Raising Grateful Kids In An Entitled World

We don’t just overindulge our kids with excessive stuff. We also tend to give in to whims and demands, allowing too much freedom too soon. Our kids are being exposed to “more, quicker, now” than ever before, and we have to ask why… why does our society indulge our kids so much? We do we as parents give in when we know we shouldn’t?

Book: Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World: How One Family Learned That Saying No Can Lead to Life's Biggest Yes by Kristen Welch, Tyndale House Publishers, 2015

 

Genre: Non-Fiction

Target Audience: Parents

Subjects: Gratitude, Parenting, Culture

Summary:We’ve all seen them. The brats screaming at the grocery store demanding to get what they want. The 2 year old who has to have electronics to be entertained. The students who think they should get the grade without doing the studying. The 23 year old who is still living at home, barely making enough money to pay for their entertainment, let alone their needs. And we’ve seen how easy it is for them to become this way. Burger King says “Have It Your Way”. Every business has a thorough return policy. Electronics are marketed to toddlers. The government has taught adults that rather than work, they should just live off of welfare. We know the world screams “You are entitled to get what you want, when you want, how you want, as often as you want.” But what do we DO about this? Kristen Welch shares her family’s story in this book, describing the journey they took to stop becoming so entitled-minded and more thankfulness-minded.

Notes: More than a simple “Here is the magic formula to follow to get what you want”, Kristen Welch focuses on what Scripture says our focus is supposed to be and what steps her family followed, what struggles they had in the process and what some of the results were. Her children have not yet graduated high school so she is still in the process of raising them. Some of the main ideas she covers in her book are: helping children define the difference between wants and needs, dealing with technology, cultivating obedience and living out God’s love in your home. I highly recommend this book. I found the ideas presented very accurate – both to the culture we live in and Scripture. This is a book I would suggest every parent in the entire country read – whether their children is 1 year old or 20 years old!

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I was very challenged by this book!