Book Review: Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told by Scott Turansky Scott and Joanne Miller

This is an interesting book. While it is titled as a Christian book on parenting, the references to religion and the bible are more cursory than I expected. The messages told in the book and the examples given can be applied to any parent trying to rear a child to become an independent person that sticks to the right path. The right path is one that I would describe as not seeking trouble, staying out of prison and using common sense. Yes, this book will also want the child to believe in God and learn lessons from the bible, but again, this part of the message should not distract from the fact that lessons taught in this book are solid and generally applicable.

I read with great interest the chapter on conscience. Conscience is not really a religious component, but should be part of any adult's behavior that is part of a larger society, in which not his or her own self-interest rules the day. The lessons taught in this book on conscience made sense because every parent knows that they cannot supervise their child 24x7 and as kids grow older, parents need to let go. Yet, every parent still wants to ensure that their child will behave and that they as parents not received the dreaded phone call about their child having gotten into trouble. Teaching your child instinctive boundaries, commons sense and being able to tell good from bad are all part of this letting go and trusting your child to have a conscience that will lead them on the right path.
Yes, there are references to the God and the bible, but overall the advice provided in this book is helpful to every parent.I would recommend this book to my friends, even if they do not go to church every Sunday because I feel that at its core, the messages taught in this book are sound.

Disclaimer: I got a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not bee influenced by a third party.