Last year ended up being crazy and the few books I had requested for review languished as review dates came and went and the books sat unopened by my chair. Well, today is the day. The day when I finally finish those long-overdue reviews. At least, I think this is the last one….

We’re ending with one of my favorite books from 2021 and one I highly recommend. I hope y’all take time to check it out, because it’s pretty great (plus a super easy read). Enjoy!

The Stats:
Find the book on: Amazon and Goodreads
Pages: 224
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: March 16, 2021
Title: Love Centered Parenting
Author: Crystal Paine
Nonfiction

Back-cover Blurb

Do you worry that you’re messing up your kids? Do you get stressed when you think about their futures? New York Times bestselling author Crystal Paine knows how you feel. A mom of four, Crystal has struggled with anxiety over parenting. She wanted to parent with grace, instead of a system of rules where kids are expected to do all the right things. She wanted to be a safe place for her children, and she definitely didn’t want to be remembered as the sort of mom who yelled, wounded her kids with words, or worse, cared more about her reputation than her kids’ hearts. 

In this book, Crystal shares the life-changing lessons that God has been teaching her about raising kids with love and grace.

In Love-Centered Parenting, Crystal will
· reveal the no-fail secret to launching your kids
· uncover the root of why we often feel so frustrated and irritated with our kids
· share the four most important choices we can make as parents
· give you the tools to keep going when you want to give up
· help you get your kids to talk to you

It is possible to parent from a place of freedom and rest, giving your kids what they truly need to thrive in this world.

Why I Choose this Book

It’s no secret on my blog that although I’m single and have no children, I devour parenting books like crazy. (And, with that in mind, obviously take what I have to say with a grain of salt since I’m not the intended target for this book.) Also, Crystal Paine’s got a blog called “The Money Saving Mom” and although I don’t know if I knew that when I requested the book – well, let’s just say my budgeting soul rejoiced to see that. 

What I Thought about the Book

“Yes!” That’s what I thought over and over again as I read – it’s such a great book and full of real, humble, and helpful information. It was super-well written, interesting, and I would venture to say that a lot of her advice could be applied to other relationships in addition to parenting. 

It’s so easy to get sucked into the world where everything we do revolves around our image and how we are seen by people in general while forgetting that it’s the people who we are closest to who are really impacted by our actions. Making the decision to do what actually matters and what is best for the people who God has entrusted into our care instead of trying to preserve our image is hard, but so worth it. 

The author strikes a good balance between being open with her struggles and what she needed to change in her own life while keeping her children protected. She also offers a lot of super practical advice about changes other parents can make to improve their parenting. She says at the beginning that this is a book meant to help with parenting young children – that since her kids are still in their teen years she doesn’t feel qualified to talk about how to parent them. I appreciated that and it shows the humble approach she took while writing this book. 

Rating 

I’m giving Love Centered Parenting 5 out of 5 stars and think it’s helpful for parents and nonparents alike to read. Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for sending me a copy free to review – all thoughts and opinions are my own.