First Parenting book of the year

I just finished "Parenting Is Your Highest Calling: and 8 other myths that trap us in worry and guilt" by Leslie Leyland Fields. Ironically I have to run to take care of the kids, so I will come back and post a second entry soon....(sigh)

I'm back. Alright so "Parenting Is Your Highest Calling..." was pretty good. In it Fields explores our notions of the "Ideal Parent" and other things that are common myths parents believe and compares them to the truth of the Scriptures. This book would really make a great young parents/family small group study. I think some of the questions she has at the end of each chapter are very thought provoking and I would love to hear what other people have to say about them.

Some of the myths that stood out to me as a person who really wants to do everything the "right way" is the myth that there is such a thing as the "perfect mom\parent" and the "right/biblical way to parent," and that "parenting is my highest calling." Over and over again in the scriptures there are examples of incredibly godly people whose children rebelled against God (i.e. Esau and Samson) and examples of children who were righteous in spite of their parents (Jonathan and Josiah). The truth of the matter is that we are all sinners and it is God that makes us righteous and not our parents. So even though I mess up twenty plus times a day...God can redeem my children in spite of me. Fields also points out that there is no biblical mandate "You shall parent this way..." because God doesn't parent that way. He sees us all as the individuals we are and parents us that way. So my job is to be faithful to Him and to teach my children about Him in a way that sees and celebrates them as the individuals God made them.

Well unfortunately that is all the time I have to write...small children. Well I'll just have to settle with short summary. The book was good and helped me let go some of the guilt I have about decisions I've made/failed to make