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nmisham's review against another edition
4.0
Would be good to read again when kids are a little older
smbcoffee's review against another edition
5.0
Easily the best nonfiction book I’ve read so far this year. There were so many things that challenged me as a parent and made me rethink my own behavior around my kids. Highly recommend this one.
themaritimereader14's review against another edition
4.0
I absolutely loved this book and I am so glad I followed along with Everyday Reading's book club chat about it all month. This made me think SO MUCH about parenting and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. If you have children or work with children (potentially as a teacher), there is a lot to chew on in this book.
jillccox's review against another edition
5.0
A new parenting favorite. The research and stories are interesting and each chapter ends with very practical application.
creedmk's review against another edition
5.0
This book had so many good ideas to share with kids when they are teens, as well as ideas for parents at every stage. If you are looking for a way to help your kids become self sufficient adults this is a great book to read.
meghan_e's review against another edition
5.0
Solid, practicable book with good examples. Jives well with my own parenting philosophy that I am not defined by my kids successes and failures, and there is a wide path for them to determine what success means to them.
kimk1972's review against another edition
5.0
This book gave me lots of insights to trust my children and allow them to fail.
jennyp0208's review against another edition
4.0
Who's in control here? This book is a plea to let your kids be in control of their own lives, as much as realistic (with plenty of guidance for ages, stages, and kids who just make crazy choices). Finishing homework? Help, but it's their responsibility. Going to college? Consult, but it's their choice. The big idea is that a sense of control helps children flourish and be less stressed and therefore more successful overall.
I came away with many good ideas and challenges to implement in our own home.
Two things bothered me though - there is a large push to teach meditation to kids, especially Transcendental Meditation. The second was that nearly every anecdote, every stressor they discussed resolving, had to do with conventional schooling and standardized test taking. While I grasp that these are the biggest stressors for kids today, they are far from the only. As homeschoolers, I look forward to pursuing the "parent as consultant" mindset in our education, but it would have been nice to see some educational diversity reflected in the book. Especially as homeschool done well is a great place to allow kids increasing levels of control over their education and freedom to pursue their passions.
I came away with many good ideas and challenges to implement in our own home.
Two things bothered me though - there is a large push to teach meditation to kids, especially Transcendental Meditation. The second was that nearly every anecdote, every stressor they discussed resolving, had to do with conventional schooling and standardized test taking. While I grasp that these are the biggest stressors for kids today, they are far from the only. As homeschoolers, I look forward to pursuing the "parent as consultant" mindset in our education, but it would have been nice to see some educational diversity reflected in the book. Especially as homeschool done well is a great place to allow kids increasing levels of control over their education and freedom to pursue their passions.
annieteach's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
Really good. Worth recommending all over town.
andyreadsfantasy's review against another edition
4.0
4.2 stars
I listened to the audiobook, which is good because I don’t know if I would have finished it if I was reading it.
This book started out great. After the first couple of chapters I was ready to give it 5 enthusiastic stars. The concepts and ideas presented in the first half of the book are groundbreaking and should be read by all parents. However, I felt the last half was dedicated to “tying up loose ends” where the authors tried to address some additional areas related to the basic concept of giving children more control. In trying to cover so much, I think the authors dragged it out too long. It became tedious. It was good information and hammered home the concepts, but it lost readability.
I listened to the audiobook, which is good because I don’t know if I would have finished it if I was reading it.
This book started out great. After the first couple of chapters I was ready to give it 5 enthusiastic stars. The concepts and ideas presented in the first half of the book are groundbreaking and should be read by all parents. However, I felt the last half was dedicated to “tying up loose ends” where the authors tried to address some additional areas related to the basic concept of giving children more control. In trying to cover so much, I think the authors dragged it out too long. It became tedious. It was good information and hammered home the concepts, but it lost readability.