Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World: How One Family Learned That Saying No Can Lead to Life's Biggest Yes

I loved this book and have already recommended it to several friends!! I used a highlighter and made notes in the margins. As much as i read, I don't tend give out specific recommendations very often. However, I can wholeheartedly say that I hope if you're a parent you'll read this. Kristen Welch could totally be my friend. Her thoughts on Christian parenting in our largely non-Christian society are refreshing and down-to-earth. She doesn't pretend to be an expert, but rather to be a real mom in the trenches of the hardest, most wonderful job ever given to a human. She challenges us to raise kids who go against the flow, to live intentionally, and gives realistic ways to not feed the entitlement beast. One of my favorite things she says is, "Sometimes the best way to help our kids is to not help them. They often become resourceful and responsible when we simply let them. We can do this by stepping back and being quiet. That doesn't mean we aren't compassionate and caring. It just means we don't jump to fix their problems just because we have the time, money or resources. Yes, part of parenting is coming to their aid, but if we always rush to do so, we fail to teach them the other part that is just as important as knowing we will be there to help them. And that's letting them know we will be there when we can't help them." You will likely walk away realizing how much you are already doing well and discover some things you can always work on. I honestly closed the last page of this book feeling like I was on the right track and that, while I have some areas I can certainly improve upon, I have a good tribe who are in this with me and can keep me accountable.

I’m not sure where I initially read a review about this book but I added it to my wish list a while back. I finally purchased it a few weeks ago and I’m so glad I did! This isn’t a how-to or a fix-it-quick piece BUT it does shed light on several points and what this particular couple has done to raise a strong family. I appreciate the level of raw, real-life, everyday scenarios they’ve faced and the author gives advice for each instance at the end of every chapter. Being a mom of 3 kids under the age of 7, I love how you can pick up the book and set it down after 5 minutes, but still know where you’re at when you pick it back up. It’s an easy read (raw and real but easy nonetheless); something you can finish quickly or take your time with. Furthermore, I love how key issues in todays society are brought up. She (the author) tells you of the struggles her family has faced and are working through and I really find that empowering simply because I feel the same struggles with my family in todays society. Overall, great and enlightening read.

I highly recommend this book to parents. This book will be especially helpful and practical in actively raising kids in a culture that fails when it comes to morality and determining what absolute truth is. Flow of culture is always changing directions and it can be confusing for kids. Never mind the naysayers and haters about this book and author being homophobic or hateful because her points are made based off what the Bible teaches. Gods word is absolute truth and out to be the absolute authority of our lives because He is the author and inspiration for the truth the Bible holds. God never tells a lie and he never changes therefore he and his commandment are absolutely true. Culture, media and the American Dream promote and push for us to focus on ourselves and gaining as much success and material things as we possibly can. This book was an encouraging reminder to be on guard and not give in to the pressures of culture. Following Christ and parenting your Kids for Christ in this day and age will not be easy and many will hate your for faithfully doing it but our children’s souls are more important than secularist opinions. If our kids gain the whole world and lose their souls to a secular world then the most precious gifts given to us, our children, will be thrown away like the material gifts many parents and culture offer and spoil their kids with which are eventually forgotten, thrown away and trashed.

I have a teenager and I was afraid this book would not be relevant to me. I was afraid it was too late to glean new parenting tips. Boy, was I wrong. I wish this book had been written years ago. I enjoyed it so much! Kristen Welch was able to not only affirm that I am doing something right in this world that says I am crazy for going against the "norm", but this book challenged me to not give up even at this stage. It is not to late to (continue) to teach gratefulness to my daughter. I also found myself checking my own level of gratitude vs. entitlement. And that is not a bad thing to do.... even in your mid 40's. I have already decided that I am going to pass this book along to a brand new Mommy that I know so she can be challenged and encouraged too!

"Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World" is a game-changer for parenting in modern times. The book is practical, relatable, and filled with real-life examples that make it easy to apply to your own family. I appreciate how it doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges of raising kids who value gratitude, but it provides clear, actionable steps to foster humility, generosity, and thankfulness in children. The author’s honest storytelling and faith-based principles are inspiring without being preachy, making it accessible for parents of all backgrounds. This book helped me reflect on my parenting style and encouraged meaningful changes in our home. Highly recommend for anyone looking to raise kids who are grounded and grateful!

I appreciate Kristen's ideas so much that sometimes I take a break from reading this book so that I can implement each idea before going on to the next idea. For example: - Teaching my 4 year old preschooler and 2 year old toddler about money. For our family, we decided to establish weekly allowance and "give, save, spend" categories for each child. Also now if they destroy or loose something important, we can take money out of their piggy bank to show them that everything isn't magically replaceable by "the store" - it's actually costs our family something! - I never wanted to go to Africa because it seems so unsafe with illness, war, etc. But this book has totally changed my perspective, and now my priority is much more to give my children the gift of grateful and generous hearts. I have talked to a South African friend who has traveled a lot and she has recommended places in Africa that would be good for my family to safely visit and help. Also we realized that our church sponsors a school there that we'd like to visit. My fear is gone and now I am excited to take these trips one day. - We started sponsoring a boy in another country for our son to learn about and pray for, and a girl for our daughter. It is a great opportunity to talk about the things that they have in common - chores! - and the things that our children have that their sponsor children don't. For example, 3 meals a day, great education, cars, a bedroom of their own, political rights, etc. There are definitely chapters in this book that go above and beyond the scope of the title - protecting your kids from porn, for example - but those chapters are so important that it's worthwhile that she wrote them.

This came very early, it looks great! I’m so excited to read!

Great advice for parents, those who will be parents, and family members. Words that are much needed in today’s world.

This book was very encouraging and helpful. It gave me motivation to pray more and focus on what truly matters when raising children.

Timely delivery, quality item, great book!

Great book, taught me a thing or two.

I've never not finished a book. But when the author claimed she was not an expert and instead this was just her learnings, I would have been best to put the book down at that point. Her 'Christian' views on abortion were abruptly introduced and uninformed.

a good read!