on passing it along to my daughter, who has four little ones of her own.
I received a free copy of this book through The Book Club Network and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of the book. No compensation has been received.
That being said, I have been undeniably convicted about my own parenting skills, or lack thereof, as I read Motivate Your Child. My parenting was/is based on a combination of how I was parented and what I didn’t like about it. For the most part, I thought mine was a sound method. We all make mistakes, but wow, when reading this book I could see all the places that I failed miserably. Wait. I still see some of those things and I don’t like what I am seeing. It’s too late for me to go back and start at the beginning, as mine are all grown, but I have begun implementing with our 18 year old who still lives at home the “What’s your plan?” rather than “Please do this or that” method that I had been using. So far, it actually seems to be working. He is taking his responsibilities more seriously and getting to them sooner rather than later. We still have a ways to go as it's easy to fall back into old habits. But, isn’t it the goal of every parent to raise conscientious and responsible adults that don’t have to be told what to do and when to do it?
I can see where training them early on to want to willingly and joyfully participate in household activities such as taking out the trash, picking up their toys or making their bed without being bribed or constantly instructed, is a more effective and loving way to parent. This book deals with heart, or internal, motivation and how to instill in your children the proper motivation for doing things without being continually harangued, which causes frustration in both the parent and child.
Parenting is a lot of work no matter how you go about it but in order to use the method laid out in this book, you had better be prepared to devote yourself 110% to being a hands on parent! Which, I hope if you have children, you are willing to do so. Not only is there a lot to teach your children but there are wonderful skills to acquire as a parent. I do believe I can use some of these with my grandchildren, so maybe it isn’t too late for me after all.
Motivate Your Child is not a complicated read. Make sure you have a highlighter handy because you will find yourself needing one. I believe any parent can glean from this book whether they are Christian or not. The principles laid forth are timeless. I plan on passing it along to my daughter, who has four little ones of her own.
I received a free copy of this book through The Book Club Network and Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of the book. No compensation has been received.
October 7, 2015
Motivate Your Child, by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, takes both a biblical and educational view on motivation.
I have been a parent and an educator, as well as a Christian. So to see this volume which combines all of these was refreshing. They advocate heart-parenting in this book where you look at the important values within your family. Then make these the foundation from which to raise the family. In addition, this book guides the reader to look at each child and discover ways to reach their hearts to motivate them.
No matter what the family dynamics are, the ages, behaviors, groups, this book helps to address them to show how to show love and motivation to the family.
The authors also show different sources of parental stress and how they are expressed then introduces ways to respond that do not include raising the voice or demonstrating anger.
This is an excellent book and I would highly recommend it to any parents, or educators. I was given this book by bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
I have been a parent and an educator, as well as a Christian. So to see this volume which combines all of these was refreshing. They advocate heart-parenting in this book where you look at the important values within your family. Then make these the foundation from which to raise the family. In addition, this book guides the reader to look at each child and discover ways to reach their hearts to motivate them.
No matter what the family dynamics are, the ages, behaviors, groups, this book helps to address them to show how to show love and motivation to the family.
The authors also show different sources of parental stress and how they are expressed then introduces ways to respond that do not include raising the voice or demonstrating anger.
This is an excellent book and I would highly recommend it to any parents, or educators. I was given this book by bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
October 23, 2021
I'm glad I own this book as I will refer back to it often. The practical, concrete plans for training kids are exactly what I was looking for. Everything was excellent except their view of salvation being a definite event for some and a way of life from infancy for others.
December 31, 2023
I gained a lot of good incites and ideas from reading this book. I bought it to help motivate a five-year old, and I read and reread sections of the beginning over the years but only finished the whole book now as she is thirteen. Why so long? It’s because this book is really two different ideas:
1) How to train your child’s heart, ie motivate it for good things.
2) How to pass the faith on to your child.
The authors argument is that they are one and the same. I agree, but since I was needing help with the first, the second part did not help me as much as I wanted in the short term. #2 is more about the long term, and is tackled in part 2 of the book.
By the time I finished part #2, I found it affirming but less instructive as most of the ideas are more general ideas than strategies to try.
A good guide to helping parents raise God-centered children and a reminder why discipling our children is vital.
1) How to train your child’s heart, ie motivate it for good things.
2) How to pass the faith on to your child.
The authors argument is that they are one and the same. I agree, but since I was needing help with the first, the second part did not help me as much as I wanted in the short term. #2 is more about the long term, and is tackled in part 2 of the book.
By the time I finished part #2, I found it affirming but less instructive as most of the ideas are more general ideas than strategies to try.
A good guide to helping parents raise God-centered children and a reminder why discipling our children is vital.
January 18, 2021
The heart-based approach is the best model out there for Godly parenting. The author does such a good job of equipping the reader with a generous amount of practical's that you can immediately start implementing with your child. I found myself challenged, encouraged, and inspired. If you really want to address the root issues of behavior and focus on cultivating the heart then this is the book for you. You may see changes in behavior with a rewards system, but it doesn't address the 'why' behind a child acting in a certain way. What you end up investing in is bigger and bigger rewards to get the desired behavior. The heart-based approach is about equipping your child with the skills he/she needs to survive and thrive. As a parent, I do not believe there is a better investment that you could make!!
July 15, 2021
Top Five Parenting Book
This book is fantastic. I'd definitely rank it in the top five of all the parenting books I've ever read...
1. It's in line with the Word of God.
2. It's challenging but practical.
3. The author also gives various ways to apply the concepts that are proven to work and can be done.
4. It can work for any family type and/or age combinations. It even has a section just for single parents!
Read this book! There's just so much to learn from it, I'm even going to read it again. :)
This book is fantastic. I'd definitely rank it in the top five of all the parenting books I've ever read...
1. It's in line with the Word of God.
2. It's challenging but practical.
3. The author also gives various ways to apply the concepts that are proven to work and can be done.
4. It can work for any family type and/or age combinations. It even has a section just for single parents!
Read this book! There's just so much to learn from it, I'm even going to read it again. :)
August 15, 2018
I thought this book had terrific strategies at getting kids to think for themselves and do more as part of the family. It definitely is for all parents, not just Christian families. I made lots of notes that I hope to refer back to from part 1 of the book. Part 2 (level three thinking) was good but could have been condensed into 2-3 chapters, I skimmed through most of it after a bit since it was somewhat repetitive. This book is definitely a keeper in the parenting toolbox.
April 4, 2022
Live your faith and pray over, with, and for your kids. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as a parent. Thus, if your faith in God is strong, don't place hope in books like this. With any and all issues that arise while raising kids, there's no quick, easy fix..... it just takes dedication to care for the blessings of kids God gave you.
May 22, 2017
This book has so much good stuff in it that it took me forever to get through- and I still plan on going back through my notes. I've read a gazillion parenting books but this one is unique in that it goes deeper than behaviour and focuses on heart issues. Definitely worth the read!
August 16, 2019
Had good points but didnt always keep my interest. Towards the end I felt like they pushed an agenda for "Famiy Time" while the concept is admirable and inspiring I didn't like feeling pressured to participate.
December 19, 2019
Surprisingly Excellent Book
I really enjoyed this book. In the beginning, I thought it will be a ”classic” book of parenting, but it was so different from the rest of the books. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to raise kids in the proper way.
I really enjoyed this book. In the beginning, I thought it will be a ”classic” book of parenting, but it was so different from the rest of the books. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to raise kids in the proper way.
October 4, 2022
A good read but repetitive at times.
October 30, 2022
This is, without a doubt, one of the best Christian parenting books I've read. Many books are based primarily on behavior modification, or revolve around certain consequences to put in place for certain offenses. Others do an excellent job addressing the heart issues involved in parenting, but are too vague on the application to be very helpful in terms of implementation. Turansky and Miller have managed to hit both -- the practical AND the heart -- without cheating either.
They provide some concrete language for addressing heart issues with children, and for articulating what our goals are in Christian parenting, while still leaving plenty of flexibility to address different children and/or different situations in different ways.
I have quibbles with a couple points of theology touched on in the book (the proper definition/theology of guilt, and the idea of salvation as "inviting Jesus into our hearts"), but neither of these is fundamental to the major ideas of the book, and even the views I would tweak these to would be perfectly consistent with the totality of the text.
(received free for review - longer, more detailed review on my blog)
They provide some concrete language for addressing heart issues with children, and for articulating what our goals are in Christian parenting, while still leaving plenty of flexibility to address different children and/or different situations in different ways.
I have quibbles with a couple points of theology touched on in the book (the proper definition/theology of guilt, and the idea of salvation as "inviting Jesus into our hearts"), but neither of these is fundamental to the major ideas of the book, and even the views I would tweak these to would be perfectly consistent with the totality of the text.
(received free for review - longer, more detailed review on my blog)
January 28, 2015
Motivate Your Child, unlike many parenting resources I've come across, is coming from the perspective of heart parenting. In our family, this means that we as parents teach the heart of the child. We don't just seek to modify behavior. We seek to develop children who will look to Christ as the One Who guides their behavior and who will seek to please him- not us. I was so excited to find a tool that offers practical guidance as well as biblical principles in this area of heart parenting.
The book focuses on developing in your child a conscience. There is a great explanation in the book, but, in short, this is not the Holy Spirit's guidance but is an internal motivation to do the right thing independently. That means, instead of responding to nagging and threats and punishment, my children can learn to respond to their internal promptings to do right.
That's a nice goal, of course, but how can this really happen in my family? Those were my thoughts as I read through the introduction. But as I read on, I was motivated and encouraged to think that this really could happen in my family.
Dr. Turansky and Joanne Miller don't just give lofty principles. They give practical examples. So when they discuss the value of correction in chapter 5, they don't just tell readers that correcting kids and how we correct them can be important, they give practical examples of how real people have used correction techniques in their families to help guide kids' behavior.
The first part of the book talks about the moral development of children. The authors discuss topics such as internal and external motivation- which they will come back to again and again-the conscience, correction, integrity, compassion, consequences. The second part of the book talks about the spiritual development of children. The authors discuss topics such as family time, relationships, practicing your faith, and leading a child to Christ.
There are so many excellent things in Motivate Your Child. I skimmed it first and am now reading slowly with a pen in hand for marking. I've already processed several things with my husband and am mulling over others that I want to bring up to him. I could probably spend a really long time talking specifics about the book and, in fact, I'm hoping to do a five day series on some of the content that's been beneficial to us; but I'll wrap up this review by telling you what stood out to me, what resonated with me, what made me feel like this book was worth while and I should listen to what the authors were saying. It is the fact that the authors are teaching parents to view their children as spiritual beings.
Our children aren't little machines that we can train with behavior modification. That may work for a while in limited ways. Our children are spiritual beings. They are designed by God and made for a relationship with Him. When we teach them that the things they do have a result, that their behaviors can strengthen their relationship with God or hinder it, then they'll make lasting changes in the things that they do.
Motivate Your Child is a parenting resource that "gets" that. The principles that the authors give come from Scripture. They use Scripture in teaching children. They focus on discussion and teaching, not behavior modification. And they guide parents to teach the hearts of their children to bring their children into a close relationship with God. That's why it's a resource I can gush about.
The book focuses on developing in your child a conscience. There is a great explanation in the book, but, in short, this is not the Holy Spirit's guidance but is an internal motivation to do the right thing independently. That means, instead of responding to nagging and threats and punishment, my children can learn to respond to their internal promptings to do right.
That's a nice goal, of course, but how can this really happen in my family? Those were my thoughts as I read through the introduction. But as I read on, I was motivated and encouraged to think that this really could happen in my family.
Dr. Turansky and Joanne Miller don't just give lofty principles. They give practical examples. So when they discuss the value of correction in chapter 5, they don't just tell readers that correcting kids and how we correct them can be important, they give practical examples of how real people have used correction techniques in their families to help guide kids' behavior.
The first part of the book talks about the moral development of children. The authors discuss topics such as internal and external motivation- which they will come back to again and again-the conscience, correction, integrity, compassion, consequences. The second part of the book talks about the spiritual development of children. The authors discuss topics such as family time, relationships, practicing your faith, and leading a child to Christ.
There are so many excellent things in Motivate Your Child. I skimmed it first and am now reading slowly with a pen in hand for marking. I've already processed several things with my husband and am mulling over others that I want to bring up to him. I could probably spend a really long time talking specifics about the book and, in fact, I'm hoping to do a five day series on some of the content that's been beneficial to us; but I'll wrap up this review by telling you what stood out to me, what resonated with me, what made me feel like this book was worth while and I should listen to what the authors were saying. It is the fact that the authors are teaching parents to view their children as spiritual beings.
Our children aren't little machines that we can train with behavior modification. That may work for a while in limited ways. Our children are spiritual beings. They are designed by God and made for a relationship with Him. When we teach them that the things they do have a result, that their behaviors can strengthen their relationship with God or hinder it, then they'll make lasting changes in the things that they do.
Motivate Your Child is a parenting resource that "gets" that. The principles that the authors give come from Scripture. They use Scripture in teaching children. They focus on discussion and teaching, not behavior modification. And they guide parents to teach the hearts of their children to bring their children into a close relationship with God. That's why it's a resource I can gush about.
January 27, 2015
About the Book:
We need a parenting revolution!
Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about life: What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by?
But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.
You’ll learn . . .
• how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don’t have to rely on you to get things done.
• the four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.
• ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.
• how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.
The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development—this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.
Join the revolution!
About the Authors:
Scott Turansky has been a pastor and missionary for more than 33 years and is an author of several books. In addition to pastoring full time, Scott also conducts parenting seminars on Saturdays around the United States (http://www.effectiveparenting.org/). He is the cofounder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting (www.biblicalparenting.org) and has co-authored four books.
Joanne Miller is a pediatric nurse with 26 years of experience and the cofounder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting. She is the coauthor of seven parenting books.
My Review:
What would it be like to finally get through to your children? After many times of trying to teach them how to be and how to respond, whether spoken to or not. What would it be like in your household, if they finally developed some initiative?
I know my husband and I, this has been a long awaited concept in our home. Our children have taken many years to develop this character trait. After years and years of waiting for this to happen in your child, a parent can grow more and more weary.
Motivate Your Child, is about more than trying to get your child to act appropriately. It is about their moral and spiritual development.My favorite chapter in the book was entitled, "Kids Taking Initiative". The authors suggest that we show the child or children in question how to discover the need and or want to take action. And after that is applied give him or her the confidence to make the choice to do something. After that initial confidence build, the child will be more likely to act.
After you teach your children the basic need to care for themselves, the work doesn't stop there. They still have many years ahead of them, that they will still need our guidance on all levels across the board. We as parents still have much work to do to raise them to their full potential. Motivate Your Child is a good book to help you through the process!
We need a parenting revolution!
Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about life: What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by?
But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.
You’ll learn . . .
• how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don’t have to rely on you to get things done.
• the four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.
• ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.
• how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.
The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development—this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.
Join the revolution!
About the Authors:
Scott Turansky has been a pastor and missionary for more than 33 years and is an author of several books. In addition to pastoring full time, Scott also conducts parenting seminars on Saturdays around the United States (http://www.effectiveparenting.org/). He is the cofounder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting (www.biblicalparenting.org) and has co-authored four books.
Joanne Miller is a pediatric nurse with 26 years of experience and the cofounder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting. She is the coauthor of seven parenting books.
My Review:
What would it be like to finally get through to your children? After many times of trying to teach them how to be and how to respond, whether spoken to or not. What would it be like in your household, if they finally developed some initiative?
I know my husband and I, this has been a long awaited concept in our home. Our children have taken many years to develop this character trait. After years and years of waiting for this to happen in your child, a parent can grow more and more weary.
Motivate Your Child, is about more than trying to get your child to act appropriately. It is about their moral and spiritual development.My favorite chapter in the book was entitled, "Kids Taking Initiative". The authors suggest that we show the child or children in question how to discover the need and or want to take action. And after that is applied give him or her the confidence to make the choice to do something. After that initial confidence build, the child will be more likely to act.
After you teach your children the basic need to care for themselves, the work doesn't stop there. They still have many years ahead of them, that they will still need our guidance on all levels across the board. We as parents still have much work to do to raise them to their full potential. Motivate Your Child is a good book to help you through the process!
April 15, 2015
There are some parenting books that should be on every parent’s shelf and if you’ve read my blog for any length of time you’ll know that Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller are two authors whose books I highly recommend. I’ve had the pleasure of sharing The Christian Parenting Handbook and Cultivating Responsibility with my readers here at Growing for Christ. Adding Motivate Your Child to my home library is thrilling because of the simpleness of the plan – get your children to do what they need to do without nagging or being told repeatedly. Sounds like a dream, right? Well Scott and Joanne give you the tools needed to equip your children to do what is right, make them take initiative, show compassion as well as what about consequences and how to put the ideas to work outside of the home. The second part of the book deals with the spiritual development of the child, and may even prove beneficial to the parents as well.
Using much Scripture, which is a wonderful idea for any parenting book, the ideas given will help to make your home peaceful and to have those who live in it living in relevant peace, children will argue so it won’t be perfect but it can be improved. I know that I’d love my children to take more initiative – instead of me having to say “Child B, unload the dishwasher” or “Child A and C, bring down the dirty laundry” I’d like to see them do it without being asked or reminded. They help dirty the dishes, clothes, and house – they can definitely help do things around it to help keep it clean. I don’t want to pick too much on my children, especially the oldest, as they do do a lot and for that I’m appreciative I’d just like them to take more initiative and don’t do just the basics to get by.
I suggest you do as I did, read through the book once and get an idea of where to start, if you’d rather focus on their spiritual development first – do that or chose to work on part one of the book which is moral development, it’s really up to you, the parent to know how to use this book in your family. After that, go back and re-read it and take notes about where you want to start and each child may need something different, so maybe even create a list for each child – or if you have a large family see where the majority lies and proceed from there. There is a chapter for those of us without a spouse, it gives more of a view such as divorce or if the other spouse isn’t a Believer but it can be adapted for those in my situation of widowhood – I would have liked to see a bit more on this chapter, but it was still handy to read. The entire book is handy to have on hand and will hopefully give you hope that your children will eventually be the person God wants them to be.
**I was given this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.
Using much Scripture, which is a wonderful idea for any parenting book, the ideas given will help to make your home peaceful and to have those who live in it living in relevant peace, children will argue so it won’t be perfect but it can be improved. I know that I’d love my children to take more initiative – instead of me having to say “Child B, unload the dishwasher” or “Child A and C, bring down the dirty laundry” I’d like to see them do it without being asked or reminded. They help dirty the dishes, clothes, and house – they can definitely help do things around it to help keep it clean. I don’t want to pick too much on my children, especially the oldest, as they do do a lot and for that I’m appreciative I’d just like them to take more initiative and don’t do just the basics to get by.
I suggest you do as I did, read through the book once and get an idea of where to start, if you’d rather focus on their spiritual development first – do that or chose to work on part one of the book which is moral development, it’s really up to you, the parent to know how to use this book in your family. After that, go back and re-read it and take notes about where you want to start and each child may need something different, so maybe even create a list for each child – or if you have a large family see where the majority lies and proceed from there. There is a chapter for those of us without a spouse, it gives more of a view such as divorce or if the other spouse isn’t a Believer but it can be adapted for those in my situation of widowhood – I would have liked to see a bit more on this chapter, but it was still handy to read. The entire book is handy to have on hand and will hopefully give you hope that your children will eventually be the person God wants them to be.
**I was given this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinion, no other compensation was given.
February 26, 2015
There has been such excitement in the launch of this new parenting book by: Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RS, BSN. The full title of the book is "Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told." The book comes with an Index and a Scripture Index in the back so that you can easily access information or refer back to what scripture was referenced.
The book acts like a guide as it is described, but it is not one of those parenting books that tells you how to raise your child and makes you feel like a failure. Instead, the book emphasizes what the authors call heart parenting, where you reflect on what values are important to you in your family. It then grows from that and helps you focus on each of your children and how you can reach their hearts to motivate them, instead of using anger. The book uses many examples of different families, age groups and behaviors and how to lovingly correct them.
I couldn't wait to get this book to read. I enjoyed that it is from a Christian parenting perspective, and how I was able to read along in my Bible with all of the wonderful scripture that is quoted in this book. The introduction and chapter one were slow to start but once I got to chapter two, I could not put the book down! It felt like the authors knew exactly what I was going through as a parent.
Motivate Your Child describes the many different ways parents can become stressed from generational yelling to all the newness of becoming a parent and not knowing exactly what to do. In turn, parents react to the stress in anger because the frustration becomes too much. I don't think any parent wants to yell at their child or act in anger to get their child to listen. This book is such a blessing because it takes away any kind of anger and has you commit to what the root of the problem is in your individual child, and how to internally motivate them.
I would highly recommend this book to any parent or grandparent. It has taught me how to calmly reason with my children while maintaining a discernment for discipline. The lessons learned in this book are not a quick fix solution, but more of a putting the time in your child now so that they know how to distinguish right and wrong for the rest of their lives.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book as part of the launch team in the release of this book.
This book review appeared on my blog on January 27, 2015: http://raisingsamuels.blogspot.com/20...
The book acts like a guide as it is described, but it is not one of those parenting books that tells you how to raise your child and makes you feel like a failure. Instead, the book emphasizes what the authors call heart parenting, where you reflect on what values are important to you in your family. It then grows from that and helps you focus on each of your children and how you can reach their hearts to motivate them, instead of using anger. The book uses many examples of different families, age groups and behaviors and how to lovingly correct them.
I couldn't wait to get this book to read. I enjoyed that it is from a Christian parenting perspective, and how I was able to read along in my Bible with all of the wonderful scripture that is quoted in this book. The introduction and chapter one were slow to start but once I got to chapter two, I could not put the book down! It felt like the authors knew exactly what I was going through as a parent.
Motivate Your Child describes the many different ways parents can become stressed from generational yelling to all the newness of becoming a parent and not knowing exactly what to do. In turn, parents react to the stress in anger because the frustration becomes too much. I don't think any parent wants to yell at their child or act in anger to get their child to listen. This book is such a blessing because it takes away any kind of anger and has you commit to what the root of the problem is in your individual child, and how to internally motivate them.
I would highly recommend this book to any parent or grandparent. It has taught me how to calmly reason with my children while maintaining a discernment for discipline. The lessons learned in this book are not a quick fix solution, but more of a putting the time in your child now so that they know how to distinguish right and wrong for the rest of their lives.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book as part of the launch team in the release of this book.
This book review appeared on my blog on January 27, 2015: http://raisingsamuels.blogspot.com/20...
April 28, 2015
I am often hesitant to pick up a parenting book by an unfamiliar author, even one that professes to be Christian, because there are too many instances of psychological, new age belief systems that infiltrate these books. I decided to take a chance on this book because it offered to teach me ways to change behavior by using the conscience and spiritual concepts to do so. What I found was an excellent book that helped to change how I view several parenting techniques and gave me concrete examples of how to direct my children in mental and spiritual maturity, allowing them to direct their own behaviors in a more positive direction.
There is a lot of great information packed into these 250 or so pages. I found affirmations for a lot of what my husband and I are doing with our own children as well as a few challenges to accepted practices. For example, instead of the duration of a “time-out” being equal in minutes to the child’s age in years, Turansky and Miller suggest you allow the time needed, and it varies from child to child, for the offense to be processed and a new action plan to be developed.
One interesting concept that I am now incorporating into my own interactions with children is that the conscience and the Holy Spirit are not the same thing, but that they work together to direct behavior if we are taught to respond to their promptings. While a new idea for me, the writing presents a clear case for thinking about things in this way and shows how this works out as we take things to a logical conclusion using real world examples. That is one of the best things about this book: nothing is left out in some ethereal theory-land, but is brought down to earth with suggestions about how to implement the ideas in our own families and examples of how it has worked in other families.
This is an excellent parenting resource and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It comes from a grounded Christian perspective, makes sense in its suggestions and gives real hope for everyday parenting challenges.
I received copy of this book from the publisher through The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for this honest review.
There is a lot of great information packed into these 250 or so pages. I found affirmations for a lot of what my husband and I are doing with our own children as well as a few challenges to accepted practices. For example, instead of the duration of a “time-out” being equal in minutes to the child’s age in years, Turansky and Miller suggest you allow the time needed, and it varies from child to child, for the offense to be processed and a new action plan to be developed.
One interesting concept that I am now incorporating into my own interactions with children is that the conscience and the Holy Spirit are not the same thing, but that they work together to direct behavior if we are taught to respond to their promptings. While a new idea for me, the writing presents a clear case for thinking about things in this way and shows how this works out as we take things to a logical conclusion using real world examples. That is one of the best things about this book: nothing is left out in some ethereal theory-land, but is brought down to earth with suggestions about how to implement the ideas in our own families and examples of how it has worked in other families.
This is an excellent parenting resource and I cannot recommend it highly enough. It comes from a grounded Christian perspective, makes sense in its suggestions and gives real hope for everyday parenting challenges.
I received copy of this book from the publisher through The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for this honest review.
April 19, 2015
Raising children who do what they need to do without being told is the goal of this guide book. Developing self-motivation in your child can be "hair-raising" without guidance. Choosing to "deliberately work on spiritual and moral development" is an investment in their character that will produce a life time of harvested wisdom. As their guardian, we are "giving them the "tools" to navigate life."
"Happiness may be found in the destination,
but character is built in the journey."
Have you considered using a "heart-based" approach to discipline? Instead of using motivators that are externally "rewarded," why not teach internal responsibilities. Teaching strategies of firmness, correction, consequences, and thinking beyond self. What is beneficial with this approach is the instruction that is centered between their heart and their minds:
Every day considerations about themselves and their activities (behaviors/choices)
Learning about responsibility (focus on others/tasks well done/time limits)
Growing into maturity (considering God's instruction and God's will for them)
"When you do something with all your heart,
it means that your motivation to get things done comes from inside..."
Does your discipline leave out the conscience? Our internal motivator helps us align our thoughts and actions with an internal obligation to manage oneself. What if your modeling, discussions, and guidelines taught them:
To do what's right
To deal with the wrongs
To be honest
To care about others
With this "guide book" you can "use areas of strength in a child's life to help them improve areas of weakness."
Are you ready to get started?
Go for it...
MrsK http://mrskbookstogo.blogspot.com/
"Happiness may be found in the destination,
but character is built in the journey."
Have you considered using a "heart-based" approach to discipline? Instead of using motivators that are externally "rewarded," why not teach internal responsibilities. Teaching strategies of firmness, correction, consequences, and thinking beyond self. What is beneficial with this approach is the instruction that is centered between their heart and their minds:
Every day considerations about themselves and their activities (behaviors/choices)
Learning about responsibility (focus on others/tasks well done/time limits)
Growing into maturity (considering God's instruction and God's will for them)
"When you do something with all your heart,
it means that your motivation to get things done comes from inside..."
Does your discipline leave out the conscience? Our internal motivator helps us align our thoughts and actions with an internal obligation to manage oneself. What if your modeling, discussions, and guidelines taught them:
To do what's right
To deal with the wrongs
To be honest
To care about others
With this "guide book" you can "use areas of strength in a child's life to help them improve areas of weakness."
Are you ready to get started?
Go for it...
MrsK http://mrskbookstogo.blogspot.com/
April 5, 2015
I have enjoyed reading Motivate Your Child. I feel that the authors have something different to say that adds to the conversation on parenting. They talk about the conscience and how different children react to discipline when they make mistakes. I discovered that my daughter reacts differently than either my husband or myself to learning she has made a mistake. That has made a great difference in my parenting her, and I feel like our relationship has improved since reading this book. I feel for the first time I am making some progress with her, and reaching her. It has empowered me as a parent. My husband said this alone made the book worth reading.
Motivate Your Child has many examples of conversations other parents have had with their children to help them become responsible adults. I found this very helpful, and it has given me ideas on how to start good conversations with my kids. I liked the variety of stories and the different kind of families they used in their examples. The authors do a great job painting visual pictures that help clarify their points.
Lastly, what I love about this book is that it is a relational book. This is not a get your kids to do what you want in 5 easy steps. The authors talk about working with your child's heart, showing your child how they can change, and how you can guide your child to become the person God wants them to be. I highly recommend reading it.
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review from Book Club Network and the author.
February 9, 2015
I was really excited to receive a review copy of Motivate Your Child by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller. I have recently struggled in parenting one of my sons who seems to struggle with staying on task and is often down right squirrelly. He is a great kid, and so very smart, but I feel his spirit is being crushed by the behavior chart at school. I need him to decide on his own to make good choices without me prodding him along during the day. Motivate Your Child is not necessarily aimed at children with attention deficit, but there is plenty of advice and guidance within that I feel will be helpful in guiding my son.
Motivate Your Child is a Christian parenting book, so know that most of the advice is with the direction of scripture. If you are a not a Christian, the advice given is still applicable. While I was excited to read the book for Part 1, Moral Development in Children, I enjoyed Part 2, Spiritual Development in Children much more. I loved the breakdown of Moses’ instructions into three principles for guiding our children: Build a relationship, share scripture, and practice faith. So simple, and at the same time, so profound!
This book was written to help, not to entertain…so it is not a page turner in that respect. But an anxious parent ready for some change may find it too interesting to put down. I was given a complimentary copy of this by BookLookBloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.
Motivate Your Child is a Christian parenting book, so know that most of the advice is with the direction of scripture. If you are a not a Christian, the advice given is still applicable. While I was excited to read the book for Part 1, Moral Development in Children, I enjoyed Part 2, Spiritual Development in Children much more. I loved the breakdown of Moses’ instructions into three principles for guiding our children: Build a relationship, share scripture, and practice faith. So simple, and at the same time, so profound!
This book was written to help, not to entertain…so it is not a page turner in that respect. But an anxious parent ready for some change may find it too interesting to put down. I was given a complimentary copy of this by BookLookBloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.
May 18, 2015
One thing that I love about this book is the fact that it doesn't just focus on the child, but it also focuses on ME. It reminds me to be a better example to my children, and to put the time and energy into doing it right. The best way to discipline isn't the easy way! Within this book, not only are there examples of various situations that need guidance, and what could be done to help, but there's also Bible lessons and verses, and discussions of events/people within the Bible. I felt like I was getting little mini Bible studies as I read through the book. I was grateful every time I saw an example and a possible solution for situations I'm struggling with, concerning both me and one(or all) of my boys.
The first half of the book focuses on discipline/training. The second half focuses on the "Family Challenge", which is "a practical plan to pass the faith on to your kids". I enjoyed getting fresh ideas for teaching the boys. For example, I got the idea to turn off all the lights in the house and follow a treasure map with a flashlight, in order to illustrate Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.". My boys would love that! This section reminded me to put more effort and creativity into "Family Time".
This book has been a blessing! I feel like I need to start right back at the beginning, and reread, just to settle it all in my mind more deeply. I'm sure I'll be turning to this book many more times through my parenting years.
The first half of the book focuses on discipline/training. The second half focuses on the "Family Challenge", which is "a practical plan to pass the faith on to your kids". I enjoyed getting fresh ideas for teaching the boys. For example, I got the idea to turn off all the lights in the house and follow a treasure map with a flashlight, in order to illustrate Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.". My boys would love that! This section reminded me to put more effort and creativity into "Family Time".
This book has been a blessing! I feel like I need to start right back at the beginning, and reread, just to settle it all in my mind more deeply. I'm sure I'll be turning to this book many more times through my parenting years.
February 21, 2015
As a professional who works with children, but does not have any of my own, I am always looking for resources and ideas on how to guide parents to be the best parents they can be. I was super excited to get my hands on this book and the online resources to see what tools would collaborate along side the book. I found the website and book to be very helpful with one another. I learned so much from this book, it is hard to pin point one particular thing. My biggest take away from this book is that parents have the ability to build internal motivation in children through a variety of ways and if it is not instilled within the child, the child will demand otherwise. I found this book to be very biblical in practice, along with practical solutions that were not unattainable. The biggest challenge parents face is helping their children develop a moral and spiritual compass that they will take ahold of and stand firm on without their parents when life gets tough. Day to day training with your children will make it easier when they become teenagers and early adults. This book gives encouragement to those who think it's over for their child, it is never too late.
Thank you Thomas Nelson for providing me a complimentary copy and also the online tools. This book and the online website is very helpful.
Thank you Thomas Nelson for providing me a complimentary copy and also the online tools. This book and the online website is very helpful.
April 8, 2015
I wish I could have read this book when my children were small. Now trying it on my youngest grandchildren. The oldest two are grown - too late to start. Unfortunately, also, the authors look younger than my sons who are in their 40's.
To quote a statement on the back cover of this book, "The Greatest gift you can give your child is a strong moral and spiritual development and this book shows you how. Every chapter includes examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.
One lesson is how to teach children to take responsibility for their offense and not to blame others. When children learn to consider others and their feelings then they start learning about and using their conscience. It also teaches children how to take reprimands without feeling shamed. There are so many interesting ways to help motivate and teach children in this book. The best one is through prayer and love.
I highly recommend this book to parents, grandparents and teachers. Its good for anyone dealing with toddlers through teens.
I received this book from www.bookfun.org, the publisher and author. All opinions expressed are my own. I found this information easy to read and understand. Its also very informative and helpful.
My apologies to the author for the delay in reviewing this book but my computer crashed.
To quote a statement on the back cover of this book, "The Greatest gift you can give your child is a strong moral and spiritual development and this book shows you how. Every chapter includes examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.
One lesson is how to teach children to take responsibility for their offense and not to blame others. When children learn to consider others and their feelings then they start learning about and using their conscience. It also teaches children how to take reprimands without feeling shamed. There are so many interesting ways to help motivate and teach children in this book. The best one is through prayer and love.
I highly recommend this book to parents, grandparents and teachers. Its good for anyone dealing with toddlers through teens.
I received this book from www.bookfun.org, the publisher and author. All opinions expressed are my own. I found this information easy to read and understand. Its also very informative and helpful.
My apologies to the author for the delay in reviewing this book but my computer crashed.
March 15, 2016
Motivate Your Child is a great practical guide. I found encouragement in the fact that I was doing some things right, ways to better meet other needs that have been lacking, and the whys of the advice given. This book really stresses that the parents are the ones that mold and teach the child in everything from relationships, to rules, to faith in God. Being a parent is hard work and takes most of our time and our biggest job as parents is to train our children to do what is right. Not for what they can get out of it or some sort of reward. They are not animals that need to be treated to right behavior. No, they are living souls that have a will of their own and they need to do what is right even if they don’t want to. I really liked their chapter titled When Kids Make Mistakes. This chapter is full of helpful questions to get to the issue at hand: confession (what is the wrong), getting to the heart of the matter (what really is behind the defiance), and the third is developing a plan for the next time (giving them ways to think through the situation and cope). And my favorite part was giving our children hope that they can do better next time. This book is very helpful and I recommend it for all parents. I received a copy for an honest review and the opinions are my own.
May 28, 2016
Motivate Your Child does an excellent job reminding us to focus on our children’s hearts. It is easy as parents or teachers to fall into the results trap and completely miss the priority: children growing in conviction and strong consciences who pursue morality and personal relationship with God.
Are we constantly managing our children instead of teaching them to do it themselves? Are we looking at the long term or more often merely the immediate? Turanksy and Miller present a better way to lead our kids into being thriving and independent adults.
The stories shared and the concepts presented solve so many day to day frustrations in leading children. Most importantly, adults change which, in turn, effects kids positively. I especially like implementing, “what is your plan?” and my son does take ownership.
My observation is this comes across a bit idealistic. I personally applied the book to “raise the bar” in leading our son vs. ideal pressure that is easy to come under. The concepts are solid and we are applying them in our family. Everyone who has or plans to have a child should read this book.
I received a complimentary book from The Book Club Network at bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
Are we constantly managing our children instead of teaching them to do it themselves? Are we looking at the long term or more often merely the immediate? Turanksy and Miller present a better way to lead our kids into being thriving and independent adults.
The stories shared and the concepts presented solve so many day to day frustrations in leading children. Most importantly, adults change which, in turn, effects kids positively. I especially like implementing, “what is your plan?” and my son does take ownership.
My observation is this comes across a bit idealistic. I personally applied the book to “raise the bar” in leading our son vs. ideal pressure that is easy to come under. The concepts are solid and we are applying them in our family. Everyone who has or plans to have a child should read this book.
I received a complimentary book from The Book Club Network at bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
January 21, 2016
Every parent out there has found themselves frustrated with their child because they've been told to do something and are now needing to be told again or disciplined for disobedience. There are a lot of books out there that deal with different aspects of discipline or tell parents how to talk to children when getting them to obey. But these authors have taken the problem to the root and have written a book that shows the parent how to get the child to obey because it's second nature to them.
I've never been more impressed with a parenting book. Examples are given of situations that each parent might face. They then not only describe how the parent handled it or how they recommend handling it, but they also give the reasons behind the instructions. The authors have used Biblical concepts to show how to get a child to listen to their conscience and then make wise life decisions. I liked the way the information was presented, each concept was backed by the Bible, and the instructions were presented in such a way that made them seem doable for me. I would definitely recommend this book to parents.
I received this book free of charge from Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
I've never been more impressed with a parenting book. Examples are given of situations that each parent might face. They then not only describe how the parent handled it or how they recommend handling it, but they also give the reasons behind the instructions. The authors have used Biblical concepts to show how to get a child to listen to their conscience and then make wise life decisions. I liked the way the information was presented, each concept was backed by the Bible, and the instructions were presented in such a way that made them seem doable for me. I would definitely recommend this book to parents.
I received this book free of charge from Book Club Network in exchange for my honest review.
April 11, 2015
"Motivate Your Child" is quite simply, the most amazing parenting book I have ever read! It is laid out well, and easy to understand. It does not tell you how to fix your child in three easy steps. It guides you and teaches you about the "heart" of you child. It shows you how precious your child, and your relationship with the child, really is. It breaks down walls and goes deep into WHY our children behave as they do and HOW we can help develop their internal drive as well as their conscience.
"Motivate Your Child" will show you how using Scripture, common sense and reality, along with relationship, we can raise our children to be responsible, sensitive and caring. This book taught me more about the conscience and the four main ways the conscience helps us to: 1. Do what is right; 2. Deal with wrongs; 3. Be honest; 4. Care about others; When we do wrong our conscience lets us know by giving us guilt, or moral discomfort. The authors explain each of these things in great detail! They use lots of scripture and real life stories.
If you are a parent I would suggest you purchase this book and read it, several times! I am intending to send it to my pregnant daughter!
I received this book from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.
"Motivate Your Child" will show you how using Scripture, common sense and reality, along with relationship, we can raise our children to be responsible, sensitive and caring. This book taught me more about the conscience and the four main ways the conscience helps us to: 1. Do what is right; 2. Deal with wrongs; 3. Be honest; 4. Care about others; When we do wrong our conscience lets us know by giving us guilt, or moral discomfort. The authors explain each of these things in great detail! They use lots of scripture and real life stories.
If you are a parent I would suggest you purchase this book and read it, several times! I am intending to send it to my pregnant daughter!
I received this book from The Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 19, 2015
Every parents wants that encouragement and “how to” book. Raising kids is not easy. “This book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life”. What a wonderful answer! Today’s society is all about “what is in it for me”. This has so many options to build that motivation in your kids and help them grow spiritually.
The book is separated into two sections of focus: moral development and spiritual development in children. Under each section has many chapters to keep you going and answer those age old questions about “mistakes, consequences, compassion, strategy, God’s plan, scripture, your children and the Holy Spirit” and many more. Many helpful reminders such as practice what you preach, are woven into the material. It is a very easy to read approach and easy to understand. I loved the down to earth suggestions and applications for God’s word in parenting my child. A helpful index in the back is useful for targeting specific questions and going back to review things you have learned. What a wonderful legacy to leave on your children knowing they will leave it with their own children. I highly recommend this as a bookshelf keeper for any parent!
I received this book from bookfun.org
The book is separated into two sections of focus: moral development and spiritual development in children. Under each section has many chapters to keep you going and answer those age old questions about “mistakes, consequences, compassion, strategy, God’s plan, scripture, your children and the Holy Spirit” and many more. Many helpful reminders such as practice what you preach, are woven into the material. It is a very easy to read approach and easy to understand. I loved the down to earth suggestions and applications for God’s word in parenting my child. A helpful index in the back is useful for targeting specific questions and going back to review things you have learned. What a wonderful legacy to leave on your children knowing they will leave it with their own children. I highly recommend this as a bookshelf keeper for any parent!
I received this book from bookfun.org
January 29, 2015
If you're looking for a new parenting tool to digest, you've gotta check out this book: Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told. It is power-packed with advice for parents seeking to raise godly children that take the initiative to live with integrity. I'm only halfway through the book, and I've already dog-eared several pages for future reference. It's easy to read because it's filled with stories that parents will relate to - both everyday family stories and stories from the Bible. It's filled with strategies to help change children's behavior by reaching their hearts.
They focus their teaching around 4 components of conscience: doing the right thing, dealing with wrongs, being honest, and caring for others. I appreciated the checklist they included for helping to measure your child's progress in the four areas. I've been practicing their techniques for teaching kids to take initiative and reinforcing the importance of integrity. I can almost hear Turansky and Miller speaking into my life as I seek to nurture my 3 children. I'll post more as I finish the book.
They focus their teaching around 4 components of conscience: doing the right thing, dealing with wrongs, being honest, and caring for others. I appreciated the checklist they included for helping to measure your child's progress in the four areas. I've been practicing their techniques for teaching kids to take initiative and reinforcing the importance of integrity. I can almost hear Turansky and Miller speaking into my life as I seek to nurture my 3 children. I'll post more as I finish the book.
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