Shepherding a Child's Heart: Parent's Handbook

Rating:
Summary: An every christain parent MUST READ!!
Review: Besides the Bible, I found this book to be the most important factor affecting my parenting. Tripp gets right to the underlying reason for behavior, the heart. And he doesn't focus on behavior. All other "child raising" books I have read have not followed the precepts of the Word as closely as this one. Wonderful, convicting, powerful.

Rating:
Summary: An every christain parent MUST READ!!
Review: Finally a book that deals with the biblical reality of child training and discipline. This is an excellent book recommended to all parents seeking to raise solid, responsible children that desire god in their everyday lives. This book explains the heart of godly discipline, while I recommend Lou Priolo's book TEACH THEM DILIGENTLY for the practical application of these biblical guidelines.

Rating:
Summary: A little extreme
Review: I found some value in this book but I simply cannot agree with him that it is "God's command" that we take the child, turn him over our knee and spank his bare bottom--and tell him that this must be done because God says so. Way too extreme for me. I also found it difficult to read because of the authoritative way it is written. However, I don't completely disagree with Tripp's intent. I think he has some good points and he believes in treating children with dignity--I just think this book should be balanced with other sources of parenting advice.

Rating:
Summary: A little extreme
Review: I found some value in this book but I simply cannot agree with him that it is "God's command" that we take the child, turn him over our knee and spank his bare bottom--and tell him that this must be done because God says so. Way too extreme for me. I also found it difficult to read because of the authoritative way it is written. However, I don't completely disagree with Tripp's intent. I think he has some good points and he believes in treating children with dignity--I just think this book should be balanced with other sources of parenting advice.

Rating:
Summary: very thoughtful
Review: I highly recommend this book to parents of children of any age. It explains a thoughtful, loving approaching to raising children. Please read all of this book with an open mind before passing judgment. To be effective at implementing this approach, a parent is going to have to be open to change, willing to go against the grain of current culture and be diligent. My bet is anyone willing to do so will be well-rewarded.

Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly convicting
Review: Most self-help books are too basic, or just plain wrong. And all parenting "helps" seem to train parents to reinforce their children's idols by using them as consequences and incentives. This book teaches us another way entirely. Some say this book is solidly biblical, but that's not what makes it meaningful to me. This book teaches how to be Christ to our children. As such, it exposes the darkest parts of even the most enlightened parents' hearts. It is both convicting and delightful to dig into. I will never be the same kind of parent because of it.

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Summary: Motherofsons
Review: This book helped me understand that behavior is a heart issue. In my opinion this is one of the best Christian Parenting books on the market today! Follow this up with Ginger Plowman's "Don't Make me Count to Three" and your parenting will be dramatically changed as well as your children's behaviors.

Rating:
Summary: Foundation misguided
Review: This book's author is clearly a man who loves the Lord and loves his children. However, I would encourage readers to "get a second opinion" before swallowing at face value statements he makes such as "In these early years of childhood, the rod is primary...because God has commanded it." (p.148) Your second opinion could come from a Hebrew scholar regarding the quoted passages in Proverbs (the word translated as "child" would be better rendered "youth") or from consulting another book by a committed evangelical, Heartfelt Discipline by Clay Clarkson.