Raising Children Without Going Insane

by Jane Evans

Imagine raising two teenagers and a newborn baby, working full-time as a motivational speaker, teacher, and pastor- all at the same time This hilarious and heart-warming book opens an amazing window... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0883687240
• ISBN13: 9780883687246
• Release Date: August 2007
• Publisher: Whitaker Distribution
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

You are not alone...

This book gave me a new way to view my two boys, who so far are just like the author's two boys, even though they are 3 and 18mths old.

Common-Sense Parenting with God at the Center

Children can be a challenge. No, children are a challenge! Jane Evans, co-pastor with her husband of Paradise Community Church in Adelaide, South Australia, and mother of three boys, realizes this. In "Raising Children Without Going Insane", she offers an insightful, humorous look at this job called being a mother. Evans comments that mothers often feel "that life has them hurtling along on a rollercoaster." She reassures mothers that they have "a mandate from God and that you are equipped with everything you need to succeed . . . Besides, God is counting on you to love your kids, because there will be plenty of times when no one else will!" Evans begins by describing the different personalities of her three children, Mark, Nathan, and Benjamin, aged nineteen, seventeen, and four. Mark is very strong-willed eager to fight every boundary, prone to food allergies and abrupt changes in behavior. Nathan is a worrier, and Benjamin has a strong sense of humor and a magnetic personality. Every child we receive from God is unique with his or her own strengths and weaknesses. "There is something special about your children and God wants you to help them find out what it is." Evans writes, "I'm constantly seeking to get to know [my children] better. I need to know their strengths so that I can encourage them and sharpen them. I also need to understand their weaknesses so I can build strength into each weakness and train the boys to overcome them." She tells of presenting each child with a "challenge goal" for every year - something special that particular child needed to work on. Sometimes the same goal would be carried over from year to year. Evans offers much encouragement and practical advice for mothers as they navigate the daily demands of parenthood. She also reminds mothers that God is always there to help us in our duty: "When your child was born, God gave you the heavenly mandate to develop that child into all that He has destined your child to be. And yet He didn't leave you to do it alone without any direction or guidance. He promised that He would never leave you or forsake you. . . There are many times as a mother when i haven't known what to do and have felt at a loss as to where to go from here. Every time I have called out I have received an answer. It may not have been the answer I was wishing or hoping for, but it always turned out to be the best one I could hear." Mothers need to have confidence in their parenting abilities. "As a mother, you need confidence based not in your own abilities, but in the knowledge that God searched the entire planet for the best mother for your child and chose you!" Evans also encourages mothers to stand firm against the world. Even when everyone else may be allowing her child to do something, if you feel it is not right, don't let them. Mothers need to keep their eyes on the end product. What kind of an adult do you want your child to be? Evans places a strong emphasis on training your children and o

Funny Effective Parenting!

Anyone who has been a parent knows the difference between those who know and those who wish they knew how to successfully raise children into decent adults! And they also know the never-ending funny, fearful, sorrowful, and never-ending challenging days that fill the life of a parent. Parenting punctuated by sanity or insanity? Jane Evans gets to the heart of the matter in such practical, spiritual and forthright examples and advice, you'll be amazed. This is definitely an aha book for both soon to be parents and those who are parents now. Topics include how to deal with the child who is a warrior or worrier, who is different or lacks confidence, and more. The principle spiritual realities woven through each chapter are aptly described by the author as "...'God moments' scattered liberally throughout their lives, starting at a young age..." Biblical examples and applications abound as well to guide a parent in those unsure moments, but emphasized with repetition in different ways rather than banging it into the heads, hearts and spirits of one's children. Constant prayer, letting go and real discipline flesh out so much more filling these wise words from one who has obviously lived her advice. Very nicely done, Jane Evans! This is a book to relish and to share with family and friends for sure! Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on July 25, 2007