Raising Unselfish Kids Book Review

I picked this book up at Ollie's for $3. Raising Unselfish Children in a Self-Absorbed World by Jill Rigby. It was a good read. My critique is that again multiple translations are used including The Message which I do not endorse. As always, I will highlight the key parts that jumped off the page for me.

The book is broken into three parts.

1. Reassessing the Goal of Parenting

• We have become so self-absorbed that we've lost the ability to give without expecting something in return. (15)
• We yearn for newer, bigger, faster. We get it ans still want more, because newer, bigger, faster can never fill emptiness. We replace blouses, houses, and spouses with the same regularity. (pg. 16)
• Americans generate 230 million tons of garbage every year. (pg. 17)
• The average cost of a luxury kitchen remodel is $57,000. That is $10,000 more than the cost to build a Habitat for Humanity home. (pg. 21)
• Companies like "Hello Kitty" have created debit cards with a target audience of 10-14 year olds. (pg. 24)

2. Bumping your Child off Self-Center

• We must intentionally, rationally, emotionally, and wholeheartedly seek to raise unselfish children, or it won't happen. (pg. 41)
• Three types of parents: Deflector (asks kids to make decisions they aren't capable of), Depriver (either do too little or too much for kids and deprive them of doing things for self), and Developer (devloop children by giving them what they need when they need it). (pg. 54)
• Meet all their needs, not all their wants (pg. 71)
• Our self-absorbed society says, "Do something and be somebody!" God says, "You are somebody; now do your something!" (pg. 93)

3. Rebuilding our World

• If we Christians did a better job of living the Gospel, we wouldn't have to spend so much time and effort telling the Gospel. Rather than standing out as different, we look and act much like everyone else. (pg. 206)
• If you strive to be number one, you'll compete with others. If you strive to be the best, you'll only compete with yourself. If you strive to be number one, you'll give up when someone beats you. If you strive to be the best, you'll persevere until you reach your goal. (pg. 212)

There is a section in part three that addresses our lack of involvement in politics and how we are paying the price for that. I loved the multiple quotes from former Presidents of the United States such as this one from John Quincy Adams. "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government and Christianity."

President Calvin Coolidge said,

"We do not need more material development; we need more spiritual devvelopment.

We do not need more intellectual power; we need more moral power.

We do not need more knowledge; we need more character.

We do not need more government; we need more culture.

We do not need more laws; we need more religion.

We do not need more of the things that are seen,

We need more of the things that are unseen."

How is that for being a nation that is said to not be founded on the principles of God Almighty.

Overall, the book was good. No real new ideas for me but a good $3 read and reminder. Some good statistics, quotes, and ideas through out the book.