The Parent Plan: A Guide to Intentional Parenting

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Plan on pulling this out time and time again as my daughter grows older. Dec 21, Jason Hoke rated it it was amazing. If you are a parent please read this book on yourself. Each generation is different but each generation should have the same goals in parenting. Mar 12, Marsha rated it it was amazing. Skimmed through this book today. Much valuable information - wish I had time to read it while my kid was much younger. Apr 05, James rated it really liked it Shelves: What are your intentions as a parent?

Rearing up a child is not something that just happens. It is hard work and without some thoughtfulness you will never take steps to raise your kids right. They know that good parents are mindful about what they want their children to become, but they also are attentive about being the sort of pare What are your intentions as a parent?

They know that good parents are mindful about what they want their children to become, but they also are attentive about being the sort of parents who can provide nurture and consistency, model spiritual health, and take responsibility for their family. In Intentional Parenting they offer their insights on how we can be better parents. Goff, Thomas and Trevathan take turns writing each of the twelve chapters of the book which are designed to encourage parents to attend to what parenting does.

They challenge parents to be intentional, patient, grown-up, balanced, consistent, playful, connected, encouraging, spiritual, merciful, and hopeful.

If this seems like hard work and pressure, the final chapter dispels the notion: Too many parenting books tell you how to get your kids to behave or succeed. Instead their book focuses on what God does in and through us as parents. If we consider that God designed parenting as a place where men and women could come to ask hard questions, engage deep heartache, and find renewed hope—a place where people can grow in the range and richness of new possibility in their lives—then there is much room for maturity of heart p.

Each author, in turn, challenges us to be the parents we long to be. And yes balance and consistency will need to be cultivated to do it well. But ultimately the glory of parenting is when you get to pass on joy, hope and freedom to each child. This book is full of challenging advice from some seasoned counselors.

But it is not preachy. Goff, Thomas and Trevathan are excited about what parenting does in us as we seek to love and nurture our children. Their excitement is infectious. I give this book 4 stars!

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Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for this review through BookSneeze. Mar 23, Jodi Janz rated it it was amazing. I absolutely loved the idea of this book. A healthy parent produces healthy children, right? I had no idea the depth this book would go in its pages.

You are paying for a book to sit on your shelves, refer back to at times as well as your own mini counseling service. It was extremely insightful. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of parenting from the general sense. Most parenting books have chapters on discipline, dealing with things like dishonesty and disrespect, chores etc. Howeve I absolutely loved the idea of this book.

However this one is different. The chapters are focused on attributes of a good parent and some background issues you might be facing if you are lacking in those areas. The chapters are on being patient, balanced, encouraging, grown-up, spiritual, hopeful and free. Along with the topics listed in the book blurb above. In the chapters the writers give you opportunities to dive into your own experiences to discover where you are on the spectrum of those attributes and give insightful questions and ideas to prompt you through your own growth towards the characteristics of an intentional parent.

Basically, unload your own luggage so you can focus on your child. It was a completely different style of parenting book I have ever read. I recommend this book to all parents, grandparents. As a parent of teenagers I wish I had dealt with some of these areas when my kids were younger, but it is never too late to invest in your kids.

Become intentional in all that you do for your kids. Thanks Thomas Nelson and Booksneeze for the opportunity to review this book. It was offered to me free of charge in exchange for my honest review. Mar 26, Amber rated it it was amazing Shelves: Some books come along at just the right time. I picked up my free copy of Intentional Parenting to review for Booksneeze thinking it would be light reading.

As usual, I was wrong. My husband and I feel like we might just have this parenting thing down and then boom one of the kids does something that causes us to pause and rethink our plan of action. There has been a lot of sociological research done in the last few decades on passing faith and values on to our children. Here are four principles distilled from this research. And while a good church is very important, the primary context in which faith is formed is not the church, but is in fact your own home. This means that passing a strong faith to our children begins by having a strong faith ourselves.

This does not mean that we need to be perfect little Christians or that we need to pretend to be perfect Christians in front of our children.

But if our own spiritual health and growth has been sidelined by other priorities in our lives, it is time to put it squarely and permanently into the center. We decide what our priorities are in this life; nobody decides that for us. Jesus Christ must be the center. Some of us need to break negative cycles that may have started with our own upbringing in order to launch a new, more healthy spiritual legacy for the next generation. Our God is the God of new beginnings, and he can give us the strength for a new start as we learn to trust and love him.

The good news is this: The age-old wisdom of Proverbs Bottom line—a strong relationship with mom and dad is key to a strong Christian faith. And relationships are built on presence. Be present with your children to build this relationship, even if it means you have to move heaven and earth at work to be at home more.

For both mom and dad, it is possible to find quality time daily with your children. Do not underestimate the tremendous power of simply being together. It will communicate your love to your child more than anything else you can do for them. The Christian faith is more than a philosophical system or a religious preference.

It is a worldview—that is, it is a certain way of seeing the world, of seeing reality. Our Christian lens allows us to see the Goodness, Beauty, and Truth in creation and in our culture and in other human beings that we could not see without it. Without our Christian lens, the world can seem scary, godless, and dangerous—especially to parents.

It can seem like something to escape from, rather than something to give our lives for. However, our Christian worldview constantly impresses the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love into our vision of reality. And the greatest of these is love. As parents we must avoid the culture of fear, stress, busyness, and materialism that pervade the world around us.

But do our kids understand all this? Toddlers and young children are very literal, concrete thinkers. Imagine what a three-year-old might think if he heard his mother or father trying to give him away. It might not be appropriate for young children. I had to look this up. A small pitcher might have two big handles. The imagery is weird, but the truth behind it is spot-on. I should have used it in my Reflections on Sunday School Songs series. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Find someone to talk to such as a mother with older children and schedule a time away from the kids.

Intentional Parenting: Autopilot Is for Planes

Whoever you find to listen, talk about your difficulties and vent your frustrations, but also pray together and look for practical, small-step actions you can take to prevent future frustration. Listen, none of us are perfect, especially when it comes to our words James 3: Those big ears collect more of your words than you think!

I always love to hear from you in the comments below! I leaned against the wall of the clothing store changing area and worked to stay upright and attentive. The week had been a flurry of practices, out-of-town ballgames, and church youth activities—the typical whirlwind of dis organized chaos. The changing area was empty other moms fortunate enough to be home starting dinner so the girls grabbed adjacent rooms.

I closed my eyes and waited for the fashion show. Until I heard a giggle. I looked, and there they were—just beneath the changing room curtains—three beautiful pairs of feet. Tiny baby feet—well, not so tiny. Six years old, mesmerized by her own reflection. Dancing to piped-in music.

Thrilled to be a part of what her big sisters were doing. Bright-eyed and eager to follow bigger footsteps. A girlish beauty with one foot in the teen years, one in childhood.

A pair of feet on the threshold of possibility. Almost-grown feet—stylish and trendy. Lovely, feminine, approaching womanhood, but still so much a girl.

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Always longing for something new, only to discard it a moment later. Three pairs of feet. Different, but the same. A three-dimensional picture of the glorious spectrum of childhood. Dreaming of possibilities, of a future. As I waited for my daughters to model their favorite finds, I paused to take in the now gold-hued moment. My heart reached out to God: Please, Lord, let me remember this day. May this image be engraved on my heart and mind, a reminder to be thankful, and to pray for the girls individually and often. May I never be impatient with their life-seasons or push them into the next dressing room.

Help me to nurture them where they are, in this time. Thank you, Father, for slowing my frantic pace and opening my eyes. In the blur of the everyday, we need to stop and simply be. To open our physical and spiritual eyes and see what is before us. To gather priceless snapshots in time and tuck them away for another—quieter—day. To be still, breathe, and be thankful. To live Psalm Leigh Ann Thomas is a wife, mother, grammy, writer, and chocolate enthusiast. A regular contributor to Just18Summers.

Connect on Twitter at LThomasWrites. I love those historical markers you see along the roads. Some stand beside busy thoroughfares, but some are on quiet streets or by scenic overlooks. We stop if we can. When we read those signs, we learn a little bit of relevant history. Connie Wohlford is one of those people with whom I connected the moment we met. She has the heart of a grandmother, and I mean that as a great compliment.

Learn more about Connie and connect with her at the end of this post. Every day my parents prayed for me. Do you have any idea how comforting that is? If you have or had parents like that, then you know. That awareness triggered feelings of love to well up in my heart—love for them and receiving of love from them.

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Only God knows the bad things I escaped because of their prayer covering. Most likely no one else on the planet will be praying for our child daily. Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. Our children need to know that prayer is important to us and that we pray for them daily.

Our own example is our chief teaching tool as we instruct children in spiritual matters. Even young children can comprehend this at a level that makes sense to them.

Intentional Parenting: Giving a Strong Spiritual Legacy

The Holy Spirit knows how to work in each young spirit. Growing up in an evangelical church, I knew at a young age I needed salvation found only in Jesus. I remember mentally listing my sins. Then one Sunday I decided it was time. I walked forward and gave my hand to Pastor Rushing and my heart to Jesus. Rest assured, Satan is real and wants our children. We can pray with confidence, knowing our Heavenly Father wants our children too.

The role as parent is our most important job. Doing it well pays great dividends. Consistency is key and that takes effort. Help from above is necessary. You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.

Parenting is a daily responsibility that requires daily invoking the help and power from our Creator. God loves our kids and wants the best for our them. We need to pray! We need to pray big time—every day—for our children and for ourselves as parents, grandparents, and mentors. What does the whirlwind look like? Addiction, sexual promiscuity and confusion, prison, mental and emotional insecurities, animosity toward God and parents, spiritual confusion, and all manner of chaos. Their eternal destiny may depend on it.

What is your greatest prayer for the children in your life? Tell God, right now. Release it to Him and take heart in knowing He hears. What is your greatest prayer for your children? Please share it in the comments below because someone else namely me! Connie and I both look forward to hearing from you! Connie Wohlford, has been a Bible teacher and ministry leader in her church for many years. Having a BS degree in education, she formerly taught in public school.

She has taken numerous biblical studies classes and has written several Bible studies. A Construction Guide to Godly Character.

Intentional Parenting: Autopilot Is for Planes by Sissy Goff

Also, she has had several articles published, edits for ministry publications and enjoys speaking for civic and church groups. Passionate for God and His Word, she desires to see individuals come to know Jesus and deepen their intimacy with God. As well, she adores her family, which includes eight teen grandchildren , and enjoys travel, cooking, and reading. Connie posts a scripture-based prayer for children on her Facebook page every day.

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Each one is a good springboard for an appeal to God on behalf of the children in our lives. You can see the prayers at this link. Our plates were full. We had said the blessing, and our forks were busy. We were talking about our day, like we usually did around the dinner table, when my seven-year-old dropped an F-bomb in the middle of her sentence.

I glanced at our four-year-old, then back to the older child. We talked about the definition for a few minutes, treading lightly toward the level of detail her young mind needed. Then someone changed the subject—thankfully.

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