I just completed my third book to review from Book Sneeze. Regret Free Parenting by Catherine Hickem is by far and away one the absolute best non fiction books I have ever read. I found I could NOT read it without a pencil in hand. There were numerous points that I underlined and notes made in margins. As opposed to leaving me overwhelmed with where to begin in my journey to grow as a parent, it left me feeling empowered and motivated.
Don't let the title mislead you. The author is not proposing that anyone can parent a child and never make mistakes. What she is saying, is that by knowing and keeping the vision for how you want to raise your child, you can have nothing to regret. To be honest, I struggle with the title, as I tend to regret my mistakes! But the content of the book - oh. my. goodness.
Hickem stresses the importance of knowing the emotional and spiritual characteristics that you want to cultivate in your children. That is easy enough. The kicker, however, is that, well, you as the parent have to possess those attributes. You cannot just tell your children how they should be or act. They have to see it in their parent's daily walk.
Among the other principles Hickem illustrates are really knowing your child, being present with them, establishing a strong foundation of trust with your child, believing in them, and always seeing the big picture. Included in the book is a plan (that you personalize) for implementing these principles. There are also numerous resources listed in the back. This is book is truly a keeper. It is one that I plan to read each year.
I received a free copy of this book to review from Book Sneeze. The opinions expressed are my own.
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