Latest / 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids. / Helping Your Child Read Appropriate Books

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Helping Your Child Read Appropriate Books · 5–Minute Parenting: Tips to Help You Raise Competent, Godly Kids.

• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to another episode of Five Minute Parenting.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're going to talk about how to make sure your kids are reading appropriate books.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: It used to be that you could trust school libraries and public libraries and even bookstores to have age-appropriate and decent books in their children's book section.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, that's not the case anymore.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: Most of you are probably aware of the controversy and political battleground that we're currently facing surrounding children's books and story hours.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: One example is Kirk Cameron's book tours and story hours at public libraries.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: While many libraries have welcomed drag queens to do story hour, many are rejecting conservative authors like Kirk Cameron, whose books offer Christian and character-based themes.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: But Kirk Cameron and Brave New Books have not backed down and they need our prayers to continue fighting liberal agendas and anti-Christian culture wars that have taken aim at our youngest children.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: Another movement taking place is that parents across the country are waking up to what school systems are teaching and they are demanding to be a part of those decisions.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: As parents and grandparents, we are called to protect and guide our children in truth.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: And as never before, Christian parents and grandparents need to make sure their children are reading appropriate books.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: We know that what kids take in through TV, the internet, and books shape their minds and behavior.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, with all our modern technology, fewer and fewer children seek out books for entertainment.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: As parents, we can encourage them to read great books, including the classics and books that teach themes of courage, sacrifice, and compassion.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Books can engage our children with great stories and encourage imagination and improve language comprehension and reading skills.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: But unfortunately, we can no longer rely on a cover or a title of a book to reveal if the book is age-appropriate or conforms to our morals and Christian standards as a family.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: You will actually need to open the book and preview it if you can.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Online ordering platforms like Amazon sometimes offer a look inside or download a sample feature which can help you get a feel for the book.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: But I know parents are busy and often don't have time for a hands-on approach, so there's lots of great resources that can help guide you, and I'm going to be talking about a few today.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: You can find all of these links in the podcast notes.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: One resource I remember personally as a teacher and as a mom is Gladys Hunt's classic Honey for a Child's Heart.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: It has aided Christian parents and teachers for decades on book recommendations for all ages.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: There are updated versions of this classic book, and I just found one on Amazon that's a version in 2021.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: Another book, Wild Things and Castles in the Sky, is a group of essays by Christian writers, editors, and teachers that offers guidance on choosing books for children.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Some of the topics range from imagination, faith, classic literature, newberry books, and so forth.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: Some online sources are also very helpful.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Redeemed Reader is a site, a book review site, which offers free weekly book reviews, lists, news, and so forth for parents of children and teens.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Good Book Mom, this offers book reviews from a biblical Christian perspective for ages 0 to 12.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: There's a free newsletter you can sign up for, and also a paid subscription for even more info and downloads.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Focus on the Family website offers great book recommendations broken down by ages 4 through teens.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: And this link is also in the notes.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Freedom Island Book Club, the one that Kirk Cameron writes for and represents, is a conservative Christian book club with a monthly or yearly membership fee where children receive a new book each month that teaches a Christian value or lesson and includes questions at the end, fun games, and so forth.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to make a special announcement.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Keeping with the theme of helping our children read great books, I will be inviting some Christian authors to join me on this podcast this summer to tell you what they write, why they write, and to share some great tips for getting your children to read.