Start with the Heart

How to Motivate Your Kids to Be Compassionate, Responsible, and Brave (Even When You're Not Around)

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Pub Date 05 Mar 2019 | Archive Date 01 Mar 2019

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Description

Parenting strategies you can be proud of

You know the feeling. You got frustrated, desperate, or overwhelmed and you reacted before you could think it through. Whether it’s a one-time thing or it becomes a habit, we all parent in ways we don’t like. But it doesn’t have to continue. Whether it’s bribery, yelling, counting to three, or threats of punishment you didn’t mean to make, reacting never feels good. But if you can learn to act with intentionality, you’ll feel better about your choices and be grateful for the results.

Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced “cook”), author of Screens and Teens and 8 Great Smarts, will teach you proven strategies for training your child’s heart and parenting in a way that honors God. She’ll help you move your child from, “I can’t, I won’t," to “I can, I will, and I did.” We can do better than “Because I said so.” or “No screen time for 3 days.” We can do better than mere behavior modification. We can change our children’s hearts and teach them to do what is good, godly, and right even when we’re not around. Once you’ve learned to put these motivation strategies in place there’s no more need to nag, you’ll be astounded at what your kids will do without being asked. Dr. Kathy doesn’t offer a quick-fix. Starting with the heart is all about changing what children believe in order to change their behavior. And learning to use this kind of motivation takes effort, consistency, and strategy, but it works. And it’s never too late! If you’re willing to commit to a little hard work up front, you’ll enjoy your kids, your life, and yourself much more when you learn to start with the heart.

Parenting strategies you can be proud of

You know the feeling. You got frustrated, desperate, or overwhelmed and you reacted before you could think it through. Whether it’s a one-time thing or it...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780802418852
PRICE $14.99 (USD)
PAGES 288

Average rating from 5 members


Featured Reviews

The broader cultural expectations of parenting has shifted in the last decade. Parenting in and outside of the Christian familial sphere has changed so dramatically it can be hard to keep track of the new standards. Feeding, clothing, and housing them while forcing them to go to church may have been enough for generations past but parenting now is more complex and nuanced.

When I saw Dr. Koch’s “Start With the Heart,” I was curious to read a Christian perspective of thoughtful and intentional parenting in the modern world. For a little background, my husband and I were both raised by Christian parents but with a great deal of with legalism or spiritualism and an insufficient amount of balance. What our parents wanted most was the appearance of obedient progeny, the kind who went through the motions of church and didn’t embarrass them via rebellion. What my husband and I want most as parents: is to understand our children, raise them to seek and own their relationship with God and be equipped to be healthy and whole adults.

With that said, Dr. Koch’s book maybe a good start for Christian parents that may have to unlearn what their well (and sometimes not well) intentioned parents taught them about what it means to be a Christian parent. I could tell by both the framing and who did the foreword that this book is from more of a conservative lens. My biggest issue is that the book only grazed the surface in areas I wished they deviled deeper into, I think there are good scriptural connects and foods for thought for parents that are trying to equip themselves to be better and holistic leaders in their home and in their journey with their children. This book is a good starting point for those who haven’t considered the topic to in deeply before but for folks like myself who have already invested time in books, Christian therapy sessions and podcast, this may be a bit redundant, underdeveloped or not well aligned. Also, as a person of color, there is a cultural sterility to the book that makes it feel written only for a certain sub-population of North American Christianity. I would recommend the book to some of my friends but not as widely as some of the well thumbed gems on my bookshelf or kindle.

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Start with the Heart is a great parenting guide. Wish I had this years ago but I’m blessed that I was able to read an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I can definitely apply what I’ve learned. We are reminded to look inside at the child’s heart and less on their behaviors. We can start making changes first with the heart to see results in other areas of our child’s life. I love how Kathy gives you actionable To Do’s and Things To Think about at the end of each chapter.

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I haven't read a lot of parenting books at this stage in life, but this is one of my absolute favorites I've read so far. This book is incredibly readable and also practical. The strategies she presents for parenting are simple AND profound and can easily be applied to parenting at any age or stage. Highly recommend!

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