Winning At Home

Winning At Home: Tackling the Topics That Confuse Kids and Scare Parents

by Dan Seaborn 

Never has the task of raising children been more challenging than today's times, when parents are compared, shamed, labeled, and superseded by the cultural influences of our social media, Hollywood, trends that change faster than the seasons and demands for fitting into a world that is terribly broken.  Today's parents get input from every corner, most unsolicited and most unhealthy and unhelpful.  How appropriate for the timing of this new book by Dan Seaborn of Winning At Home ministries.

This book is not afraid to jump in to the tough topics that most Christian parents are yearning to find help with, but coming up empty handed in a very self-centered world that serves the gratification of immediate needs.  Dan Seaborn and some of his team tackle hard topics like gender and sexual orientation, discipline, communication, technology and so much more from a Biblical viewpoint that aims parents toward the Cross instead of the world.

Whether you are a new parent, just starting out, in the deep trenches of rearing a house full of kids, sending them off or an empty nester, there is wisdom in this book for you.  A resource for the days to come as your children encounter these topics that will inevitably face them, despite your best efforts to shield them.  This book equips parents to realize that the war is waging and the offense must be continuous and planned ahead in some instances, and that the battle will be a long-term, life-long place for the parent.

Seaborn and his team write with honesty and humor, addressing scary stuff parents might not have thought about, or might not want to think about.  With real-life examples, guidance based in the Bible and years of counseling, ministry and teaching work combined, this book is like sitting down with a room full of experts!  I highly recommend any parent own this book and pull it out often as the new phases bring new topics to tackle and work through.  

Set to release September 13, 2022, you can pre-order a copy now!  Find yours at the following locations:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

See what others who have already read it have to say on Good Reads!

@winning_at_home

Raising Kids for Tomorrow's World

Raising Kids for Tomorrow's World:12 Keys to Preserving the Faith

by Stan & Cheryl Schuermann

In a world where many parents feel like they are barely treading water, trying to keep ahead of the trials and dangers in abundance for their children while navigating how to raise them with a spiritual mindset in a non-spiritual world, the outlook can feel hopeless.  Never has there been a more important time than now to begin equipping parents with the tools to raise their children in a faith that will last as they grow into this tumultous world around us.

Stan and Cheryl Schuermann have set out to give parents one such tool with their new book, seeking to teach and encourage parents in biblical principles how to raise their children to follow Christ.  Set up in small sections that are easily used within a small group setting, this book can be just as easily used as an individual devotional or short read as well, giving it versatitily.

Based on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-14, readers are introduced to the idea of Paul loving, encouraging and teaching his spiritual children.  From this section, 12 Keys are pulled, each key having 4 a chapter of it's own as well as three chapters devoted to the discussion of it.  The wealth of information, spiritual backing and biblical truth abound in this resource!  Readers work their way through Keys such as Discover Boldness, Help Your Children Discern God's Call, Be the One Your Children Want to Imiitate and so many more important keys.  Each chapter is designed to be a fairly quick read (generally 2-4 pages) within the topic, always with discussion questions at the end.

I have found this book to be one of great support and encouragement with thought provoking questions yet simply understood and followed suggestions to go forward with.  This is a book I know I will return to many times for it's wealth of knowledge and reference that I can trust.  Designed to give confidence to parents, it sets readers up with success and helps families build a faith culture in their homes in a time of deep need for parent support and Christian community as we look out at a very troubled world into which our children will be released some day.

You can find it at Amazon and Barnes & Noble in multiple formats to fit your preference!

Title--  Raising Kids for Tomorrow's World: 12 Keys to Preserving the Faith

Authors -  Stan and Cheryl Schuermann

Retail Price--  Paperback 13.99, ebook $3.99, Hardcover $19.99

Genre--  Christian Nonfiction/Parenting and Family

Website URL--  https://cherylschuermann.com/

*Disclosure:  I received a copy of the book for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child

Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child
by Boris Vujicic

Having read all of Nick Vujicic's books this far, I was very interested in reading the book recently released by his father for a few of reasons.  First is that I was curious to have an insider's look into the Vujicic family life and learn about Nick from a different angle.  Second is that I know several friends who have children with disabilities and would love to share the inspiration and hope with them.  Third is that I was sure I could learn something about loving and appreciating my own children through the journey.  I was right on all three accounts.

Written from the viewpoint of Boris Vujicic, the book follows the family from the moments they learned of Nick's limitations through his life to current times.  In it, Boris shares with transparent honesty his true feelings during those difficult times.  He also shares inspiration and encouragement for other parents to embrace their own children as they are.  There is validation, hope, honesty, encouragement, truth and love in his words  Each chapter finishes with some takeaway thoughts.

Whether you have a child with disabilities or not, there is so much to glean from this book.  A Christian perspective into loving all children because of their imperfections.  I most definitely recommend this book and will be sharing it with all of my friends raising children with disabilities.  Nick's message of hope and love continue through Boris' words and leave the reader feeling filled and encouraged to face the days ahead.

You can find this book here

* I received this book for free through the Blogging For Books program in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

8 Simple Rules for Raising Great Kids Book Review

8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids
by Dr. Todd Cartmell

Every parent wants to raise a great kid, but there are so many signals, rules, suggestions, books and other input coming in from all sides that it can be hard to determine how to do anything right by your kids.  Setting out to raise them in God's design sure does help thin down some of that noise, but still leaves a parent struggling to sort through all of the input.

Thankfully, books like "8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids" are available and written with God's plan for our kids in mind.  I am glad to have stumbled across this book.  Withing its covers, parents, grandparents, teachers and others caring for children will find many great things.  This is an easy book to pick up and read because it is broken up into 8 Tools: talking, listening, influencing, connecting, teaching, encouraging, correcting and leading. These tools are further broken up into smaller bits in 5 chapters for each tool.  These chapters average 3-4 pages, so they are short, quick, to the point and easy to read in the few minutes you find to sit down during the chaos of the day.

I have enjoyed this book and learned so much.  From the first chapter, which addressed talking, and grabbed me right away with the idea of controlling volume and talking to kids the way you want to be talked to.  Many of these tools are vital for healthy adult relationships as well as those between adults and children.  I have walked away with many nuggets of wisdom I am now trying to put into action.

Dr. Cartmell writes from experience, training and real life experience.  His words are relevant, contemporary and timeless.  This is a book that should be a part of the parent training library for sure!

For a limited time, between April 15, 2016 and May 15, 2016, you can get this book for 50% off through Moody Publishers with this code: GREATKIDS16

You can also find this book here

* I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not compensated for them.

Raising God's Girl Review

Raising God's Girl
by Rich and Mary Lou Graham

A mom of three precious girls, I am always interested in learning how to be a better parent and to raise them in a manner pleasing to God.  In a world filled with low self-esteem, poor role models and detached relationships through social media, I want my girls to grow up seeing and feeling love in a very real way.  I want to do my best to raise them to rise above the worldly mess sucking in so many of their peers, to become strong women of faith who are confident.

The Graham's book is one such tool I have discovered to help me on this path.  Their book is filled with very real and down to earth stories, examples and ideas to help other parents raise their daughters.  Each chapter is full of insight and Biblical wisdom as well as personal experience on the behalf of the Graham's.  Written by both a father and a mother, the reader gets both sides of the parenting field, and as such makes it a great read for moms and dads alike.

I have enjoyed getting to know the Graham family through this book and have learned much about myself as well as how to better parent my daughters.  I have also enjoyed reading insightful segments from the daughters of that family, to hear how they have perceived their parents' guidance.  It has given me perspective from both the parent and daughter side of things, and has given me confidence that I am doing a good job and can continue to do so in learning and following Godly examples such as theirs.

This book will remain on my shelf as a reference and repeated read as I rear my girls, no doubt I will want the reminders over the years.  I highly recommend this book to any parent of girls.  Christian or not, there are plenty of tips and pointers to help raise a confident and emotionally healthy young lady.

You can find it here

* I received this book for free through BookCrash in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.

If Jesus Had A Child

If Jesus Had A Child
by Dr. B. Glenn Wilkerson


Parenting advice is readily available everywhere, both solicited and un-solicited, from family and friends, to Facebook, to the wide web, even strangers at the grocery store seem to have a tidbit to share in regards to raising children.  In a world so filled with a variety of parenting options, all with titles, it has become a line drawing, side choosing thing to raise a child.

If Jesus Had A Child considers the one role model that should be held above all others as a way to look at parenting, Jesus Christ.  While He never had a child, He is the ultimate parent as His love for us as His children goes so far beyond what any one of us could ever fathom.  By referencing scripture and using solid examples from the Bible to argue this case, Dr. B. Glenn Wilkerson presents the idea that one can parent, discipline, encourage and train up a child in the footsteps of the best parent, our Heavenly Father.

Broken up into five parts and twenty chapters, Wilkerson, a parent himself, walks the reader through the pillars of great parenting, parenting gifts, correcting misbehavior, applying Jesus' teachings and approaches to difficult issues relevant today, such as bullying - all with Christ as the model.  With relatable stories and examples, humor and light- hearted illustrations, this book is an easy read.  Discussion questions complete each chapter and give opportunity for deeper consideration and learning, making this book a possible group study as well as a family library reference.

I enjoyed reading this book and found myself considering so many different points and approaches I had never even thought of before.  I found myself looking at my parents as well as my own children in a different light, as well as looking to my Heavenly Father in a new way.  This is a book I definitely would recommend to any parent - new or practiced, as there are so many nuggets of truth.

You can find a copy here

I received a copy of this book to review for free through the Book Crash program in exchange for my honest and un-biased review.