MrsK Books: Motivate Your Child by Dr. Scott Turansky

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Motivate Your Child by Dr. Scott Turansky

Motivate Your Child: A Christian Parent's Guide to Raising Kids Who Do What They Need to Do Without Being Told

by Dr. Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller

ISBN: 9780529100733

Publisher's Synopsis:

We need a parenting revolution!

Most parenting approaches end up encouraging children to ask the wrong questions about life: What’s in it for me? Are you going to pay me for that? What’s the minimum I need to do to get by?

But God’s Word gives us a better way to parent, one that builds strong internal motivation in children. When parents change the way they parent, kids change the way they live. This practical book explores a theology of internal motivation and then gives parents real-life solutions to equip their kids for life.

You’ll learn . . .

• how to parent in ways that build internal motivation so that kids don’t have to rely on you to get things done.

• the four promptings of the conscience and how to coordinate your parenting to take advantage of them.

• ways to energize your spiritual training with fun and creativity.

• how to help children respond to mistakes instead of blaming, defending, or justifying.

The greatest gift you can give your child is strong moral and spiritual development—this book shows you how. Every chapter includes practical examples of families applying the Bible to their current issues.

Join the revolution!

MrsK's Review:

Yes, oh yes, we need a parenting revolution. There is so much wisdom within these pages. If you are a parent, a grandparent, or an educator... this book is a must read. The organization is perfected as you embark on this journey for your children. Filled with meaningful Bible quotes, you will begin discovering quick and user-friendly conversations that will inspire every age.

At first I began reading through these pages only to discover that I had to begin again. I searched for my hi-lighters and quick referencing tabs... and started over. This parenting guide "begs" to be shared. Our children are so valuable. Their future depends on our actions, reactions, and time invested in their "coping" skills. I remember when I first became a parent, how quickly I learned that I didn't have all the answers nor was I equipped with a set of directions as to the "how-to's" of parenting. In all of these years, many parenting books have entered my door, been tried, and some nuggets of wisdom worked. Yet, I never had the opportunity to connect my parenting with God's perfect will. Now I do!

Raising children who do what they need to do without being told is the goal of this guide book. Developing self-motivation in your child can be "hair-raising" without guidance. Choosing to "deliberately work on spiritual and moral development" is an investment in their character that will produce a life time of harvested wisdom. As their guardian, we are "giving them the "tools" to navigate life."

"Happiness may be found in the destination,

but character is built in the journey."

Have you considered using a "heart-based" approach to discipline? Instead of using motivators that are externally "rewarded," why not teach internal responsibilities. Teaching strategies of firmness, correction, consequences, and thinking beyond self. What is beneficial with this approach is the instruction that is centered between their heart and their minds:

Every day considerations about themselves and their activities (behaviors/choices)
Learning about responsibility (focus on others/tasks well done/time limits)
Growing into maturity (considering God's instruction and God's will for them)

"When you do something with all your heart,

it means that your motivation to get things done comes from inside..."

Does your discipline leave out the conscience? Our internal motivator helps us align our thoughts and actions with an internal obligation to manage oneself. What if your modeling, discussions, and guidelines taught them:

To do what's right
To deal with the wrongs
To be honest
To care about others

With this "guide book" you can "use areas of strength in a child's life to help them improve areas of weakness."

Are you ready to get started?

Go for it...

MrsK

"Do not confuse the destination with the journey..."
Read, Re-Read, Discover, Practice, and plant seeds of wisdom that will blossom for a life time.

Amazing read that will continue to inspire your children for a life time.
Added to my shelf and shared with my children!

"I received this book for free from Book Look Bloggers for this review."

Meet the Authors:

Scott Turansky has been a pastor and missionary for more than 33 years and is an author of several books. In addition to pastoring full time, Scott also conducts parenting seminars on Saturdays around the United States(http://www.effectiveparenting.org/). He is the cofounder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting (www.biblicalparenting.org) and has co-authored four books.

Joanne Miller is a pediatric nurse with 26 years of experience and the cofounder of the National Center for Biblical Parenting. She is the coauthor of seven parenting books.

No comments:

MrsK's Reading Bio

Reading is important! No questions asked, not even a blink of the eye from any student I grew up with. On the first day of the First grade, we were given our first books. Day two we all read aloud, round robin of course. Day three we were place in our first basal, now known as a lit circle group. Books were so important, publishers designed new curriculum so that every student was reading by the end of the first week. These early readers had images that looked like what we could see in the classroom, beyond the classroom, even on the big screen. Reading is important, throughout history every generation has believed that “Reading” opens up the world for endless possibilities.

I adore the 1950’s Dick and Jane books. Actually, most reading specialists and experienced (45+) educators believe that every student learned to read with Dick and Jane. Since these books are being re-issued, I have heard many parents, grandparents, and students claim that Dick and Jane stories of repetition does teach students to read.

Early influences from my mother influenced my desire to read. I would watch her read and we would go on “secret” excursions to the library. The library became my playground. I owned every book I could carry home, of course they needed to be taken back to their home after visiting with me for a week or two. My first book that I could pull off of the library shelf and read was, Father Bear Comes Home. I only saw my dad on Sundays for a few hours. I would pull this beginning reader off of the library shelf every week. Every week I would try to read the first chapter. Every week I got further in the story. My mom would let me check it out, only if I could read it myself (She didn’t like the illustrations therefore she didn’t want to take time to read it to me). One day, I pulled the book from the shelf and when mom came to get me from the children’s corner, I realized that I had read the whole story. I ran to the check out desk and the Librarian KERCHUNKED the checkout card. My mother, brother and neighbors read. My teachers read. We all read aloud all day long in school. The Priest read aloud every day at mass, even in Latin. Everybody in the Doctor’s office read. People on the bus read. Dad’s waiting in their cars as the Mom’s and children grocery shopped, read. In fact, once you could read and write, Sunset Magazine considered you a reader and sent you mail every day.

Reading is important; I’ve spent my life reading. I’ve traveled around the world and into space through books. My favorite genre is whichever book I have open at the time. Children’s Literature is my passion. Book clubbing is one of the best past times, especially if food is involved. In fact my friends of old are in a book club and we are about to embark on a beach trip to “read” and discuss our newest selection.

My “home-run” book story has helped every student find his or her own “home-run” reads. Every year, I have shared my, Father Bear Comes Home, and every year my students have brought in their “home-run” books. That’s the “diving board” into our Lit. Studies.

In “Growing Up Digital,” Tapscott’s insights into the new generations enthusiasm for the Net reminded me of my generation’s enthusiasm for reading, movies, TV, parties and our driving permits. The Net-Generation, as Tapscott describes, “are learning, playing, communicating, working, creating communities, and enforcing a social transformation.”
N-Geners are interactive “techies” who are always looking for a way to “work it” verses the TV Generation of “Baby Boomers” who started out looking for “how it works.” Reading development is tougher today, society moves too fast to invest their “non-working” free time into a book or even “home work.” Since I stepped into my own classroom, I have seen students being told to read, being forced to read, and threatened into reading. Homework is not any longer the vehicle for students to gain their future lifestyles or careers with. Yet, the Internet does create an enthusiasm for learning. Since I have been enrolled in these courses, I have used the computers in every subject. My students are using the newest technology in the classroom because I am giving them investigative sites to use as they learn from each other and books. I agree with Tapscott, in order to bridge the gap with this up and coming generation we must “live and learn with them.”

FTC Required Disclaimer: I receive these books from the publishers. I did not receive monetary compensation for these reviews. These reviews have been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)