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Spiritual Parenting: An Awakening for Today's Families
It's hard enough to train kids to behave, but good behavior isn't what Jesus calls for in the Bible. He wants hearts and souls that are shaped in vibrant faith and love toward God and others. How can parents cultivate this in their children? In this book Dr. Michelle Anthony shares practical examples and biblical insight on the spiritual role of parenting.
Spiritual Parenting introduces the simple but revolutionary concept that parents are, by the power of God's Spirit, to obey and depend on God in order to create an environment God can use to beckon their children to Him.
Spiritual Parenting introduces the simple but revolutionary concept that parents are, by the power of God's Spirit, to obey and depend on God in order to create an environment God can use to beckon their children to Him.
220 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
158 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Anthony
34 books25 followersMichelle Anthony, M.A., Ph.D. is a child development researcher and educator. She is a co-founder of Wide-Eyed Learning, LLC, which teaches parents and educators the Signing Smart approach to using ASL signs with hearing babies and toddlers. She lives with her husband and signing children in Centennial, Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
May 9, 2012
Thirty-five years ago when I was making the decision to begin my family, my number one question was "How do I transmit my faith?" I believed making the choice to have children carried eternal consequences, and I didn't want to blow it. I encountered Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (the Shema) at some point
and realized that leading my children to a loving relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father occurred in the natural flow of life, "as you go." I knew that rearing godly children with a heart for God wouldn't "just happen." As parents we needed to be intentional to live out our faith before our children--it was to be a 24/7 experience, not just a Sunday morning event.
Anthony asserts that the focus of parenting is not just "behavior management"--before that our greatest goal should be "setting our children's hearts in the Divine path" so that they learn to "Love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, mind and strength."
Parents can't teach what they don't know, so that's where God and Anthony starts: loving God.
Then she amplifies the intentional aspects of creating environments within the home which reveal who God is, how to respond in life to Him, and how to listen to His voice and obey.
If I had extra cash, I'd buy copies of this book for every young couple I know. Grandparenting is a second chance to do some things right--I'm glad Anthony has written her book. I'm going for gold!
and realized that leading my children to a loving relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father occurred in the natural flow of life, "as you go." I knew that rearing godly children with a heart for God wouldn't "just happen." As parents we needed to be intentional to live out our faith before our children--it was to be a 24/7 experience, not just a Sunday morning event.
Anthony asserts that the focus of parenting is not just "behavior management"--before that our greatest goal should be "setting our children's hearts in the Divine path" so that they learn to "Love the Lord their God with all their hearts, souls, mind and strength."
Parents can't teach what they don't know, so that's where God and Anthony starts: loving God.
Then she amplifies the intentional aspects of creating environments within the home which reveal who God is, how to respond in life to Him, and how to listen to His voice and obey.
If I had extra cash, I'd buy copies of this book for every young couple I know. Grandparenting is a second chance to do some things right--I'm glad Anthony has written her book. I'm going for gold!
Read
May 11, 2012I am not finishing this book. The concepts and ideas in it are excellent, but they are too basic for the parent who is already a believer and doing well in the Lord. The things in this book are all things I believe, but sometimes the ideas were too basic and the presentation rather tedious. I read half way through and I'm putting it away and I won't be reading it later in life.
June 9, 2020
This book was better than I was expecting. I liked the emphasis on honoring God through our parenting. It’s so much more about parenting our kid’s hearts, than it is about changing or controlling their behaviors. Also, we can’t give what we don’t have (modeling a relationship with Christ to our kids), we should ask “what needs to be done” to explain service and we don’t have to wait for kids to be “old enough” for missions.
June 8, 2020
I loved the focus
On forming environments
Our kids can learn in.
Our first goal should be
For them to know and hear God,
His Voice, and His Word.
Before obeying,
The next is to desire
To obey His voice.
Our kids' final goal
Is to be obedient
To our worthy Lord!
Lots of great thoughts here,
Remaining true to God's Word
And loving our kids.
On forming environments
Our kids can learn in.
Our first goal should be
For them to know and hear God,
His Voice, and His Word.
Before obeying,
The next is to desire
To obey His voice.
Our kids' final goal
Is to be obedient
To our worthy Lord!
Lots of great thoughts here,
Remaining true to God's Word
And loving our kids.
January 30, 2012
Loved this book! I borrowed this one from the library but got on amazon this morning and ordered myself my own copy. I took tons of notes and got lots of great ideas.
She outlines 10 environments that we should actively cultivate in our homes:
1. storytelling--share the scriptures with our children and make sure that they know how that story fits into the original storyline (the big picture), she calls it "The Big God Story." And make sure that they know that Jesus is always the hero of the stories. This teaches them that the world is not all about them but is all about God and our relationship with Him.
2. identity--"Who did God create my child to be?" Make sure they know they are of royal blood.
3. faith community--make sure my children are involved in a faith community, a support system with shared beliefs and values. She teaches us as parents to ask questions like this, "How will I intentionally and strategically set up an environment where my children will be a vital part of a faith community?"
4. service--teach children to ask, "What needs to be done?" Call chores "acts of service" because we are really serving the family. Tell my kids why and how I serve.
5. out of the comfort zone--create intentional opportunities that get kids out of their comfort zones and relying on God. For example: mission trips, senior homes, food kitchens and banks, homeless shelters, other countries. Also don't let things become too comfortable for them around the house. Help them learn that bad things will happen but everything is filtered through God and they can rely on Him always.
6. responsibility--be watchful for someone today. Create an environment of responsibility in the home: garden, school, money, time, community, talents, their bodies and lives. With tithing and other offerings ask, "How much of God's money am I going to keep?" Look for opportunities to help make kids feel responsible for their communities.
7. course correction--ask God, "How would you like me to bring correction to this child you have given me?" Then she uses Hebrews 12:11-13 as a basis for a 3-step process of course correction: a) pain--this could be a time-out or a privilege taken away, something that causes your child pain (not literal of course). Each child is different so ask for divine guidance to know what it is for your child. b) love and encouragement, give them hope through eye contact, physical touch and words of encouragement. c) show them a straight path, give them guidance on what to do now, how to fix the wrong, etc. Remember that spiritual parenting is about taking a moment to pray and ask for God's help in raising this child.
8. love and respect--NOT guilt and shame! Build trust, confidence, safety and security. 1 Corinthians 13=what is love? Which of them am I doing already and which are hard for me? Love the person and not the behavior. Show respect by listening to them, looking them in the eyes when talking with them and touching them. Show respect first and expect it next.
9. knowing--our greatest defining moment is coming to know God personally. We can know God! There is an absolute truth! Learning to know God happens best in the natural flow of life. Intentionally create environments for kids to get to know God in meaningful ways. Knowing God vs. knowing about God.
10. modeling--kids look to see if our words are congruent to our lifestyle. Acknowledge our sins, be honest and humble. Model our mistakes by a) go to the person b) ask for forgiveness and c) then make it right. Do not make excuses for my bad behavior. Call it what it is and ask for forgiveness. Depend on a) prayer, b) the word of God, and c) the Holy Ghost and then we will model a life that is God's will and not our own. Persevere to the end, all the way through.
Goals for our children's faith development:
1. know and hear God's voice through a loving relationship and through His word.
2. desire to obey His voice.
3. obey Him through the power of God's Spirit and not their own strength alone.
She outlines 10 environments that we should actively cultivate in our homes:
1. storytelling--share the scriptures with our children and make sure that they know how that story fits into the original storyline (the big picture), she calls it "The Big God Story." And make sure that they know that Jesus is always the hero of the stories. This teaches them that the world is not all about them but is all about God and our relationship with Him.
2. identity--"Who did God create my child to be?" Make sure they know they are of royal blood.
3. faith community--make sure my children are involved in a faith community, a support system with shared beliefs and values. She teaches us as parents to ask questions like this, "How will I intentionally and strategically set up an environment where my children will be a vital part of a faith community?"
4. service--teach children to ask, "What needs to be done?" Call chores "acts of service" because we are really serving the family. Tell my kids why and how I serve.
5. out of the comfort zone--create intentional opportunities that get kids out of their comfort zones and relying on God. For example: mission trips, senior homes, food kitchens and banks, homeless shelters, other countries. Also don't let things become too comfortable for them around the house. Help them learn that bad things will happen but everything is filtered through God and they can rely on Him always.
6. responsibility--be watchful for someone today. Create an environment of responsibility in the home: garden, school, money, time, community, talents, their bodies and lives. With tithing and other offerings ask, "How much of God's money am I going to keep?" Look for opportunities to help make kids feel responsible for their communities.
7. course correction--ask God, "How would you like me to bring correction to this child you have given me?" Then she uses Hebrews 12:11-13 as a basis for a 3-step process of course correction: a) pain--this could be a time-out or a privilege taken away, something that causes your child pain (not literal of course). Each child is different so ask for divine guidance to know what it is for your child. b) love and encouragement, give them hope through eye contact, physical touch and words of encouragement. c) show them a straight path, give them guidance on what to do now, how to fix the wrong, etc. Remember that spiritual parenting is about taking a moment to pray and ask for God's help in raising this child.
8. love and respect--NOT guilt and shame! Build trust, confidence, safety and security. 1 Corinthians 13=what is love? Which of them am I doing already and which are hard for me? Love the person and not the behavior. Show respect by listening to them, looking them in the eyes when talking with them and touching them. Show respect first and expect it next.
9. knowing--our greatest defining moment is coming to know God personally. We can know God! There is an absolute truth! Learning to know God happens best in the natural flow of life. Intentionally create environments for kids to get to know God in meaningful ways. Knowing God vs. knowing about God.
10. modeling--kids look to see if our words are congruent to our lifestyle. Acknowledge our sins, be honest and humble. Model our mistakes by a) go to the person b) ask for forgiveness and c) then make it right. Do not make excuses for my bad behavior. Call it what it is and ask for forgiveness. Depend on a) prayer, b) the word of God, and c) the Holy Ghost and then we will model a life that is God's will and not our own. Persevere to the end, all the way through.
Goals for our children's faith development:
1. know and hear God's voice through a loving relationship and through His word.
2. desire to obey His voice.
3. obey Him through the power of God's Spirit and not their own strength alone.
November 26, 2010
Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony stands out amongst the crowd of Christian books by grounding parenting in discipleship. Instead of focusing parental energy on sin management, Anthony urges parents to share their lives transformed by the gospel. “The goal of spiritual parenting is that our children would learn to hear and know God's voice, desire to obey it, and obey it in the power of God's Spirit, not their own strength.”
With a goal of passing down a vibrant faith, Anthony describes environments and values that we should consciously cultivate in parenting: storytelling, identity, faith community, service, out of the comfort zone, responsibility, course correction, love and respect, knowing, and modeling. I found each chapter encouraging. Though Anthony is not coming from a covenantal perspective, I found her ideas and examples compelling and easy to comport to a reformed theology of children.
As twenty-first century evangelicals reconsider how to do church, the way we raise children in the faith must be part of that conversation. Anthony’s book is a good start for parents to consider some of the fundamental concerns of raising children who share an authentic and transformational faith. It also serves as a necessary reminder that parents are responsible for the spiritual formation of their children, and how they live is much more important to that development than anything that happens for an hour or two a week.
It is a temptation for parents to look for someone to tell them just what to do, and this book is not structured to feed that. Anthony encourages parents to know their children, embrace the way God made them, and parent them as individuals. Without a formula to follow, parents are better reminded of their eternal focus. “What is our job then? The joy of parenting can be spent on cultivating environments for our children’s faith to grow, teaching them how to cultivate a love relationship with Jesus as we cultivate our own, living our lives authentically in front of them so that they become eyewitnesses to our own transformation. “ (8.5/10) [I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.]
With a goal of passing down a vibrant faith, Anthony describes environments and values that we should consciously cultivate in parenting: storytelling, identity, faith community, service, out of the comfort zone, responsibility, course correction, love and respect, knowing, and modeling. I found each chapter encouraging. Though Anthony is not coming from a covenantal perspective, I found her ideas and examples compelling and easy to comport to a reformed theology of children.
As twenty-first century evangelicals reconsider how to do church, the way we raise children in the faith must be part of that conversation. Anthony’s book is a good start for parents to consider some of the fundamental concerns of raising children who share an authentic and transformational faith. It also serves as a necessary reminder that parents are responsible for the spiritual formation of their children, and how they live is much more important to that development than anything that happens for an hour or two a week.
It is a temptation for parents to look for someone to tell them just what to do, and this book is not structured to feed that. Anthony encourages parents to know their children, embrace the way God made them, and parent them as individuals. Without a formula to follow, parents are better reminded of their eternal focus. “What is our job then? The joy of parenting can be spent on cultivating environments for our children’s faith to grow, teaching them how to cultivate a love relationship with Jesus as we cultivate our own, living our lives authentically in front of them so that they become eyewitnesses to our own transformation. “ (8.5/10) [I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes.]
April 9, 2013
Just couldn't finish this book. Much better Christian parenting books on the market in my opinion.
February 10, 2021
Very interesting and challenging book. Really enjoyed it!
July 3, 2024
Honestly didn’t finish. Author rubbed me the wrong way I might have completely just missed the message of the book
December 27, 2016
In this book, Michelle focuses on what it takes to truly be "spiritual parents" to our kids by passing down to them a vibrant faith and relationship with Christ. She characterizes that kind of faith as one where our children: 1. Know and hear the voice of God, 2. Desire to obey His voice and 3. Walk in obedience to His voice by the power of the Holy Spirit. The single biggest point she stresses about that goal though, is that the only way to pass that kind of faith down to our children is to possess it in ourselves First! We can't give what we don't have and so, first and foremost, being a spiritual parent is about the work that God wants to in MY life and relationship with Him. That approach is something which spoke deeply to me and resonates with my way of thinking about my influence on my children's lives. I also love the way she approaches all aspects of misbehavior in children by encouraging parents to uncover the real issue behind the behavior, instead of simply applying "behavior modification" and trying to force your kids to act correctly out of their own willpower. Overall, this is very encouraging strategic (not tactical) discussion on the big-picture points of raising kids who become great adults. It is not a book full of specific actions to take in specific situations, rather it is a book that will help you develop a set of principals and values from which you can derive the actions necessary for any specific situation. I highly recommend to all parents, regardless of you kid's ages!
Favorite Quote: "God's design doesn't require perfection - it requires faithfulness."
Favorite Quote: "God's design doesn't require perfection - it requires faithfulness."
February 15, 2015
The book is packed with thought-provoking vision leavened with just enough practical application that you understand it and are inspired, without feeling bound to do things in one specific way.
I think the strength of the book is the idea that God is working on parents as much as He is working on children, and that we can have hope and be encouraged because of that. At one point Anthony writes, “I desperately want to teach my children to be sacrificial and other-centered, to have eyes to see the needs around them, and then to take responsibility for what God is asking them to do. So this is why so much of being a spiritual parent is about the work that God wants to do in each of us–first.”
I finished the book with dozens upon dozens of tabs marking things I wanted to remember, but rather than feeling weighed down by yet another to-do list, I felt uplifted by Anthony’s statement that as a parent I must “recognize the enormity of my responsibility and then faithfully seek God for the wisdom and power I need but don’t possess.”
Spiritual Parenting is a really amazing book, and I would highly, highly recommend it to all parents. If you really only have time to read one or two parenting books, this is one I might recommend for one of the spots. It’s that good.
{Read my full review here}
I think the strength of the book is the idea that God is working on parents as much as He is working on children, and that we can have hope and be encouraged because of that. At one point Anthony writes, “I desperately want to teach my children to be sacrificial and other-centered, to have eyes to see the needs around them, and then to take responsibility for what God is asking them to do. So this is why so much of being a spiritual parent is about the work that God wants to do in each of us–first.”
I finished the book with dozens upon dozens of tabs marking things I wanted to remember, but rather than feeling weighed down by yet another to-do list, I felt uplifted by Anthony’s statement that as a parent I must “recognize the enormity of my responsibility and then faithfully seek God for the wisdom and power I need but don’t possess.”
Spiritual Parenting is a really amazing book, and I would highly, highly recommend it to all parents. If you really only have time to read one or two parenting books, this is one I might recommend for one of the spots. It’s that good.
{Read my full review here}
June 2, 2015
I was familiar with Dr. Anthony's work and her heart for families and family ministry before reading Spiritual Parenting, but my previous experience with her writing was from a family ministry perspective. This book, however, was for families rather than ministry staff.
With my husband being a minister to families, the passion behind this book hits close to home. Many of Dr. Anthony's points focus on our call as parents to live out a faith worth passing on to our kids, to be authentic Christ-followers in every aspect of our parenting.
In all honesty, I didn't initially care for the title. I feel like being "spiritual" and being Christ-followers aren't one and the same. I'm so glad that didn't keep me from reading, though. I would have missed out on the reminders of the importance of purposeful parenting, affirmation regarding our calling as family, and encouragement to press on even when we as parents fail, which is often.
Additionally, I could see this being a fantastic book for churches to share with their families. Spiritual Parenting takes the very principles being shared in pulpits all over and shows what they look like in the modern Christian home. I know I can't be the only one that needs help connecting the dots from time to time. This book has been a great help and it's one I'm happy to recommend to my friends.
With my husband being a minister to families, the passion behind this book hits close to home. Many of Dr. Anthony's points focus on our call as parents to live out a faith worth passing on to our kids, to be authentic Christ-followers in every aspect of our parenting.
In all honesty, I didn't initially care for the title. I feel like being "spiritual" and being Christ-followers aren't one and the same. I'm so glad that didn't keep me from reading, though. I would have missed out on the reminders of the importance of purposeful parenting, affirmation regarding our calling as family, and encouragement to press on even when we as parents fail, which is often.
Additionally, I could see this being a fantastic book for churches to share with their families. Spiritual Parenting takes the very principles being shared in pulpits all over and shows what they look like in the modern Christian home. I know I can't be the only one that needs help connecting the dots from time to time. This book has been a great help and it's one I'm happy to recommend to my friends.
August 8, 2011
I enjoyed this book. It reminded me that parenting and discipline aren't just about raising nice and obedient kids (which is important), but helping to form them spiritually- in what they know about God and how they relate to him. Michelle Anthony talks about "spiritual formation vs. behavior modification" trying to move away from "sin management".
More than just dealing with discipline, she addresses great parenting opportunities like instilling identity, community, service, and responsibility in our kids.
I also enjoyed her passion for teaching our children the "bigger story" from the bible-that all that happened in the Old Testament was pointing to the bigger story, that God out of His love, would provide a Savior so His people could be in relationship with Him.
And finally, toward the end of the book she addresses how to important it is to have an "Environment of Knowing". She talks about how our kids want to feel known and how they can be known by God. Also, about modeling to our kids the difference between knowing about God (from our minds) but knowing God (in our hearts).
More than just dealing with discipline, she addresses great parenting opportunities like instilling identity, community, service, and responsibility in our kids.
I also enjoyed her passion for teaching our children the "bigger story" from the bible-that all that happened in the Old Testament was pointing to the bigger story, that God out of His love, would provide a Savior so His people could be in relationship with Him.
And finally, toward the end of the book she addresses how to important it is to have an "Environment of Knowing". She talks about how our kids want to feel known and how they can be known by God. Also, about modeling to our kids the difference between knowing about God (from our minds) but knowing God (in our hearts).
January 3, 2015
SYNOPSIS:
Spiritual Parenting are for parent's that want to raise a child to be close to Christ. It talks about different environments that every child faces and teaches how to raise your child up to the best ability as a Christian while your child is in these environments. Did you that according to Psychology and Sociology tests once children reach their 13th year, parents are no longer role models to them? It's like a switch goes off in their head and they start turning toward media and friends for guidance. Which means we have 12 years to really mold them into what we want them to be, how will you teach within those 12 years?
REVIEW:
I started reading this book because I started attending a class within my church community called "Spiritual Parenting" where they gave us this book for free and played DVD's of classes Michelle Anthony, the author, taught. This book is well organized and how such much insight, information, and directions on how to raise your child to be close with God. I enjoyed every minute of this book and am definitely going to take everything I learned and teach it to my 2 children.
Spiritual Parenting are for parent's that want to raise a child to be close to Christ. It talks about different environments that every child faces and teaches how to raise your child up to the best ability as a Christian while your child is in these environments. Did you that according to Psychology and Sociology tests once children reach their 13th year, parents are no longer role models to them? It's like a switch goes off in their head and they start turning toward media and friends for guidance. Which means we have 12 years to really mold them into what we want them to be, how will you teach within those 12 years?
REVIEW:
I started reading this book because I started attending a class within my church community called "Spiritual Parenting" where they gave us this book for free and played DVD's of classes Michelle Anthony, the author, taught. This book is well organized and how such much insight, information, and directions on how to raise your child to be close with God. I enjoyed every minute of this book and am definitely going to take everything I learned and teach it to my 2 children.
May 30, 2016
The presentation of the spiritual parenting 'style' was unique to most parenting books. Rather than very broad mindsets or specific situation advice, the author laid out 10 environments to create for your children. Within each, there was foundational motivations as well as some examples. I found this helpful to think through how to apply to my own parenting while still adapting to the passions of personality of our own family. The 10 environments are things we would like for our kids and the type of framework we hope to build - hearts of service, understanding of identity in Christ, etc.
My major drawback to this book was the length of the introduction. There were two chapters of preliminary information followed by a long recap of the entire Biblical narrative in chapter 3 (environment of God's larger story). At that point, I almost gave up on the book due to its vagueness and then information I didn't think needed to be explained so much. Thankfully, I had it on my Kindle and kept reading for a few more days of workouts and then found the pay dirt.
My major drawback to this book was the length of the introduction. There were two chapters of preliminary information followed by a long recap of the entire Biblical narrative in chapter 3 (environment of God's larger story). At that point, I almost gave up on the book due to its vagueness and then information I didn't think needed to be explained so much. Thankfully, I had it on my Kindle and kept reading for a few more days of workouts and then found the pay dirt.
March 3, 2014
I liked this book. I wouldn't call it profound, but appreciated the way it encourages parents to recognize that every child is different, every family is different, and every situation is different - and therefore there is no one "right" way to parent. I've long felt that "be the person you want your child to be" is the best motto for parenting, and this book took that philosophy and layered in the idea that parents can tap into spiritual answers to how to respond in specific scenarios. And the response with one child in a certain scenario may be different that the response with another child in the same scenario, etc. Good balance to the many black/white parenting philosophies on the market today.
January 10, 2013
This one goes on my "keep handy" self because I'll be referring back to it for years to come. Not much of a how to guide, Spiritual Parenting is more about helping Christian parents lay the foundation for what they are trying to accomplish in their homes. What is the whole point of this thing called parenting? Is it to raise nice, obedient children? Or is it to raise kids in an environment where Christ is free to mold and transform their little lives, even as he does their parents'? Once those fundamental questions are answered, Anthony goes on to give some practical ways to make this a reality in families. LOVE THIS BOOK!
January 23, 2017
I've had this book for a few years and have read parts of it here and there, but I picked it up again this winter with the goal of reading it slowly and learning from it. I did, but I'm going to admit it was painful for me. Not because it's a bad book, it's not, it's excellent and complete truth. For me, it was so painful, because of the conviction and realization of how poorly I've been doing "Spiritual Parenting" if even at all.... It was painful because my kids are now 11 & 13 and I've missed the boat on so much of what this book said. I'll have a good cry and pray for discipline for myself to start changing where I can-- and pray that it's not too late.
August 30, 2012
Finished this the night before my husband deploys to Afghanistan for 9 months. We've been reading it aloud when we get time. The book has lots of great points in it - I'd definitely consider re-reading it sometime in the future. Plenty of things about relationships with children that I also can apply to my relationship with my husband. I enjoyed reading it aloud because every time something triggered a thought in my mind I could discuss it with my husband right away.
I definitely would recommend this to any Christian parent.
I definitely would recommend this to any Christian parent.
December 6, 2015
What if Christian parenting is less about controlling behavior and more about creating environments that put your child in the path of God? That's precisely what Michelle Anthony suggests in this accessible, practical book on parenting. She mentions half a dozen "environments" that parents ought to try and create in their home in order to "train up their children in the way they should go".
As a father of younger boys (5, 1.5), I found myself working a bit harder to connect her principles to my situation (her kids are teens). Even still, this book will hit home for parents at any stage.
As a father of younger boys (5, 1.5), I found myself working a bit harder to connect her principles to my situation (her kids are teens). Even still, this book will hit home for parents at any stage.
May 10, 2018
I didn’t like this book for a few reasons but mainly:
1. It was tedious and obvious for any parent who has been following the Lord for a significant amount of time.
2. The author gives way too many examples of how she’s parented perfectly.
3. She says pain in necessary in discipline: “The first step of pain has broken down the child’s will, bringing them to a place of submission” (pg 161). She’s clearly not a foster or adoptive parent.
I gave it 2 stars because overall her concepts aren’t bad. But there are so many better Christian parenting books out there. Don’t waste your time.
1. It was tedious and obvious for any parent who has been following the Lord for a significant amount of time.
2. The author gives way too many examples of how she’s parented perfectly.
3. She says pain in necessary in discipline: “The first step of pain has broken down the child’s will, bringing them to a place of submission” (pg 161). She’s clearly not a foster or adoptive parent.
I gave it 2 stars because overall her concepts aren’t bad. But there are so many better Christian parenting books out there. Don’t waste your time.
February 24, 2011
I found this book to be disturbing...I mean that in a good way. I mean, why do we read books of this nature, if not to challenge ourselves to something. In this case there were just so many places I had not thought of, in which I could really find some creative ways to challenge myself and my kids to push beyond the easy-believism of the Western Church...and towards a more robust faith and understanding of the gospel.
October 18, 2018
This book certainly has it's pros and cons. I found multiple suggestions and arguments beneficial and even began incorporating some of them into my parenting. Overall I feel like much of what was said could have been said more briefly and in a few number of pages. If you're looking for books to read on parenting, this one may or may not be a groundbreaking for you, but I'd at least say give it a shot and see if even one of Michelle's stories inspires or encourages you!
February 15, 2012
This book is great for parents that want to pass on their christian faith to their children. It helps you to learn to trust God in handling all aspects of your life and the way you parent your children. It includes examples of situations from the author where she trusted God in handling tough situation with her children. This is a great read!
May 12, 2014
I think this was a fantastically inspiring read! Ms. Anthony's words spoke so beautifully to my own heart and desire for children, and I found her style to be so uplifting as she gently charged her readers to pursue Christ, community, forgiveness, service, and grace. Our copy is now littered with ink from my many notes.
September 12, 2012
I thought Anthony had some nice insights into helping a child learn to make good decisions instead of trying to control their life. Also there were a few helpful suggestions on how to prevent getting into a battle of wills. And finally, an overall reminder of the most difficult aspect of parenting... model the behavior.
March 16, 2015
parenting in Christ
I really enjoyed this book. It brought many memories of my upbringing by my own parents. My parents brought me up to be strong not only in the word but to also spread the word by modeling to my friends, family, and children every day. I am not perfect in any way, but that is where God comes in. He leads me every day as I learn to listen and follow him.
I really enjoyed this book. It brought many memories of my upbringing by my own parents. My parents brought me up to be strong not only in the word but to also spread the word by modeling to my friends, family, and children every day. I am not perfect in any way, but that is where God comes in. He leads me every day as I learn to listen and follow him.
July 19, 2016
Eye opening!
I highly recommend this book to parents who want their children to nurture a faith of their own--faith that will last and grow all their lives. Spiritual parenting is about so much more than behavior management, and this book breaks it down and gives practical ideas, as well as Scripture to back up the concepts mentioned. Excellent!
I highly recommend this book to parents who want their children to nurture a faith of their own--faith that will last and grow all their lives. Spiritual parenting is about so much more than behavior management, and this book breaks it down and gives practical ideas, as well as Scripture to back up the concepts mentioned. Excellent!
October 21, 2016
This is a great resource for raising children in the Christian faith. Though it started out a bit slow in the first third of the book, the last two thirds were extremely applicable with relatable stories and helpful insights. Some of it may seem rather basic to those who have read a lot of Christian parenting books but I found some very good guidance in it
April 6, 2018
GREAT focus on what it means to be a spiritual parent! The key line in this book is “we can’t give away something we don’t possess.” The author points us to who we are in Christ - what our relationship with Him looks like - and challenges us to give that same love, grace, correction, and modeling to our kids. Definitely a worthwhile read!
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