The Best Advice I Ever Got on Parenting book giveaway!

The winner is Christy!

My Thoughts:

How I wish that parenting came with a guidebook.  A list of instructions on how to accomplish this wonderful but daunting job would be wonderful!  The Best Advice I Ever Got on Parenting (compiled by Jim Daly) is thoughtfully written by well known Moms and Dads. Their personal stories combined with their struggles, successes and ideas are heartwarming and real.  From babies to teens, it's all here.  Below are just a few of the ideas that truly made an impression on me:   

"What's Your Beef" Nights, created by Tim and Darcy Kimmel, will soon be used in my home.  It's an evening when your child(ren) can tell you about anything that was said/done by a parent or parents that hurt/embarrassed/disappointed them.  Listening and not explaining is key here.  (I always end up talking to much and lecturing, sad to say.)  I know this will open gates of communication for all of us and invited healing.  Such a wonderful, but simple idea!

Parenting from the Inside Out by Vicki Courtney really hit home for me.  It always seem to focus on "fixing the behavior" rather than trying to discover what is causing the behavior.  It's quicker to fix negative behavior but if you don't take the time to get to the heart of the problem you'll end up dealing with it again and again.  I'm now encouraged to find out the what/why/hows of the situation.  Our children are more than worth the extra effort.:)

Creating a Family Constitution is an insightful idea by Gary Smalley.  It's a gentle way to set boundaries that will benefit all members in the household so you can work toward a common goal.  Can't wait to get started on one for my family! 

The chapter, Talking to Your Kids About Sex, by Ted Cunningham, was eye opening.  Broken down into age groups, there are tips on what to teach at what time.  The bottom line is be the first to teach your child, not the world.  Sex is a gift from God, not something to be embarrassed about. 

The Best Advice I Ever Got on Parenting is encouraging and realistic advice for parents.  It focuses on God and how He needs to be the center of our hearts and lives, particularly while raising children.  God wants us to parent with grace, just like He treats us.

Incredible Insights from Well-Known Moms and Dads

Every parent has moments with their kids that they wish they’d been better prepared to handle. If they’d only known. This clever book, published in conjunction with Focus on the Family, shares heartwarming and vulnerable experiences from well-known moms and dads. Readers will love the upbeat, surprising, sometimes humorous and always relatable stories of raising toddlers, grade-schoolers, tweens, and teens. Contributors include: Jerry Jenkins, Tim and Darcy Kimmel, Stormie Omartian, Dr. Kevin Leman, Gary Thomas, Michael Smalley, Vicki Courtney, Dannah Gresch, Randy Alcorn, and Shaunti Feldhahn.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim Daly, General Editor, is president of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame-honored daily broadcast, heard by more than 2.9 million listeners a week on more than 1,000 radio stations across the US. Daly has been married to Jean since 1986. They have two sons and reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

*PR by the Book has generously offered a copy of The Best Advice I Ever Got on Parenting for one of my readers!  If you'd like a chance to win please leave a comment on this blog post.  If you are a follower, please leave a separate comment for an additional entry.:)*  Winner will be randomly chosen next Tuesday, the 2nd.

*I was given a copy of The Best Advice I Ever Got on Parenting in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*