Modern Parents Vintage Values
by Sissy Goff and Melissa Trevathan
Reviewed by Ashley Moss
Parents everywhere know that the world is ever-changing and that some days are harder than others as we attempt to balance parenting in our current world while still clinging to the values our kids still need. This book is the guide parents need to do just that.
Modern Parents, Vintage Values is broken into three sections.
The first section covers issues modern parents face, and I can appreciate that this is a revised edition that the authors chose to update as they saw the world continue to change after they originally published the first edition. Knowing they want to keep the advice as current as possible is very helpful as parents navigate the nuances of our modern society. This section covers issues such as teaching our children to be safe while maintaining independence, developing respect in a world that teaches children to say whatever is on their mind, and even covers topics like addiction, depression, and anxiety.
The second section of Modern Parents, Vintage Values addresses eight vintage values that our children need, regardless of the time we are parenting. Some of these values are kindness, gratitude, patience, and even confidence. In each of these chapters the authors address how to cultivate these values in both younger and older children, helping parents raising all ages of children.
The final section is filled with timeless truths where the author spends four chapters encouraging parents to apply four timeless truths to their own lives. These truths are to take heart, have life, seek hope, and give love. When we adapt these truths into our own lives, we can only enrich ourselves and that will spill out into our parenting as well.
At the end of every chapter there is a portion called “A Sunday Drive” where the authors give practical, tangible advice on what you can do now with your child to help improve that area of their lives. For example, in the chapter titled “The Issue of Entitlement,” the “Sunday Drive” portion gives tips to help our kids fight entitlement. They suggest organizing items to give to charity, raising money for missions, or even interviewing a grandparent to see how different their lives looked from our children’s lives.
Modern Parents, Vintage Values does an excellent job recognizing the impact of the time our kids are being raised in, while still providing practical tools on how we can instill vintage values in their lives.
The author gives current statistics and data, as well as scriptural and spiritual advice. The book is 18 chapters long, and while some parenting books can start to feel repetitive, each chapter in this book feels fresh and stays on topic. While it is a fairly easy read, you will most likely find yourself wanting to read a little slower to take notes.
Audience:
Parents, both fathers and mothers
Usefulness Rating:
If you are a parent, then this book is incredibly useful. Whether you find one chapter that helps you, or all eighteen, this book is a useful tool for all parents.
Entertainment Value:
This book is information based, not meant to be for entertainment, but each chapter includes personal stories from the author’s counseling experiences that keep the book from feeling stale or purely informative.
Good For Groups:
This book wasn’t written for groups, but it can easily be adapted into a group study. The topics can generate group discussion, and our mom group recently used this over the course of a semester.
Guest Contributor
Ashley Moss
Ashley Moss is a stay at home mom to four boys, and a wife for fourteen years. She loves ministry deeply and has a passion for moms with young children. Ashley graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in English. When she is at home she enjoys writing, crocheting, and homeschooling.
Check out Ashley’s new venture on Instagram: Strong Momma Nation
For more information about this book or other reading suggestions, feel free to contact me directly.
