Book Review - Becoming Your Child’s First and Most Important Teacher by Robert P. Newberry

Whether viewed from a social or spiritual perspective, there is no doubt that the concepts of family, responsible parenthood and morality have been under relentless attack for years. The family, as we have known it and as God intended it to be, is on the brink of distinction. Unless we right this ship soon, our social order and structures will totally collapse.

Becoming Your Child’s First and Most Important Teacher gets right to the heart of what parents must do to nurture and sustain intact families and to “raise happy, purposeful, moral and responsible adults!” Parents are to be their children’s teacher, not their friend.

Among other things, children need “consistent predictable environments,” “a lot of quality time with their parents,” and “a faith-based orientation to life”. They most certainly need “to understand the distinction between responsibilities, privileges and entitlements” – concepts nearly absent from today’s world.

In an easy to read and clear manner and in only 75 pages, the author sets forth 9 basic principles to assure your child has all he or she will need to be successful in this life. None of these concepts are startling; they have just been either forgotten or discarded. The wisdom reflected in this book comes from a lifetime of the author living the principles he describes not only in his role as husband, father and grandfather, but as an educator and mental health counselor. His advice is authentic and rings true because it is the Truth!

Becoming Your Child’s First and Most Important Teacher is a book you should share widely and keep close to your side. It is a resource that you will constantly refer to and rely upon. It is a book that needs to get into the hands of every parent or grandparent or soon to be parent and grandparent you know. 

This is the second in what is planned to be a three-book series. If you are interested, you can find my review of the first book, Green Beans and Legacies: Reflections for Raising Successful Children-Revised (Volume 1) here.

[Full disclosure - I am a friend and admirer of the author. I also received a free copy of his book. But none of those facts have impaired my ability to give a fair and impartial assessment of his work.]