Synopsis

Do you find yourself threatening, repeating your instructions, or raising your voice in an attempt to get your children to obey? Are you discouraged because it seems you just can’t reach the heart of your child? Through personal experience and the practical application of Scripture, Ginger Hubbard encourages and equips moms to reach past the outward behavior of their children and dive deeply into the issues of the heart. Ginger’s candid approach will help moms move beyond the frustrations of not knowing how to handle issues of disobedience and into a confident, well-balanced approach to raising their children.

Initial Reaction

Honestly, I didn’t expect to walk away with eight back-and-front pages filled with notes. I thought I’d breeze through the book, maybe pick up a couple disciplinary practices to put into place. But after reading, I wish I had picked this book up sooner! Filled with biblical disciplinary tactics and dozens of ways to revamp your parental thinking toward Christ-likeness, this book will always be a recommended read.

A Scripture-Centered Read

When I say that this book is PACKED with Scripture, I’m not joking. Every instance of a recommended parenting style is supported by the Word of God. In fact, Hubbard writes the book in reverse. She states God’s Word and tells us how to apply it to disciplining our children.

This book is so founded on the Word that it calls us and our children out on it. Which is ultimately what discipline is all about: addressing the sin and correcting it. Hubbard succeeds at precisely that by calling out our ungodly disciplining habits or lack thereof, and suggesting Scripture-centered methods to replace them with.

And Hubbard doesn’t skip a beat in this novel. From pouting to indirect disobedience to excuses and arguments. She leaves no issue unaddressed, no method uncovered. I walked away from the book compelled to bring my children’s hearts into righteous captivity. To be honest, I was excited to put Hubbard’s suggestions into practice in my household. They seem so much easier and more full of love than what I was raised with. They resemble God’s way of disciplining those in the Bible.

Appendixes Have More Info to Offer

I didn’t expect the appendixes would be so fruitful. I thought they’d be overviews of the title topics, but they were more great resources of information to help parents. Definitely give them a full read. Don’t skip over those chapters.

I’m a Better Mom Because of It

Walking away from this book, I feel more in control of my ​parenting style. I feel more in control of my emotions when my children have an outburst in public, or when big emotions take over at home. I feel more confident in how to handle those situations through Christ. I’ve put the role-playing suggestion into practice with my kids already and written a post on how it went. You can read it HERE to find out just how effective the Biblical teachings of this book were in correcting my kids’ sinful errors.

Not Just for Moms

The book is written to only appeal to “Mom”. I think that’s totally misleading because the methods Hubbard recommends are suitable for either parent. I wish it had been written toward both parents so dads wouldn’t be discouraged from reading it. Every parent should have this Biblical information in their arsenal.

Overall

I wish I would have found this book sooner to have this Scripture-centered disciplining style mastered with my children. But it’s not too late for my eight and six-year-old, which means it’s not too late for your child either!