A Book Every Parent Should Read
During my time in pastoral ministry, I’ve spoken to lots of different parents at all different stages. I’ve prayed with young parents who have felt overwhelmed by the task and responsibility of raising young children. I’ve sat with older parents who have expressed regret over parts of their parenting journey. I’ve heard from other parents at a complete loss about what to do with their teenagers. And I, as a parent of young children myself, have felt all of these emotions at different stages of my own parenting journey.
My point? Parenting is tough. Yes, it is rewarding and fun and deeply worthwhile, but it is also hard, and it can be very complex. While there is no silver bullet; no one single book or course or program that has all the answers, I do want to commend a resource to all parents for your help and consideration.
I recently finished reading ‘Raising Confident Kids in a Confusing World: A Parent’s Guide to Grounding Identity in Christ’ by Ed Drew. Ed is a father to three children and the director of Faith in Kids, which exists to see parents and churches raising children together to trust Christ.
I found Ed’s book to be deeply encouraging and greatly helpful. Ed ably interacts with some of the most pressing issues facing both kids and parents in our day (gender, sexuality, pornography, friendship, body image, etc.), employing humour, biblical wisdom and practical insight.
Ed’s challenge in chapter 2 was particularly and personally pertinent: ‘What do I want most for my kids?’ As Ed writes, “…our greatest aim and highest ambition for our kids must not be that they be well-behaved, well-liked or well-educated, but that, by faith in Jesus, they be children of God” (p.37).
This is reflective of what I appreciated most about Ed’s book, namely, his desire to ground parenting in the gospel. His stated goal is to help Christian parents “…raise kids who are confident that they’re forgiven by Christ and that his Spirit is at work in them, rather than raising little Pharisees who behave well, especially when others are watching, and are proud that they’re good” (p. 85).
This book won’t have all the answers you seek or deal with all the particular challenges you face, but it does offer sane, sensible and Scriptural help. Let me close with the blurb from the back of the book to whet your appetite and hopefully encourage you to take up and read:
“It’s not easy being a child in today’s world. Kids are surrounded by a multitude of voices telling them how to view themselves and how best to live. How do they discover who they are?
It’s not easy being a Christian parent, either. How do we go about raising children who are secure in their sense of themselves and are able to make wise decisions and withstand setbacks?
Enter, the gospel. Jesus offers our children an identity that will satisfy them and ground them. Whatever your children are like and however old they are, this book will show you how to give them a positive, realistic, resilient view of themselves – a Christ-grounded view. The world is confusing. But you can help your kids navigate it confidently.”
With you on the journey,
Adam
