What do you think?
Rate this book
What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child
In these times of enormous stress on families, where can we find down-to-earth help for raising our children?
Declaring that the scriptures are the Lord's handbook for families, father and author S. Michael Wilcox applies in What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child his considerable scriptural knowledge and practical insight to the subject of parenting.
Through examples both of God's dealings with us and also of scriptural parents' dealings with their own children, Brother Wilcox explores a variety of subjects, including how to--
- Receive Heavenly Father's insights about your unique child
- Say no
- Build long-term relationships
- Inspire such qualities as virtue, compassion, and resilience
- Help a child who is struggling
- Manage your own parental expectations, and much more.
In an ever-changing world, the kind of parenting book you can trust would be an authoritative source with time-proven principles that rise above social trends.
It would provide real examples and clear answers.
And it would acknowledge the incomparable rewards--earthly and eternal--of raising children.
Simply put, the kind of parenting book you can trust would offer the hope and the help to be found in the scriptures, written by a guide well versed both in the scriptures themselves and in the day-to-day trials and joys of parenting.
That book is What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child.
Declaring that the scriptures are the Lord's handbook for families, father and author S. Michael Wilcox applies in What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child his considerable scriptural knowledge and practical insight to the subject of parenting.
Through examples both of God's dealings with us and also of scriptural parents' dealings with their own children, Brother Wilcox explores a variety of subjects, including how to--
- Receive Heavenly Father's insights about your unique child
- Say no
- Build long-term relationships
- Inspire such qualities as virtue, compassion, and resilience
- Help a child who is struggling
- Manage your own parental expectations, and much more.
In an ever-changing world, the kind of parenting book you can trust would be an authoritative source with time-proven principles that rise above social trends.
It would provide real examples and clear answers.
And it would acknowledge the incomparable rewards--earthly and eternal--of raising children.
Simply put, the kind of parenting book you can trust would offer the hope and the help to be found in the scriptures, written by a guide well versed both in the scriptures themselves and in the day-to-day trials and joys of parenting.
That book is What the Scriptures Teach Us about Raising a Child.
164 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2009
25 people are currently reading
607 people want to read
About the author
S. Michael Wilcox
55 books143 followersS. Michael Wilcox is an instructor at the institute of religion adjacent to the University of Utah. A frequent speaker at Brigham Young University Education Week, Michael also conducts tours of the Holy Land, Church history sites, Europe, China, and Central America. He received a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Brigham Young University, a master’s in media from the University of Arizona, and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in educational philosophy. He is the author of House of Glory and When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
October 24, 2021
This is a wonderful little book full of important reminders and insights about the importance of learning, living, and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to children. Parents have a particularly important role and a number of great resources prepared by our Heavenly Father to help and guide and bless. Even though I don't have children, I'm grateful for these reminders and truths. They can be a blessing to all of us and we strive to strengthen and uplift each other.
"Having a child in our home may be the closest thing to having the Father and Son themselves within our walls (xi)."
"Our culture will survive only if the roots of permanent and lasting human relationships are fostered, nurtured, and refined in the homes of its people (p. 2).
"With the birth of my first child, mortality became an apprenticeship for Godhood (p. 7)."
"The scriptures are sufficient for our needs, and we can discover rather quickly how much counsel they offer when we read them searchingly with a parent's mind. With godly perception the Lord has inspired the writers and compilers of sacred writ to include within those pages stories, examples, and instructions necessary to give us direction (p. 8)."
"It becomes apparent with even a cursory reading of the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis, that it is a book dealing exclusively with families (p. 10)."
"'Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord' (Psalm 127:3, p. 14)."
"We can anticipate definitive counsel from the Lord for each child (p. 15)."
"I could hear the voice of our Father in Heaven speaking to me through the thinness of the veil that is so immediate at the birth of a baby. He was telling me things about this specific child (p. 16)."
"I have to admit that, in spite of the powerful way the still, small voice spoke on those occasions, I sometimes doubted the reality of the counsel (p. 17)."
"We may go to the Lord, asking him to 'teach us what we shall do' with each child, for each one is distinct and singular, and each one is his child too (p. 17)."
"Occasionally we may feel we are the exception or think we have a better idea than the counsel of the prophet. Scripturally thinking, we may be tempted to wash in the rivers of Damascus instead of the Jordan (p. 20)."
"'How do you raise righteous children?'... 'Well, Mike, your mother was too stupid... to think she had a better program than the Lord's. So I just did everything the Church told me to do.' That one statement reveals much about how we children were raised... That way usually does not require great deeds (p. 20)."
"These will be moments to ponder, to keep in the heart, as Mary did... 'My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour' (Luke 1:43, 46-47). When we magnify something, we enlarge it to fill our field of vision... If we think of the many areas of life to which we might turn our prioritizing lenses, it is helpful to ponder that it was toward the spiritual, toward her God, that Mary pointed her soul. Hers was not a magnification that grew out of duty but a magnification she rejoiced in (p. 23)."
"A mother's soul is a lens through which a child almost always first sees God... Jesus was raised by a mother who felt a deep, rejoicing reverence for God... In my own life, it was my mother who enlarged God in my eyes--brought him up close so he filled the field of my vision. I saw him first through the lens of her faith, her soul, and it filled me with wonder and awe... I was born loving all living creatures. It is important for children to learn how to love... I learned to love God because I first loved his creations... I grew up believing God made sand crabs to ticklet children's hands (p. 24)."
"'My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord' (2 Nephi 4:15-16). A child can sense the delight in the tone of a parent's voice... It is the polish that brings clarity to the lens of the soul (p. 25)"
"'How do you instill faith in the heart of a child (p. 28)?'"
"'The whole human family... had this knowledge... so that the existence of God became an object of faith... see by what means it was that God became an object of faith among men after the fall; and what it was that stirred up the faith of multitudes to feel after him--to search after a knowledge of his character, perfections and attributes, until they became extensively acquainted with him, and not only commune with him and behold his glory, but be partakers of his power and stand in his presence' (Lectures on Faith)... 'As a father, you must stir up the faith of your children to feel after God (p. 29)."
"This is what I desire for my children: 'glorious discoveries and eternal certainty (p. 31).'"
"The testimony of a parent is a powerful tool for stirring up the minds of children to feel after God (p. 31)."
"Upon hearing Lehi relate his dream of the tree of life, Nephi writes, 'I, Nephi... was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him' (1 Nephi 10:17)... While hunting beasts in the forest, Enos tells us, 'the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer' (Enos 1:3-4, p. 31)."
"We could mention the influence of Mormon on Moroni... Benjamin on his three sons, or the faith of Alma the Younger, which was passed down to his three sons (p. 32)."
"Written records of our ancestors many generations back can also have this effect. Perhaps that is one of the reasons we should write our life histories, especially those moments which have the potential to stir up the faith of future generations to feel after their Father in Heaven (p. 34)."
"As we bear testimony, the Spirit refills it, but the soul's capacity to hold just a little bit more is increased (p. 36)."
"'I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also' (2 Timothy 1:5, p. 38)."
"There is power in that type of individual attention to each child with his or her specific strengths, challenges, and maturity. The one-on-one times with our children may be the most effective moments we share... Somehow being away from distractions provided the perfect timing for some deep sharing (p. 38)."
"Parental example is such an obvious necessity that it hardly needs elaboration... I recall one afternoon, while preparing a lesson for an institute class, I took a few moments from my studies to watch my youngest son playing with his trucks. He saw me sitting with my scriptures open and a red pencil in hand. He dropped his trucks, ran to his bedroom, where he retrieved his own paperback copy of the Book of Mormon, and began to underline. As I watched this, the Lord taught me a sobering lesson. 'Do you understand how great your influence is at this most crucial time in your son's eternal journey (p. 43)?'"
"'If I can place my daughter in the arms of the Savior, he will grant her a similar blessing and prayer, which will carry her through life (p. 45).'"
"'Don't pass on to me your responsibility to this child, young father. If you wish her to be faithful, you be faithful. If you wish her to live the gospel, you live the gospel. If you desire her to pray, to love the scriptures and the temple, you do the same. She will follow you. You will set the pace. You will establish the direction (p. 46).'"
"When Nephi later explained that the iron rod represented the word of God and testified of its importance to his brothers, he said, 'Whoso would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away' (1 Nephi 15:24). What a marvelous promise relative to the power of the scriptures (p. 47)."
"The scriptures are manna, the bread from heaven God has given to nourish us through life... Life is a wilderness and the scriptures are our compass (p. 48)."
"Over the years, these friends in the scriptures will go with us (p. 50)."
"Because they were first introduced to me by my mother, whom I trusted and loved, they became a deep part of me (p. 51)."
"'Make friends in history (p. 51).'"
"She was suffering in ignorance because she did not know the mysteries of God (p. 53)."
"The praise was not only generous but specific (p. 56)."
"'Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name' (3 Nephi 11:7, p. 57)."
"We worship a Father who notices even the tiniest of kindnesses (p. 58)."
"Realize... the need for both nurture and admonition in the raising of a child (p. 62)."
"Each child is unique (p. 63)."
"Children must see the 'glad tidings,' the cheer-inspiring, soul-rejoicing qualities the Lord has provided for their lives (p. 65)."
"Jacob 'often' spoke of 'the joy of the saints' (Enos 1:3). Testimony or faith needs to be given weight so it may sink deep into the soul of a child and create the hunger Enos speaks about (p. 67)."
"If we spend our lives focused on all the things we do have and can do, we will live happy, contented, productive, and grateful lives. God would have us live in this manner, for there are many decent, wholesome, edifying things available even in our ofttimes decadent, decaying world (p. 68)."
"Lehi had to first taste the fruit of the tree of life and know that it was sweet and 'desirable above all other fruit' before he 'beckoned' to his family to 'come unto me, and partake of the fruit' (1 Nephi 8:12-15). That is a parent's job. That is a parent's opportunity (p. 69)."
"I realized with a certain shock that my daughter would increasingly come under the influence of people and events I could neither control nor safeguard her against (p. 70)."
"A parent's job is to surround the child with goodness, virtue, wisdom, truth, and light, to place in close proximity these things that they might be drawn into the soul (p. 77)."
"Jesus, the supreme example, did not obtain a fulness of light, truth, and glory all at once. He grew from grace to grace, from one level of righteousness to another. With each added piece of knowledge, he acted upon it correctly and matured in goodness (p. 79)."
"The good seed of our Father in Heaven's children will grow. Our job is to prepare and enrich the soil (p. 80)."
"As parents we must do our best to follow all the counsels of the Lord (p. 82)."
"The Lord has built some sturdy fences to protect his children. There is plenty of good green grass within those boundaries he has set, but often we strain at the limits of his standards (p. 84)."
"Nine chapters of scripture validate a moment's decision when a parent needed to stand firm, say no, and mean it (p. 91)."
"Continue to pray for him or her and teach the good and right way (p. 94)."
"'A successful parent is one who has loved, one who has sacrificed, and one who has cared for, taught, and ministered to the needs of a child (Howard W. Hunter, p. 96).'"
"Explain the short- and long-term consequences of their conduct (p. 98)."
"There is a natural desire in parents to protect their children from undesirable consequences. This we all understand; however, more painful, long-term results may be avoided if children face the short-term effects of their decisions (p. 100)."
"End with forgiveness and hope (p. 101)."
"It is critical that mothers and fathers listen to the unspoken thoughts of their children (p. 103)."
"The Spirit directed his words where they could do the most good (p. 103)."
"I imagine the father did not mention to his son his sinful life. In the son's penitent return, that life was past, and all eyes needed to be toward the future. There is so much hope in that future (p. 107)."
"Orson F. Whitney recalled that 'the Prophet Joseph Smith declared--and he never found a more comforting doctrine--that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold... Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on. Trust on, till you see the salvation of God (p. 109).'"
"The eternal organization of man is family, and in family they shall remain, time without end (p. 113)."
"One day I should like to hear from my Father in Heaven all the roles my mother's prayers have played in my life (p. 114)."
"Our prayers have great power to help others, especially when that is the only help we can give (p. 115)."
"Trusting that the Lord always does his best for his children, we put everything in the Lord's hands (p. 117)."
"Jesus emphasized the need to continue to ask, to 'weary' the Lord, as the widow does in the parable of the unjust judge, knowing we are pleading with a God who delights in answering according to both his mercy and his wisdom (p. 118)."
"Joseph Smith once taught that there are times when we need to 'come to God, weary him until he blesses you' (p. 118)."
"There may be times when the Lord's wisdom must take precedence over our own fervent desires for our children (p. 119)."
"How many different approaches did the Lord use... ? His arsenal of angels included scriptures, shocks, storms, the Liahona, parental and brotherly rebukes, God's own voice, dreams, hunger, a woman's pleas, Lehi's beseeching dying words, and more (p. 123)."
"Perhaps we are never nearer to the heart of our Father in Heaven than during those times when we seek him out in equal love for one of his children. For in those longings in behalf of our sons and daughters we share a kinship with the Lord himself (p. 124)."
"We must rule, or govern, or preside, or guide our children within the boundaries of the principles of righteousness... When we use the principles of righteousness, we have the blessings and assistance of heaven to sanction our efforts. If we try to influence or control our children in any other way, we are bound to fail in the long term (p. 130)."
"Ultimately, they are the children of their Father in Heaven. I often remind myself of that fact and that his fathering method incorporates the principles of righteousness (p. 131)."
"A long-suffering person is patient, forgiving, tolerant, accommodating, and selfless (p. 132)."
"Meekness suggests a self-imposed control, not a mandated one (p. 134)."
"Unfeigned love has no private agenda but seeks the welfare of the beloved (p. 135)."
"Pure knowledge comes from the Holy Spirit... A love of truth and an aversion to self-deception invite pure knowledge (p. 136)."
"I cannot plant the seed or nourish it in my child's heart if it is not first flourishing in my own (p. 137)."
"To be without guile is to emulate one of the most endearing qualities of childhood itself (p. 138)."
"Our intentions must be so clear that they cannot be misinterpreted (p. 138)."
"Obligations are owed to our fellow Church members and to the broader society... Our child also learns to think of others and to sometimes place their needs above his own (p. 140)."
"Living a virtuous life, even to the extent of our thoughts, is the best way to strengthen belief, to come to an assurance that the gospel is true and good, and to instill it in the soul of a child (p. 141)."
"I believe the Savior was deeply moved by the innocence, the purity and wholesome loveliness of little children... He 'prayed unto the Father, and the things which he had prayed cannot be written' (3 Nephi 17:15). Even the intense prayers of Gethsemane were recorded, the great intercessory prayer and his pleading that the cup be removed, but here things were said and seen that were either beyond the capacity of words or were too sacred for the page (p. 151)."
"'He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this he wept again' (3 Nephi 17:21-22)... Encircled with fire! That is what the God we worship desires to protect his children. Yet his great plan of happiness allows them to be placed in our care, for our instruction and development as well as theirs (p. 152)."
"For whom did the Savior reserve such marvelous teachings?... His greatest truths... were given to 'the children of the multitude' (p. 153)."
"Having a child in our home may be the closest thing to having the Father and Son themselves within our walls (xi)."
"Our culture will survive only if the roots of permanent and lasting human relationships are fostered, nurtured, and refined in the homes of its people (p. 2).
"With the birth of my first child, mortality became an apprenticeship for Godhood (p. 7)."
"The scriptures are sufficient for our needs, and we can discover rather quickly how much counsel they offer when we read them searchingly with a parent's mind. With godly perception the Lord has inspired the writers and compilers of sacred writ to include within those pages stories, examples, and instructions necessary to give us direction (p. 8)."
"It becomes apparent with even a cursory reading of the first book of the Old Testament, Genesis, that it is a book dealing exclusively with families (p. 10)."
"'Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord' (Psalm 127:3, p. 14)."
"We can anticipate definitive counsel from the Lord for each child (p. 15)."
"I could hear the voice of our Father in Heaven speaking to me through the thinness of the veil that is so immediate at the birth of a baby. He was telling me things about this specific child (p. 16)."
"I have to admit that, in spite of the powerful way the still, small voice spoke on those occasions, I sometimes doubted the reality of the counsel (p. 17)."
"We may go to the Lord, asking him to 'teach us what we shall do' with each child, for each one is distinct and singular, and each one is his child too (p. 17)."
"Occasionally we may feel we are the exception or think we have a better idea than the counsel of the prophet. Scripturally thinking, we may be tempted to wash in the rivers of Damascus instead of the Jordan (p. 20)."
"'How do you raise righteous children?'... 'Well, Mike, your mother was too stupid... to think she had a better program than the Lord's. So I just did everything the Church told me to do.' That one statement reveals much about how we children were raised... That way usually does not require great deeds (p. 20)."
"These will be moments to ponder, to keep in the heart, as Mary did... 'My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour' (Luke 1:43, 46-47). When we magnify something, we enlarge it to fill our field of vision... If we think of the many areas of life to which we might turn our prioritizing lenses, it is helpful to ponder that it was toward the spiritual, toward her God, that Mary pointed her soul. Hers was not a magnification that grew out of duty but a magnification she rejoiced in (p. 23)."
"A mother's soul is a lens through which a child almost always first sees God... Jesus was raised by a mother who felt a deep, rejoicing reverence for God... In my own life, it was my mother who enlarged God in my eyes--brought him up close so he filled the field of my vision. I saw him first through the lens of her faith, her soul, and it filled me with wonder and awe... I was born loving all living creatures. It is important for children to learn how to love... I learned to love God because I first loved his creations... I grew up believing God made sand crabs to ticklet children's hands (p. 24)."
"'My soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord' (2 Nephi 4:15-16). A child can sense the delight in the tone of a parent's voice... It is the polish that brings clarity to the lens of the soul (p. 25)"
"'How do you instill faith in the heart of a child (p. 28)?'"
"'The whole human family... had this knowledge... so that the existence of God became an object of faith... see by what means it was that God became an object of faith among men after the fall; and what it was that stirred up the faith of multitudes to feel after him--to search after a knowledge of his character, perfections and attributes, until they became extensively acquainted with him, and not only commune with him and behold his glory, but be partakers of his power and stand in his presence' (Lectures on Faith)... 'As a father, you must stir up the faith of your children to feel after God (p. 29)."
"This is what I desire for my children: 'glorious discoveries and eternal certainty (p. 31).'"
"The testimony of a parent is a powerful tool for stirring up the minds of children to feel after God (p. 31)."
"Upon hearing Lehi relate his dream of the tree of life, Nephi writes, 'I, Nephi... was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him' (1 Nephi 10:17)... While hunting beasts in the forest, Enos tells us, 'the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart. And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer' (Enos 1:3-4, p. 31)."
"We could mention the influence of Mormon on Moroni... Benjamin on his three sons, or the faith of Alma the Younger, which was passed down to his three sons (p. 32)."
"Written records of our ancestors many generations back can also have this effect. Perhaps that is one of the reasons we should write our life histories, especially those moments which have the potential to stir up the faith of future generations to feel after their Father in Heaven (p. 34)."
"As we bear testimony, the Spirit refills it, but the soul's capacity to hold just a little bit more is increased (p. 36)."
"'I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also' (2 Timothy 1:5, p. 38)."
"There is power in that type of individual attention to each child with his or her specific strengths, challenges, and maturity. The one-on-one times with our children may be the most effective moments we share... Somehow being away from distractions provided the perfect timing for some deep sharing (p. 38)."
"Parental example is such an obvious necessity that it hardly needs elaboration... I recall one afternoon, while preparing a lesson for an institute class, I took a few moments from my studies to watch my youngest son playing with his trucks. He saw me sitting with my scriptures open and a red pencil in hand. He dropped his trucks, ran to his bedroom, where he retrieved his own paperback copy of the Book of Mormon, and began to underline. As I watched this, the Lord taught me a sobering lesson. 'Do you understand how great your influence is at this most crucial time in your son's eternal journey (p. 43)?'"
"'If I can place my daughter in the arms of the Savior, he will grant her a similar blessing and prayer, which will carry her through life (p. 45).'"
"'Don't pass on to me your responsibility to this child, young father. If you wish her to be faithful, you be faithful. If you wish her to live the gospel, you live the gospel. If you desire her to pray, to love the scriptures and the temple, you do the same. She will follow you. You will set the pace. You will establish the direction (p. 46).'"
"When Nephi later explained that the iron rod represented the word of God and testified of its importance to his brothers, he said, 'Whoso would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away' (1 Nephi 15:24). What a marvelous promise relative to the power of the scriptures (p. 47)."
"The scriptures are manna, the bread from heaven God has given to nourish us through life... Life is a wilderness and the scriptures are our compass (p. 48)."
"Over the years, these friends in the scriptures will go with us (p. 50)."
"Because they were first introduced to me by my mother, whom I trusted and loved, they became a deep part of me (p. 51)."
"'Make friends in history (p. 51).'"
"She was suffering in ignorance because she did not know the mysteries of God (p. 53)."
"The praise was not only generous but specific (p. 56)."
"'Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name' (3 Nephi 11:7, p. 57)."
"We worship a Father who notices even the tiniest of kindnesses (p. 58)."
"Realize... the need for both nurture and admonition in the raising of a child (p. 62)."
"Each child is unique (p. 63)."
"Children must see the 'glad tidings,' the cheer-inspiring, soul-rejoicing qualities the Lord has provided for their lives (p. 65)."
"Jacob 'often' spoke of 'the joy of the saints' (Enos 1:3). Testimony or faith needs to be given weight so it may sink deep into the soul of a child and create the hunger Enos speaks about (p. 67)."
"If we spend our lives focused on all the things we do have and can do, we will live happy, contented, productive, and grateful lives. God would have us live in this manner, for there are many decent, wholesome, edifying things available even in our ofttimes decadent, decaying world (p. 68)."
"Lehi had to first taste the fruit of the tree of life and know that it was sweet and 'desirable above all other fruit' before he 'beckoned' to his family to 'come unto me, and partake of the fruit' (1 Nephi 8:12-15). That is a parent's job. That is a parent's opportunity (p. 69)."
"I realized with a certain shock that my daughter would increasingly come under the influence of people and events I could neither control nor safeguard her against (p. 70)."
"A parent's job is to surround the child with goodness, virtue, wisdom, truth, and light, to place in close proximity these things that they might be drawn into the soul (p. 77)."
"Jesus, the supreme example, did not obtain a fulness of light, truth, and glory all at once. He grew from grace to grace, from one level of righteousness to another. With each added piece of knowledge, he acted upon it correctly and matured in goodness (p. 79)."
"The good seed of our Father in Heaven's children will grow. Our job is to prepare and enrich the soil (p. 80)."
"As parents we must do our best to follow all the counsels of the Lord (p. 82)."
"The Lord has built some sturdy fences to protect his children. There is plenty of good green grass within those boundaries he has set, but often we strain at the limits of his standards (p. 84)."
"Nine chapters of scripture validate a moment's decision when a parent needed to stand firm, say no, and mean it (p. 91)."
"Continue to pray for him or her and teach the good and right way (p. 94)."
"'A successful parent is one who has loved, one who has sacrificed, and one who has cared for, taught, and ministered to the needs of a child (Howard W. Hunter, p. 96).'"
"Explain the short- and long-term consequences of their conduct (p. 98)."
"There is a natural desire in parents to protect their children from undesirable consequences. This we all understand; however, more painful, long-term results may be avoided if children face the short-term effects of their decisions (p. 100)."
"End with forgiveness and hope (p. 101)."
"It is critical that mothers and fathers listen to the unspoken thoughts of their children (p. 103)."
"The Spirit directed his words where they could do the most good (p. 103)."
"I imagine the father did not mention to his son his sinful life. In the son's penitent return, that life was past, and all eyes needed to be toward the future. There is so much hope in that future (p. 107)."
"Orson F. Whitney recalled that 'the Prophet Joseph Smith declared--and he never found a more comforting doctrine--that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold... Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on. Trust on, till you see the salvation of God (p. 109).'"
"The eternal organization of man is family, and in family they shall remain, time without end (p. 113)."
"One day I should like to hear from my Father in Heaven all the roles my mother's prayers have played in my life (p. 114)."
"Our prayers have great power to help others, especially when that is the only help we can give (p. 115)."
"Trusting that the Lord always does his best for his children, we put everything in the Lord's hands (p. 117)."
"Jesus emphasized the need to continue to ask, to 'weary' the Lord, as the widow does in the parable of the unjust judge, knowing we are pleading with a God who delights in answering according to both his mercy and his wisdom (p. 118)."
"Joseph Smith once taught that there are times when we need to 'come to God, weary him until he blesses you' (p. 118)."
"There may be times when the Lord's wisdom must take precedence over our own fervent desires for our children (p. 119)."
"How many different approaches did the Lord use... ? His arsenal of angels included scriptures, shocks, storms, the Liahona, parental and brotherly rebukes, God's own voice, dreams, hunger, a woman's pleas, Lehi's beseeching dying words, and more (p. 123)."
"Perhaps we are never nearer to the heart of our Father in Heaven than during those times when we seek him out in equal love for one of his children. For in those longings in behalf of our sons and daughters we share a kinship with the Lord himself (p. 124)."
"We must rule, or govern, or preside, or guide our children within the boundaries of the principles of righteousness... When we use the principles of righteousness, we have the blessings and assistance of heaven to sanction our efforts. If we try to influence or control our children in any other way, we are bound to fail in the long term (p. 130)."
"Ultimately, they are the children of their Father in Heaven. I often remind myself of that fact and that his fathering method incorporates the principles of righteousness (p. 131)."
"A long-suffering person is patient, forgiving, tolerant, accommodating, and selfless (p. 132)."
"Meekness suggests a self-imposed control, not a mandated one (p. 134)."
"Unfeigned love has no private agenda but seeks the welfare of the beloved (p. 135)."
"Pure knowledge comes from the Holy Spirit... A love of truth and an aversion to self-deception invite pure knowledge (p. 136)."
"I cannot plant the seed or nourish it in my child's heart if it is not first flourishing in my own (p. 137)."
"To be without guile is to emulate one of the most endearing qualities of childhood itself (p. 138)."
"Our intentions must be so clear that they cannot be misinterpreted (p. 138)."
"Obligations are owed to our fellow Church members and to the broader society... Our child also learns to think of others and to sometimes place their needs above his own (p. 140)."
"Living a virtuous life, even to the extent of our thoughts, is the best way to strengthen belief, to come to an assurance that the gospel is true and good, and to instill it in the soul of a child (p. 141)."
"I believe the Savior was deeply moved by the innocence, the purity and wholesome loveliness of little children... He 'prayed unto the Father, and the things which he had prayed cannot be written' (3 Nephi 17:15). Even the intense prayers of Gethsemane were recorded, the great intercessory prayer and his pleading that the cup be removed, but here things were said and seen that were either beyond the capacity of words or were too sacred for the page (p. 151)."
"'He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this he wept again' (3 Nephi 17:21-22)... Encircled with fire! That is what the God we worship desires to protect his children. Yet his great plan of happiness allows them to be placed in our care, for our instruction and development as well as theirs (p. 152)."
"For whom did the Savior reserve such marvelous teachings?... His greatest truths... were given to 'the children of the multitude' (p. 153)."
August 14, 2021
Really loved this book with all the scriptural stories & examples.
December 29, 2009
I really liked the focused perspective of raising children Wilcox provides from scriptural stories and understanding. While not all the ideas he presented we new to me, combined, they did help me to look at raising my daughter (and soon to be daughters) in a new light. Mostly it helped me see where I need to be more committed to the gospel. One of my favorite ideas he highlights is that of raising children based on the "principles of righteousness." He tells of his primary experience where he was "frightened" into behaving, then "bribed" into behave, then "guilted" into behaving. Then he tells of how children can be taught to behaving using "principles of righteousness;" persuasion, long-suffering, meekness, kindness, love unfeigned, etc. Overall, I really enjoyed the book.
July 8, 2016
I really liked this book. It was not full of directives and dos and don'ts, but it *was* full of scripture passages and stories that can help model parenting qualities we need to emulate. It was a great gathering of several things we need to be as parents to help our children be their best selves. One of the closing remarks, that I absolutely loved, was that in order to be the "best" parents with the "best" chances for our children, what we really need to do is to model those attributes we want our children to have. *We* need to be long-suffering, caring, compassionate, patient, etc. It was a nice refreshing treatment of parenting from an LDS book.
July 15, 2013
So this was between 4 & 5 stars. I enjoyed the book. I had little "ah-ha"! moments in each chapter but there were also chapters that I didn't feel pertained to me. But excellent insight. Great book! Highly recommend! (plus my 3 year old thinks he's on the cover :-))
February 23, 2020
This is a short book with the lessons S. Michael Wilcox has learned about parenting from the scriptures and his personal experiences. He has a way of explaining the scriptures that makes me see things I'd never noticed before, and this book was no different.
June 6, 2020
Wow. I’ve learned so much. The world would be kinder, if everyone read & practiced this book’s teachings. From the Bible & Book of Mormon references, I’ve been enriched & touched.
November 27, 2013
This book was not super entertaining.
But it was very thought provoking.
I read at night in bed, and I would like to read this book again; but I think that I will combine repeating it with my regular scripture study. S. Michael Wilcox is clearly very knowledgeable of the scriptures and some of the Old Testament references he made were unfamiliar to me. And I'd like to be able to look those references up and read the stories along with background information, and then read some of his examples and some of the points that he made.
There were many nights though, that I laid awake thinking about some of the points that he made in that night's reading. I appreciate that he was willing to open up to the reader about something so personal as his thoughts and feelings while he was raising children.
I genuinely think that he has some excellent insight into what the scriptures teach us about raising children. What better source could we turn to, to learn about parenting, than the scriptures?
I know that he has written several books along these lines, about what the scriptures teach us about (insert general life challenge here). After reading this book I would be interested in exploring some of the others, but I think that I will repeat this one first.
But it was very thought provoking.
I read at night in bed, and I would like to read this book again; but I think that I will combine repeating it with my regular scripture study. S. Michael Wilcox is clearly very knowledgeable of the scriptures and some of the Old Testament references he made were unfamiliar to me. And I'd like to be able to look those references up and read the stories along with background information, and then read some of his examples and some of the points that he made.
There were many nights though, that I laid awake thinking about some of the points that he made in that night's reading. I appreciate that he was willing to open up to the reader about something so personal as his thoughts and feelings while he was raising children.
I genuinely think that he has some excellent insight into what the scriptures teach us about raising children. What better source could we turn to, to learn about parenting, than the scriptures?
I know that he has written several books along these lines, about what the scriptures teach us about (insert general life challenge here). After reading this book I would be interested in exploring some of the others, but I think that I will repeat this one first.
July 10, 2012
This book changed the way I look at the scriptures and at myself. Mr. Wilcox offered hope for parents with difficult children and for children with difficult parents. ;) he illustrates, through scriptural examples how God has given us parenting advice in many different settings: Adam and Eve and Cain, Abraham who was raised in one of the oat wicked settings and yet became one of the most righteous men to ever walk the earth, Lehi who was concerned for his grandchildren because of the prejudices being taught to them by their parents, and the love Jesus and God have for little children.
This is not a book to fill a parent with guilt, far from it. I have never felt so much hope and excitement about parenting as I discovered while reading this book. It was realistic, honest, and optimistic. mr. Wilcox provided examples from his own experiences - times where he worked to apply the principle he discusses in his own family, or where as the child in the example, he was not the most model citizen.
I need to be inspired to improve, not guilted into it. This book was just right.
This is not a book to fill a parent with guilt, far from it. I have never felt so much hope and excitement about parenting as I discovered while reading this book. It was realistic, honest, and optimistic. mr. Wilcox provided examples from his own experiences - times where he worked to apply the principle he discusses in his own family, or where as the child in the example, he was not the most model citizen.
I need to be inspired to improve, not guilted into it. This book was just right.
September 7, 2012
Amazing. A must-read for every parent. Even those who aren't Christian or religious will appreciate the truth of his points and how Wilcox applies the scriptures to parenting. It was neat to look at some scripture stories through the lens of parenting, too. Often we think of the regular scripture story application first and then sometimes notice new details, but Wilcox points out the parenting truths evident in these stories and it gives them a whole new meaning. I've learned to appreciate scriptural parents more and they seem even more like real people to me now (sometimes it's hard since they're just in the book and lived in such a different time). Definitely a book to read again as I prepare for parenthood and as my children grow.
October 29, 2013
Like other books and talks by Brother Wilcox, this book is so rich with scriptural depth that I had to absorb it in small doses. I would give it 5 stars but I feel like I need to read it again before I understand what he was teaching. He can make even the most obscure scriptural characters relate to your situation because he has studied God's word so deeply, but sometimes I felt like it was over my head. Just about every page (sometimes more than once on a page) had me thinking, "That is so true! What a great analogy! How in the world am I going to remember all of this?" Each chapter validated something I am trying to teach my children or implement in my parenting. I felt inspired and uplifted as I read this book. It is a scripture study in itself.
May 12, 2010
I always feel bad when I don't like a church book because I feel like I should. In general, I'm not a fan of self-help type books. This one definitely had some good moments, but overall I found it extremely dry. The stories were not engaging and I got lost at times. Also, I get especially irritated when an author of a self-help book gets on their soap box to preach to me.
I read a book not that long ago about "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen..." and it was interesting that these two books had some principles in common.
I read a book not that long ago about "How to Talk so Kids Will Listen..." and it was interesting that these two books had some principles in common.
July 2, 2011
Like my other favorite LDS perspective parenting book, this book reminds parents one of their most important purposes is to turn their children to God. I appreciated the sub-topics this book contained and it inspired me to make changes in my own parenting as I was reading it. I started marking passages I wanted to refer back to with post it notes, but there were so many by the half way point I ended up just buying the book! Definitely one I will read again, setting goals and making notes as I go.
March 1, 2015
This book was really thought-provoking and motivating for me; I think I dog-eared half of the pages to go back and re-read. I gained a lot of new insights into familiar scriptural accounts that apply to parenting. While the book related general principles of parenting, it did feel like it was geared toward parents of older children and so every chapter didn't feel totally applicable to me right now. Overall, this book was a great reminder to refocus my efforts on parenting according to gospel truths.
February 17, 2016
This book is full of things to help improve your interactions between parent and child. Each chapter was easy to read and understand and had a clear message and advice; with practical things to do and things to think about. Stories and verses from the scriptures were quoted and talked about. It helped to know the skills we too can do and it also helped me to see the scriptures in a new way: full of family stories and the way the great father our Heavenly Father is parenting us. This is a book I highly recommend.
September 30, 2009
I learned so much from reading this book. It is one I will re-read often because there is so much information I need to learn again and again. I have read the scriptural accounts S. Michael Wilcox refers to in this book but I have never applied them to me as a parent. It has made me a more patient, loving mom because I have a larger view of my responsibilities and some great examples to look to in the scriptures!
October 19, 2009
I have read so many books on parenting- wish I could have began with this one! I should've guessed the scriptures had all the answers, but would've never been able to piece it together as beautifully as Michael Wilcox did. What a gift he has. (I took a few institute classes from him in college and am still in awe from all I learned from him!)There are scriptural passages I've read countless times, that now have new meanings for me as a parent.
January 2, 2011
Before reading this book, I truly considered whether or not I could take what it might say without a lot of guilt. Because I have children that are older and out of the home or close to it, it's a little depressing to read on this topic and find out everything I've done wrong. However, I love Michael Wilcox and hoped to continue to learn and become a better person and was richly rewarded by his insights.
April 3, 2011
I LOVE this book! I believe that I will need to read this many times as a mother for the next 20+ years. It is wonderful to see how many experiences in the scriptures there are about teaching children things of the Lord. I felt the spirit with every word that was written. It is a book that makes a parent hopeful about how they are doing and teaches without discouraging. I am definitely going to read this again and again.
July 3, 2013
This was an incredibly insightful application of scriptural truths to parenting. The principles and stories Brother Wilcox reviews granted me several "ah-ha!" moments. Some concepts brought freshness to scriptures that I hadn't considered before. But I feel that it gave me several tools and brought to my mind the importance of sharing uplifting things with my children and raising them with love. I genuinely recommend this book to any LDS parent. You will be glad you read it.
December 30, 2009
I loved how Wilcox used scriptural parents like Lehi and Alma as examples of how to raise our children. Instead of just quoting a scripture verse and saying "this is what the scriptures tell us we should be doing," he chose actual parenting techniques from the scriptures and pointed out how those righteous parents handled certain situations.
February 19, 2010
I love that I live in Provo and can get books like this at the library. This book had some wonderful insights that I had never considered before. I just might buy this book. It had a way of making you feel like you were doing great and not making you feel bad about the places where you may have failed, but lifting you up and making you feel like you have the ability to be better- and we do!
March 9, 2010
I really liked this book. Of course, I LOVE Michael Wilcox! But the chapters are short. It's a short book anyhow. And the way he uses stories from the scriptures to show me how I should treat not only my children, but others, is amazing! Some stories I would never connect to parenting! Quick read!
Read
June 21, 2010This is an inspiring book on learning from the scriptures how to ‘raise a child’ unto the Lord. So many passages that I pass by often in the scriptures in which this book helped me to take a closer look at in really understanding and learning from them. I made lots of notes that I’ll keep on my bedside to refer to often and improve upon.
July 14, 2010
This is one of those books I will read over and over. It's my first book by Michael Wilcox and I will definitely start collecting him now. He brings scriptural parenting examples so beautifully to the surface. It wasn't so much new information as it was a new mentality and perspective we nned to have as parents. I love it!
November 16, 2011
I should read more books like this. I shared several parts with my husband. Nothing new, just lots of good reminders of how to love and help my children. I especially liked the parts on varying discpline (p 64), correcting without harshness, being without guile, and persuasion.
It's a short book and one I could reread every year for a refresher.
It's a short book and one I could reread every year for a refresher.
February 15, 2012
This was a great book! The author gives examples of parenting from the scriptures and tells what we can learn from that example. There are lots of really good parenting nuggets throughout the book. I ended up taking notes. Great book for helping you keep perspective with all the parenting ups and downs!
May 26, 2012
I love this book. Full of wonderful insights from the scriptures about raising good and righteous children. My favorite passage talked about magnifying the Lord and how as mothers we act as a magnifying lens to our children, illuminating certain things and expanding their vision. Wilcox writes "A mother's soul is a lens through which a child almost always first sees God."
May 7, 2013
I loved reading What the Scriptures Teach About Raising a Child. It was full of great insights. Some things are useful now and others are more relevant to future parenting, but it's wonderful to have these doctrinal insights in my pocket to help me be a more prepared, loving parent and keep our home full of the spirit.
March 6, 2010
I struggles to decide if I should give this book 4 or 5 stars. This is probably a 4.5 star book so I rounded up. There are a lot of great insights in this book on how to raise children based on teachings found in the scriptures.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews