Book Review: 8 Simple Tools For Raising Great Kids

Review 8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids
*This review was provided by FlyBy Promotions, all opinions expressed herein are my own.

Dr. Todd Cartmell is a clinical child psychologist and author, also his parenting advice comes from a Christian perspective. 8 Simple Tools For Raising Great Kids is the first book I have read by Dr. Cartmell and I am impressed with its simplicity and resourcefulness. It is easy to read and doesn’t contain dense jargon. The book provides simple solutions that can be easily understood and implemented.

Dr. Cartmell wrote this book with busy parents in mind. It took me about 3 days to read the entire book. I read it while waiting for my kids during their swimming and piano classes. This book is a keeper because it is packed with tons of information on how to react when certain situations arise with your child. It’s also the type of book you don’t have to finish all at once. At the end of each chapter is a summary, which sums up what was covered so you can skip around and read chapters that are most beneficial to your specific parent-child challenges.

I highly recommend 8 Simple Tools For Raising Great Kids because it’s not a book only written to give parents guidance, but the book supports parents to help identify their own personal issues and better their communication and relationship skills with others. Frankly, Dr. Cartmell doesn’t fix parenting by providing step-by-step instructions on what to do for your kids, instead, he encourages readers by sharing stories from his own family and his psychology practice to help you understand your children better and work with them.

All parents want to raise great kids, but our desire and our actions don’t always compliment each other. Dr. Cartmell tell parents,

“When you stay focused on doing your job, you will handle difficult parenting situations more effectively” Cartmell, 152) 

By following his tips based on the eight topics below we can do 8 simple tools for raising great kidsjust that:

  1. Talking
  2. Listening
  3. Influencing
  4. Connecting
  5. Teaching
  6. Encouraging
  7. Correcting
  8. Leading

Each principle mentioned in the book has a scripture to go along with it that parents can read for further insight.

Dr. Cartmell answers an age-old question with wisdom, he tell his readers that “Discipline is helping your kids learn an important lesson from a bad choice they have made” (Cartmell, 161).

Last week I shared, one of the parenting struggles in my post “Demanding Child? Who Rules the Home?” I have already started using Dr. Cartmells advice regarding our situation. In Chapter 33 “Make a Quick Response” is the most challenging parenting issue I face with my own children. There are occasions when I ask them to do something, but they don’t act immediately.  Dr. Cartmell tells parents. like me, that by not demanding our children to respond immediately to our request we are teaching them to be disrespectful. Instead, give clear instructions and expectations. Within 10 seconds the child should have responded affirmatively and acted regarding your request. Basically, when we ask our children to get up and do something we need to followup and make sure that they get up and do it, don’t ask or make a request and forget about it, follow-up with him or her immediately so they aren’t given time to forget about the request.

At the end of the book is a summary of all the principles and tips he shares. This is a book that you will want to keep in your family library because when there is an issue you can easily refer to the book and see how Dr. Cartmell would handle it.8 Simple Tools for Raising Great Kids by Dr Todd Cartmell

EXCLUSIVE OFFER WITHIN THIS REVIEW

If you’re interested in this book, which I value greatly. Moody Publishing (moodypublishers.com) is giving my readers 50% off with the promo code GREATKIDS16 (this code expires May 15, 2016).

Reader Question: Which parenting books have you read that had the greatest influence on you and your family?

*This review was provided by FlyByPromotions, all opinions expressed herein are my own.
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