Two great books, worthy of a spot on your bookcase

Time for the Talk by Steve Zollos

This book has been an excellent parenting resource, at least that's what Jake tells me. When to talk with kids about sex and God's intention for it, is something that every parent must face. Time for the Talk is directed toward fathers and their sons. Jake has taken several evenings so far to take the big boys down to the basement to go over the book with them. Sometimes I hear muffled laughs coming up through the ceiling, and I wonder.. what's going on down there?? But, I know full well. I'm thankful that I'm not a single mom having to address this sensitive topic alone. I'm thankful for a husband who is thoroughly engaged in parenting and looks forward to the tasks that lie ahead in parenting. 

Time for the Talk seeks to engage Fathers and Sons in conversation about sex and what God has to say about it. As I've thumbed through the book, I have noticed that it appears to be candid, yet approached with humility and respect to what sex is supposed to be in light of a sinful world and a perfect Savior. 

Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp

Age of Opportunity has been an amazing book to read. I seriously thought that we had truly messed up in parenting once our kids started hitting their teen years. I don't pretend to be an expert in the field of parenting teens, as Colby is 15 and Jackie is 13, our time in parenting teens is only beginning. (Insert, Christie, you look like a deer in the headlights, here.) However, with the dawning of the teen years our parenting has taken on a different look altogether. Age of Opportunity has helped me to reexamine how I approach my teenagers. In a household with so many age groups it would be easy for me to approach every issue as though I'm dealing with a 2 year old. After all, that's an age we've been parenting for more than 13 years now. That's the age I feel most confident in giving advice. Age of Opportunity truly gets behind the idea of doing a lot more listening and a lot more asking questions. It has also helped me to see that the different nuances I've noticed in my teens are completely normal. 

This book uses sound doctrine and is a biblical tool to use in approaching our morphing young adults. I've been encouraged to continue engaging their hearts and getting to know them better than I've ever imagined. Though the book doesn't give a step by step detailed guide in addressing every single issue we see as parents of teens, it does give excellent guide points and principals to use in addressing common situations one might see in their teens. 

There was a time that I thought the teen years would gently come through unnoticed, like a cool evening breeze. I had had several older women say, "oh the teen years are so easy when you parent them right as a 2 year old." I naively thought this meant that there would be no conflict, no difficulty, no complaining from anyone! Ha, ha. I think that what these women really meant was there would be "greater ease in navigating the teen years, when you parent with humility and grace the entire life of your child." Of course we have to get to the heart of the matter when our babes are two. This will help us to get to the heart of the matter when our children are teens. Disciplining symptoms only, could ultimately lead to disaster later. As we've grown in our parenting we recognize that sometimes we only dealt with the symptom of a problem without ever addressing the root of the problem. We are thankful that our children are still home and God has been merciful in addressing mine and Jake's heart first and then giving us the wisdom to address the heart of our teen or elementary child; whatever the case may be.

I hope that you might consider these two books. I don't think that you will read them and walk away empty handed. Rather, I think that you will read these and walk away better equipped for the beautiful years of teens at home. I thank God for men like Steve Zollos and  Paul David Tripp. Those who've gone before us are worth taking the time to listen to.