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Messy Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections

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The book you are seeking is on a different Amazon page . The correct title is The Messy Life of Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections. Please head over the the Messy Life of Parenting to find the book and content you are looking for. Thank you! ~Lori Wildenberg

192 pages, Paperback

Published August 20, 2018

11 people are currently reading
55 people want to read

About the author

Lori Wildenberg

11 books6 followers

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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Christine Carter.
Author 3 books7 followers
August 23, 2018
“Messy Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections” is one more parenting book you must add to your reading list if you want to grow and nourish your family relationships in strong, adaptive, supportive, and respectful ways. Lori has addressed the most common parenting goal of pushing our kids toward independence and identified insights I never considered that result in detachment, isolation, and disconnect within the familial ties. Instead, she offers us a new refreshing parenting goal that will create an “Interdependent Family” which you will learn a great deal about in her latest book.

I earmarked so many pages, full of great detail on how raising an interdependent family looks along with identifying all the challenges and classic parenting techniques that need to be changed into a more interdependent approach.

After reading “Messy Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections”, I am relieved that I don’t have to push my kids away, but rather I can continue to teach them the values and skills needed to live a happy, productive, and faith-filled life right alongside me.

This book was amazing and FULL of new insights I had never considered. I highly recommend this book to parents because it offers so much wisdom and practical application to build a strong and unified family bond that will last a lifetime. This will be one of the most important parenting books you'll ever read.
Profile Image for Jamie Bates.
73 reviews
August 22, 2018
“Life is lived out in the unexpected.”

When offered the opportunity to review this book in advance of it’s release, I leapt with joy! Having previously read two of Lori’s other books, Raising Big Kids with Supernatural Love and Raising Little Kids with Big Love – I knew this was sure to be amazing. I wasn’t wrong!

One of my favorite quotes from her book is in the introduction, “My measure of success is to have responsible and caring kids who are able to rely on one another, ask for help and give help when needed, and trust the Lord throughout their lives.” What a great statement of purpose and intention! Just reading it excites me as a mom. I love goals, I find them empowering.

Lori uses stories from parents to help readers more fully understand and connect with each thought. It has a great, progressive layout that makes it easy to read. The tone is not quite conversational but is casual and comfortable. Throughout each chapter, and at the end, Lori gives you immediate resources to use to apply what she is sharing. Personally, I found the section Rights are Right in chapter five and the statements she shares that you can use to help your child identify, understand, and verbalize rights to be helpful and insightful. I also love the Bring it Home Discussion and Reflection questions at the end of the book.

Messy parenting is real parenting. We go into it with big dreams of perfection, but reality tends to hit fast. In our world of picture perfect snapshots, it is easy to think that we are all alone in this not-all-together life of parenting. Lori points out, that’s just not true! Life is messy, and that’s okay. You’ll find this book to be insightful, encouraging, and empowering. I highly recommend this book for any parent – no matter what stage of parenting you are in.

“A family that is interdependent and God dependent will have more success navigating life when the unexpected comes.”
2 reviews
August 21, 2018
Are you tired of parenting books giving you a list of dos and don'ts that don't translate into real life? Are you looking for wisdom on how to build better family relationships but don't know where to turn? Well, look no further! Messy Parenting is filled with inspiration and encouragement to love your family during every season of parenting, no matter what situation you're facing. Lori tells you what others won't: parenting is messy. And because it is, she also offers her sage advice on how to get through the mess and come out stronger as a family, bearing a deeper faith in God. Her concept of interdependence on each other and dependence on God is the best parenting advice I've read. And she doesn't just tell you how, she shows you. This is a book you will want to read again and again-it's that good!
Profile Image for Morgan Tyree.
Author 4 books66 followers
August 21, 2018
As a parent, I find it challenging to navigate all the twists and turns that come with raising children. Lori's encouraging words and practical ways to increase family connectivity, were so life giving! Thankfully, I now have more parenting tools to help me as I continue forward on my parenting journey. And, the appendix is also a great resource that I'll be referring back to often. I'm all about practical and usable tips and tools, which is exactly what this book provides. A must read for any parent!
Profile Image for Margaret.
8 reviews1 follower
August 16, 2018
This book offers amazing insight into creating an interdependent family. We do not function in a silo in this world! I love how the author incorporates biblical passages and other works to strengthen the message. She offers solid ideas for expanding your family’s connection and the appendices are invaluable. This author consistently provides excellent work in an effort to strengthen families. A must read for parents and even couples!
Profile Image for Brenda Yoder.
Author 2 books13 followers
August 20, 2018
An excellent resource for parents! Complete with practical resources for connecting families with hurried schedules. Lori is so relatable to parents,
Profile Image for Courtney Reads Stuff.
105 reviews8 followers
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October 7, 2020
Some interesting observations here. Worth the read. Lags at times, but I think that the author has some valid points on understanding how children think and feel.
Profile Image for Amber Launstein.
129 reviews1 follower
June 18, 2023
Actually had some great, practical tips for keeping your family unit tight
1 review
September 28, 2018
Why do I recommend this book?

It's simple premise is that all of us mess up as parents. Lori is honest to share her struggles and the difficulties she has faced as parent. This refreshing focus allows parents to hear the truth from the book without feeling like a failure.

It reminds us that our children will make mistakes and how we can point them to Jesus and help them navigate their own struggles. I loved her statement when a child makes a mess literally and metaphorically, "That's OK. Everybody spills. I'll help you clean it up," send the underlying message of grace and truth"

Lori starts with relationship before rules as evidenced by the opening chapters of the book. She starts with God's love for us and then moves to relationship between parent and child.

My favorite chapter in the book is Chapter 4 which is titled "Conflict Doesn't Mean Separation" There is so much in this chapter that I needed to hear as well as my family, our church and our culture needs to hear. She writes, "We accept and love people; we agree and disagree on principles." There is a lot of good advice in this chapter on our posture, forgiveness, dealing with anger, and much more.

The rest of the book focuses on helping your child understand people, being a leader, selfishness, and that blindspot that each of our children has.

Since Lori has written so much, she has a ton of great resources in the appendix.

I would encourage you to pick up the book especially if you are a parent who is tired of all the parenting books that seem to focus on parents who have it all together. Lori is honest and shares her struggles in a way that makes you want to keep reading because you can relate to her.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews