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My rating: 2 of 5 stars
MY REVIEW:
Have A New Kid By Friday sounds like a wonderful idea to any parent at any stage of the game. After all, what parent has not had a time when they wished they could change their child's behavior? I'll be the first to raise my hand and admit to wishing this on occasion. However, some things are just too good to be true.
I do agree that the ideas and methods presented in this book sound great, most likely work, and will even produce results. In fact, I don't doubt for even a minute that you could have a new child in just a few days. Rather my question is: what kind of new child do you want to have by Friday? If your response is that you want a well behaved child who can act appropriately around people and even show what appears to be respect towards you and other authorities, then I say you will like this book. However, if you instead say that you want a child who can recognize, admit, and correct their sinful behavior along with the attitudes and thoughts behind their outward manifestation, I highly recommend you read a different book.
I agree with Dr. Leman that kids believe that they are entitled to whatever it is that they want and that it's up to us as a parent to show them otherwise. I even agree with some of his methods of dealing with the problem situations we deal with in our children. I agree that yelling is going to get you no where. I agree that ignoring the child is not really going to change anything. But what I do not agree with is using a teachable moment and not incorporating any Biblical basis for what we are trying to teach that child. As example, it's simply not enough to get your child to stop saying things like "I hate you" because it makes you (or whomever it was said to) feel bad. Much more importantly you should desire that they learn to stop saying it because God hates sin and saying "I hate you" to someone is sin not only in word, but also in the attitude and thoughts that brought the child to the point of the verbal declaration.
I would also agree with Dr. Leman on the fact that some of the behavior displayed is in attempt to gain attention. However, that does not in any way make it right. While some of the methods described by Dr. Leman are beneficial to use, they also need to be reinforced by Biblical principle and scripture.
Before you completely throw out the book I will say that you may be able to pick up a few tricks of the trade in this book. But those methods are only as good in the long run as your Biblical approach to parenting. I would highly recommend - practically demand of you! - that you read Shepherding A Child's Heart and/or Age Of Opportunity along with Dr. Leman's book. Or if you are short on time, just skip this book and read my two suggestions!
To read more about Shepherding A Child’s Heart, I encourage you to visit The Adventure Of Motherhood and read through her chapter by chapter review of this book.
