Raising Confident Kids
How can we help our kids cling to Christ and biblical truth in a confusing world? In Raising Confident Kids, Ed Drew delivers a parent’s guide to grounding identity in Christ.
The book begins by asking: What is your family culture? The culture I was raised in is markedly different from the culture I want my kids to grow up in. The book also caused me to think about the desires, ambitions, and priorities I have for my child — and if I can see them in myself.
Biblical Worldview
What this book excels at is giving a biblical worldview. For instance, we want our children to see that they are precious to God. While the world says that our achievements and popularity and skillset makes us valuable, God says that we are valuable simply because we are created in his image. This should be enough and it is something we must clearly communicate as parents, for our children should see their worth even outside of and apart from their relationship to us.
I was most moved to read the chapters that say we are forgiven and that we can change. Defaulting to fear, manipulation, or shame can be an easy way to get results — but this does not produce the heart change that only God can give. I was most inspired to read that “with the Lord, change is inevitable.” This is what he does! And this is something I want to start sharing with my kids over and over again.
New Creation
The book is bold in addressing issues of friendships, sex, and marriage - as well as boys, girls, and gender. Drew guides us in helping our kids be godly in their friendships, while also presenting biblical models of marriage as well as telling the goodness of singleness to our children. While there are definitely some unhelpful gender stereotypes, the Bible is clear that men and women are created differently at a biological level. Drew is clear and does not cut corners in speaking out about these topics.
The book closes with a look at the new creation. Parents have a particular role to play in helping our children walk with Jesus and become more like Jesus. This book will help you with your parenting but also point you to Christ himself and the Word of God as a compass in this confusing world.
I received a media copy of Raising Confident Kids and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.