I read Motivate Your Child in January and loved it. You can read my review here. You can get Motivate Your Child (ebook) for just $2.99 from May 18-20. I was so happy to have an opportunity to review Motivate Your Child Action Plan. This is a wonderful workbook with blank spaces where you can write down your thoughts, plans, prayers, and notes. Even if you have not read Motivate Your Child (highly recommended, though :)), you will still benefit from reading Motivate Your Child Action Plan. It's really easy to understand and follow. Parenting is hard work and Biblical parenting is even more so because spiritual warfare is involved. This book provides effective strategies and valuable techniques/tools that parents need to help motivate their child(ren). The authors point out on the first page, "Parenting is a process. It takes work and a lot of God's grace." I agree wholeheartedly! If you think there needs to be a change in your child and you need help because nothing seems to work, this book could be the answer you're looking for. It is written from a heart-based approach to Biblical parenting.
The book covers the importance of good theology, the importance of building a stronger relationship, the three levels of thinking, the five components of the action plan for change: firmness, visioning, teaching, prayer, coaching, and the three C's of internal motivation: cue, conscience, and character. At the end of each chapter, there's a section titled, "Have a Meeting with Your Child" which encourages working and communicating with your child, studying your child, and evaluating what works and what doesn't. I highly recommend this book to every parent, especially Christian parents. It's helpful, hopeful, insightful, and practical. I've put into practice some of what I learn from this book and I've seen positive results/improvements in my children. I only wish the book were available when my kids were younger. You can tell how much I love this book by the amount of quotes I include below :)!
"Change in the heart is much more powerful than behavior adjustment." (p. 8)
"Remember that parents can't force a change of heart. However, they can have a powerful impact on process." (p. 39)
"Both parents and children are imperfect people. We all need the grace of God in our lives. We're all weak. We need humility to change ourselves, perseverance to work on tough problems in our kids, and love to keep relationships strong." (p. 56)
"Remember, the goal of parenting isn't just to make kids happy. Those whose primary goal to make their children feel good often raise selfish children. Kids need firmness in order to move away from their weaknesses." (p. 62)
"When you base your motivation on your convictions instead of on results, you're able to do what needs to be done even when things get hard." (p. 109)
"Faith is an important part of who you are, and its should come out in how you talk and how you interact in life. Influencing others spiritually takes place naturally when you're living your life for Christ. It's not forced." (p. 110)
"God has made us each unique, and that uniqueness comes out in the way we work with our children." (p. 121)
"Change takes time, and a negative reputation is a hard thing to overcome. Just continue doing what's right and seek to please God. Help kids see that their goal isn't to be people pleasers but God pleasers. Do what's right, even if others don't notice." (p. 124)
"One of the greatest motivators of spiritual growth is having kids. It's surprising how much selfishness parents see in themselves as they learn to parent their children...Raising children forces parents to look at their own hearts, develop their own consciences, and rely on the Holy Spirit as never before." (p. 145)
"The goal is to reveal that growth is normal and healthy. It's part of life, and those who resist by arguing, blaming, or justifying themselves don't grow quickly as those who have courage and humility to admit their weaknesses and move forward." (p.148)
"The greatest contributor to change in a person's life is total commitment to God." (p. 153)
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