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| Recommendations by Tom McGrath |
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| There are a lot of books for parents in bookstores and some are fairly horrid. A lot of them are fine, and a few are wonderful. Here are some of my favorites: |
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Whole Child, Whole Parent Polly Berrien Berends 400 pages 4th edition Harper Collins, 1997 Retail Price: $17.00 See Amazon’s discounted price I always recommend these two from Polly Berrien Berends who offers the best orientation on raising kids from a spiritual base. The first is for people with young kids. It's both practical and deep. I give this to new parents. Whole Child/Whole Parent (Harper Collins). She makes a point of putting "Whole Child" first in her title because she believes children arrive as whole persons and the parent's job is to nurture that wholeness rather than fill up an empty vessel or make them in our own image and likeness. |
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Gently Lead How to Teach Your Children About God While Finding Out for Yourself Polly Berrien Berends |
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The Essence of Parenting Becoming the Parent You Want to Be Anne Johnson, Vic Goodman Another book to help you orient yourself is The Essence of Parenting: Becoming the Parent You Want to Be, by Anne Johnson and Vic Goodman (Crossroad). This book began as a series of short newsletters sent to clients as a correspondence course. Johnson is a social worker and Goodman is a family counselor, and their book has the feel of a letter sent by a wise and loving friend. Their advice comes from a long association with families (including their own) and rings true. Great insights about how to stay out of battles of the will. |
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Kids Are Worth It! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline Barbara Coloroso I've found three books on the issue of discipline that I can endorse. The first is Barbara Coloroso's Kids are Worth It: Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline (Avon). For no-nonsense and immediately useful advice, few compare with Coloroso, who presents sound guidance for parents who know their kids need structure but who fear being overbearing. She steers a sane and steady course that respects kids and their need for parental guidance toward self-discipline and self-actualization. |
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Take Back Your Kids Confident Parenting in Turbulent Times William J. Doherty Along those same lines, William J. Doherty, Ph.D., offers relief to the many parents who seem to have lost the reins in their homes. Take Back Your Kids: Confident Parenting in Turbulent Times (Sorin) is a treasure trove of good sense and clear, practical advice on issues that leave many parents befuddled. He is especially good on balancing kids' outside activities with regular family life. He offers much wisdom borne of experience and love of children. |
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Tired of Arguing With Your Kids Wisdom from Parents Who Have Been There Dolores Curran I love anything from Dolores Curran, but I laughed out loud at (and promptly put into practice), ideas she offers in her Tired of Arguing With Your Kids : Wisdom from Parents Who Have Been There (Sorin) Curran, author of the landmark Traits of a Healthy Family (Ballatine) 0345317505 offers welcome advice on healthy and sane ways to handle arguing in your family. If you're the parent of a budding Johnny Cochran or F. Lee Bailey, you need this book. |
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Raising Kids Who Care About Themselves, About Their World, About Each Other Kathleen Chesto In this age of child bullies and brooding teenage loners, Kathleen Chesto's books are a welcome antidote. I especially recommend her Raising Kids Who Care : About Themselves, About Their World, About Each Other (Sheed and Ward) , a book based on her own experience raising three children to accomplished adulthood. Chesto's simple stories surprise you with their depth and wisdom. Reading her is like having a leisurely coffee break with a good friend who understands and cares. |
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Sacred Dwelling A Spirituality of Family Life Wendy Wright My final recommendation is a little bit more theoretical than practical, but it is filled with helpful wisdom nonetheless. It's Wendy Wright's Sacred Dwelling: A Spirituality of Family Life (Forest of Peace Publishing). A trained theologian, Wright sees within the comings and goings of daily family life the profound sacredness that underpins all that we do as parents, as family members. I found this to be an inspiring book, and one that I quote from regularly with friends when we swap stories of our life in families. |
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Tom McGrath, author of Raising Faith-Filled Kids: Ordinary Opportunities to Nurture Spirituality at Home, and At Home with our Faith, the family spirituality newsletter published in Chicago by Claretian Publications -www.homefaith.com. Tom is also the "family life beat" Editor for the national magazine, U.S. Catholic -www.uscatholic.org. |
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