Book Review - Intentional Parenting by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan

I usually do my book reviews on my original blog, Following the Path. But since this book was about parenting, I decided to post my review on Counting My Blessings.



This book was of initial interest to me because I am a Christian and because the authors are counselors of children and parents. They are in a field that I can see myself moving into and I wanted to see their views on parenting as a Christian. After all, that's what my blog is about!
Intentional Parenting seems like it would be a handbook for parents. How to be an intentional parent...but that's not the name of the game. Though this book gives many a tip on how you can be a better parent, it does not claim to be the answer. Ultimately every chapter ends with leaving it up to God. But we have to meet Him halfway there. I struggle in many of the areas that are discussed in the book. Who hasn't struggled with "Being a Patient Parent", "Being a Consistent Parent" (that one's especially tough), or "Being a Playful Parent" (I myself am trying to get more involved when my daughter says "Mom will you play with me?"). I recommend that you get out a notebook and write down your answers to the questions in the chapters. Journal about it, reflect on it. That is how this book was intended to be used. It is to help you reflect on what type of parent you are and work to improve yourself to be the parent God wants you to be for your children. This book can help you to become a better parent by realizing that you can't do it alone, that you are never meant to be perfect, and that you can and will be the best parent you can be with God's help. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how their faith and their parenting can go hand in hand.


I receive these books free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Boys don't play with dolls!"

When my husband was a baby, his mom's friend made him a "Cabbage Patch" doll. It looks like the original Cabbage Patch kids, but it's not really a Cabbage Patch Kid officially. His brother got one when he was a baby too. He wanted to do something special for his kids and carry on this tradition. We had a daughter first. She got a CPK when she was just a few months old. (In fact, it was pretty neat because it was a big sister and little sister pack, so it came with a full size CPK and a newborn CPK. So she was able to play with the little one until she got a bit older.)

Now, we've been blessed with a sweet baby boy and we've learned why my husband's mom's friend had to make the CPK. They don't make (many) boy CPK's and you definitely can't find them in the store, only online. Oh, and don't try to find one that looks like a "mixed" boy because it's not going to happen. We went all over town. Shopko, Target, even Toys R Us. Nothing. So, lamenting over the fact that I can't find this special gift for my baby boy, I post a status message about it. (Names have been hidden to protect the not-so-innocent.)


If you can't read it basically says we can't find a baby doll for the boy and the friend said, "Because dolls are for girls, duh! Get that boy a stuffed animal."

The winky face shows she was saying it jokingly, but still...

Never has something proved my point in such a profound manner. Our entire way home from the store, my husband and I went on and on about how sexist people are thinking that boys don't play with dolls. Boys don't play with dolls because no one lets them play with dolls. I think that if boys were allowed to play with dolls a little more often, maybe we wouldn't have such a problem with lousy fathers who don't give a darn about their kids!

I felt a little better when a couple of my friends shared some recommendations for boy dolls. However, they are both really expensive. I found a boy CPK on the Cabbage Patch Kids website that looks like my little one, but that was after much searching. Isn't he a cutie?



It costs $49.99. That's a little pricier than most CPK, but I was willing to pay it. I went to check out and THE SHIPPING IS $18!!! Well, maybe my husband's mom still knows where that friend is and she can make baby T a doll because that's about the only way he's going to get this special gift.