Customer Reviews
Mighty powerful read/listen to! 
2008-06-27
This product is for any parent out there interested in raising children successfully in this very scary and backwards world! By success, I mean "children that are happy, healthy, and know who they are both as persons and as memebers of their family". Besides being a great buy, it's also a GREAT GIFT! That came from the family that I purchased this CD set for. =-) If you ever get a chance to hear the speaker in person, I highly recommend it!
Have kids? You NEED this book! 2008-06-17
Matthew Kelly has taken a complex, difficult subject and made it simple. Not easy, but simple. He engages the reader in a series of conversations that run parallel to developing as an adult-and what we want for our children (or grandchildren).
Oftentimes his advice is a blinding flash of the obvious-but more often than not is something we know at some level-but are not acting on. For example he explores the four needs that every child has-and clearly differentiates between what we all can clearly recognize as a need-and something that is simply a want. I'd be more specific, but frankly, I want you to be curious and buy this book-it's that good.
He also clearly spells out the four things a child really needs from a parent, and then peppers the chapter with specific how-to's. One of the most poignant stories in the book is that of a five-year-old child asking his father how much he earned. The father got upset with this line of questioning, but eventually told his son "twenty dollars." Armed with that information his son asked if he could have ten dollars. This infuriated the father who proceeded to educate (or rather berate) his son in a very loud voice. He then sent him to bed. After a bit the father realized how harsh he had been and went to the son's room, apologized and asked forgiveness. He then gave his son the ten dollars that he had requested. With that the small boy pulled some crumpled bills out from under his pillow. This immediately caused the father to be upset again-until the boy said, "I was ten dollars short, but now I have enough. Can I buy an hour of your time?"
What a humbling experience. And this is the type of compelling story Kelly tells over and over again to make his key points come to life. This book is for anyone who truly wants to be a better parent or grandparent, and who is looking for answers to questions like:
* When should a child really have a cell phone?
* What types of video games are appropriate?
* How can I help my child deal with peer pressure?
* How can I have conversations that will help my child develop the values that will help them truly be their highest and best selves?
* How can I become the role model that I want to be as a parent (or a grandparent)?
Not only will the answers make sense. You will find practical strategies that can be readily implemented.
Armchair Interviews says: Run, don't walk to your bookstore and get this book.
Wish I could start over parenting 2008-05-13
This is excellent advice to raising amazing children. I only wish my children weren't grown. I will be utilizing the information on my grandchildren. Don't wait another minute. Order this CD set today.
Grandparents, get this book and give it to your children 2008-03-28
Grandparents, you know all the advice you give your children and you are not sure they are listening ? Give them this book. This is a great book for raising all grandchildren and not just the amazing ones. The messages and directions are simple, similar to Rhythm of Life which is an earlier book by Matthew Kelly (and should also be shared with your children, especially the CD version, because we all know they don't have time to read.)
The ability for all of us to share messages of love and affection and caring, the approach to valuing time, the need to develop sincerity, and the need to show parental love as a real emotion and not an abstract, not a throw away remark to justify doing something unpleasant, are well laid out and solidly applied.
The goals espoused are all attainable with some reprioritization and focus. They do not require joining a commune, adopting holistic practices, or removing all wheat based products from your diet.
The book is an easy read for grandparents who will find themselves shouting out "yes", and crying out "listen to this" and wanting immediately to jump up and hug them all, big and small, toddler and teenager, and, yes, their parents. Maybe they will even start going to church.
The Best Version of Myself 2008-03-07
Matthew Kelly is a motivating, dynamic and incredible messenger of truth for all. I would recommend Building Better Families to all members of the human family not just to the people who are raising children at the moment. He emphasizes filtering all your choices for yourself (or for those you are entrusted with caring for) through the question of "Will this help me to become the best version of myself?" That question brings clarity and reason back to the big decisions and the smaller choices in life.
