Intentional Parenting

Intentional Parenting: Autopilot is for Planes is a book about just that- being intentional in the parenting of your children. It was written by Sissy Goff, David Thomas and Melissa Trevathan; these three people are the counseling directors and founder of a ministry called Daystar Counseling in Tennessee. Together they have over 75 years of counseling experience.

I found this book to be loaded with a wealth of material, advice and suggestions, examples and personal stories. It is written in a very personal language, thus reaching out to the common person and making them feel at ease- almost like you were sitting one-on-one in an office session yourself. Although I personally didn't appreciate it, even Biblical references were mostly in the Message version of Scripture (with NIV also sporadically quoted), giving it a more laid-back, personal tone.

Each author takes turns writing the chapters; each chapter is focused upon helping the reader develop characteristics that will help us grow as parents, recognizing that we are vulnerable and dependent upon God, and exhibiting attributes such as being encouraging, consistent, playful, balanced and patient. They agree that it is a two-way street and rarely are children to blame 100% of the time. Interspersed in each chapter are italicized questions to get the reader thinking about how to apply to their lives the truths that the authors have written.

I think this book will be a good reference tool in my bookcase, because of the way the chapters in this book are broken down by subject, and it's a good thing, because it's hard to fully absorb (let alone apply) all the information shared by these counselors the first time around!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review  program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255