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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
Crystal Paine is one of my most favorite people to follow on social media. She is real, raw, and encouraging so it’s no surprise that I learned SO much from her book, Love-Centered Parenting. You can truly see her heart and the love that she has for her children and the ways she practically applies that in their lives. She shares a lot of her earlier parenting “mistakes” and how she is parenting now out of love and I could relate a lot to what she shared. Towards the end of the book, Crystal mentions savoring the little lives that God has placed before us. I really love that! It definitely helps put things into perspective— our children truly are the most important work.
Thanks to Bethany House for the free book.
With so much honesty and vulnerability, Paine shares her story on how she radically changed her parenting style and how her family grew from this decision in this book. Now, this isn't a step by step guide on how to change parenting strategies, instead, this is a book filled with grace and love and mess ups. I really enjoyed how the author shared her struggles and wasn't afraid to admit and own her mistakes. I think this openness helped me to see how her new strategy worked. I left this book challenged and inspired to parent with the lean in and love philosophy. This book shows how little parenting decision changes can make all the difference in the life of our kids. I hope to return to this book over and over when I'm needing some encouragement. It will be a book I keep in my parenting toolkit and hope to share with other parents, as well.
With so much honesty and vulnerability, Paine shares her story on how she radically changed her parenting style and how her family grew from this decision in this book. Now, this isn't a step by step guide on how to change parenting strategies, instead, this is a book filled with grace and love and mess ups. I really enjoyed how the author shared her struggles and wasn't afraid to admit and own her mistakes. I think this openness helped me to see how her new strategy worked. I left this book challenged and inspired to parent with the lean in and love philosophy. This book shows how little parenting decision changes can make all the difference in the life of our kids. I hope to return to this book over and over when I'm needing some encouragement. It will be a book I keep in my parenting toolkit and hope to share with other parents, as well.
I have not been big on parenting books since one nearly ruined my first year of motherhood for me. After following Crystal for years and hearing her share some big changes they've made in parenting and how it has impacted their family, I was so happy to hear she was going to write a book on it! This isn't your typical "how to" parenting book, and it was exactly what I needed! Such a balm to my anxious heart and it doesn't surprise me at all that this book came to me right when I truly needed it.
Highlights:
You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t love your kids well if you don’t believe you are fully loved yourself.”
“Our kids don’t need our productivity. They need our presence.”
“Outward performance is not necessarily a direct indication of inward change. Strict rules and rigidity will never save a child, a preteen, a teen, or even an adult. They might prevent someone from consequences at times, but they will never change someone’s heart.“
You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t love your kids well if you don’t believe you are fully loved yourself.”
“Our kids don’t need our productivity. They need our presence.”
“Outward performance is not necessarily a direct indication of inward change. Strict rules and rigidity will never save a child, a preteen, a teen, or even an adult. They might prevent someone from consequences at times, but they will never change someone’s heart.“
There are so many great nuggets in this book, it’s hard to choose just one quote to feature—but this one hit me hard:
“I worried more about producing kids who made good decisions than about kids who knew they were wholeheartedly loved.”
Crystal’s book helped me realize that too often I parent for selfish reasons—to have kids that make good choices and make me look good. Instead, I must nurture and love them the way God does and leave the rest in God’s hands.
“I worried more about producing kids who made good decisions than about kids who knew they were wholeheartedly loved.”
Crystal’s book helped me realize that too often I parent for selfish reasons—to have kids that make good choices and make me look good. Instead, I must nurture and love them the way God does and leave the rest in God’s hands.
I really loved this book. Parenting is definitely One of those types of situations where there literally is no rulebook and often times you feel like you are flying by the seat of your pants trying to figure it out. I really love the way that Crystal was honest about her experience with her daughter and how it impacted her family and made her question everything about her parenting. I love the way that she shared her failures and how she was flailing but I also loved about how she learned from those failures. This is the handbook to that. When she said sometimes you have to walk with your kids through the pain and sometimes all they need is to know you are there…that hit! My boys are super young and we haven’t entered any of the scary stages yet, but this book will for sure be a resource I will use. Great wisdom!
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
I was expecting an entirely different book but this is the one I needed to read. When I read the description, I figured it was going to be a typical parenting book. I've read Crystal's other books and knew it was going to be good but I was expecting it to be more of a book about her family with a nice little to-do list packaged together to tell me exactly what steps to take to be a good parent. While she does share a lot about her own family in Love Centered Parenting, she wraps it around in a thought provocating way. Each chapter is a lovely mix of stories and actionable steps you can take to change your mindset about parenting, thus changing your relationship with your children.
My personality type is pretty type A and motivated by to-do lists, not about feelings and emotions. I was going through the motions of parenting, checking off what I thought I needed to in order to be "successful" at it. This book has helped me shift my mindset about my relationship with my child and what my ultimate goal is.
Love Centered Parenting is on the very short list of books I've already bought multiple copies and versions of to give to friends and to keep to re-read myself. I know I will be referring to it in the years to come.
My personality type is pretty type A and motivated by to-do lists, not about feelings and emotions. I was going through the motions of parenting, checking off what I thought I needed to in order to be "successful" at it. This book has helped me shift my mindset about my relationship with my child and what my ultimate goal is.
Love Centered Parenting is on the very short list of books I've already bought multiple copies and versions of to give to friends and to keep to re-read myself. I know I will be referring to it in the years to come.
Highlights:
You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t love your kids well if you don’t believe you are fully loved yourself.”
“Our kids don’t need our productivity. They need our presence.”
“Outward performance is not necessarily a direct indication of inward change. Strict rules and rigidity will never save a child, a preteen, a teen, or even an adult. They might prevent someone from consequences at times, but they will never change someone’s heart.“
You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t love your kids well if you don’t believe you are fully loved yourself.”
“Our kids don’t need our productivity. They need our presence.”
“Outward performance is not necessarily a direct indication of inward change. Strict rules and rigidity will never save a child, a preteen, a teen, or even an adult. They might prevent someone from consequences at times, but they will never change someone’s heart.“
informative
inspiring
reflective
This book is the parenting book I never knew I needed! I love that Crystal wrote this parenting book from a Biblical viewpoint.This isn't a do this, this and this so your kids will behave a certain way type book. Crystal gets raw and real with her parenting journey and struggles, and shows us how she came to a place of parenting with love and Jesus as the focus. I love the idea and reminder that it is our job as parents to point our kids to the Savior ( Jesus) and not be their savior. This book both convicted and encouraged me! I could go on and on about all I loved about Love Centered Parenting! I'm looking forward to implementing all of these tidbits of wisdom in my own parenting journey! I highly recommend this one!