Customer Reviews

The Parenting Breakthrough: Real-Life Plan to Teach Kids to Work, Save Money, and Be Truly Independent

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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I consider myself an avid collector of "parenting" books. I love being a parent and am always looking for new ideas on how to improve. I also consider a book worth the cover if I take one truly great idea, thought, or tip from it. Well, this book has "paid" for itself DOZENS of times in the past week of my reading it. I've never had so much fun reading a parenting book (I find myself snorting with laughter!) and so anxious to run and implement the ideas. Merrilee has a gift for instilliing confidence in you just by reading her no-nonsense and witty approach. The neat thing about this book is that it covers ALL levels of parenting (from the totally "I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing here!" to the "hey, I think I'm pretty good, doing but could always do better.") If you plan (not just hope!) to raise INDEPENDENT, COMPETENT, CONFIDENT, PRODUCTIVE, HARD WORKING, WELL ADJUSTED, FRUGAL, GRATEFUL young adults...and would like some excellent advice from a smart lady who is...READ THIS BOOK!!! It is soooo readable and doable. Your children will thank you for this one!

I bought this book thinking I would read it and get a couple things out of it that might help, but I was happily surprised! I read the entire book the day I bought it and re-read most of it the next day. My husband has even agreed to read it so that we can both be on board applying what is in it to our family. At one point in my life I was a head resident at the girls dorms at BYU Idaho. You would not believe how many girls I tought to do their laundry or to clean basic things. They had never had the chance to do those things growing up! I have four children ages 7, 5, 3 & 3. Yes the last are twins and this book is going to get my kids on a path of success! They will be the ones teaching their roommates someday! I am so excited to start training our children to be independant! Thank you Merrilee!

The new movie Failure to Launch looks to be funny, but how sad it is that so many parents have real issues with kids that are still dependant on them into their twenties, and beyond. Many in my generation want to teach our kids to be indepentant, but find it hard to know where to start, since we ourselves were not taught to be independant. All forms of discipline have been banned by the thought police, and many parents seem afraid of their own children. This book helps you empower kids with real self esteem, with a real sense of giving back to society, and with a work ethic that used to be a calling card of being American. We can give this gift to our children, and this book is a great resource to get started.

Thank you for this book "The Parenting Breakthrough"! It's just what I needed at this stage of motherhood. I have four kids age 8 down to age 2. Your insights are the most helpful I've found for me at this time. And, I love how you made me laugh...mostly because I could relate to so much of what you said.

"The Plan" is brilliant. I always feel like I have all these goals to help my kids with learning new things but I never thought to write it ALL down. I also loved your tips on allowance and chores. "Allowances not being connected to chores". No one had ever told me that before but when I read it in your book...I thought "Amen". Your ideas on how to pay it and when. SO GOOD. We've already started.

I hope to see another book by her.
M. Hansen

I just got the book and have read it twice in 2 weeks! It is just what I was looking for. I have been thinking there really should be a "plan" with raising kids instead of just letting the wind blow you any which way and hope they make it to 18 being somewhat respectable.

THE PLAN, which teaches kids how to do things so they can become independent adults (and kids, really)is very thorough and full of great ideas.

The chapters on MONEY are wonderful. She suggests creative ways to teach savings, credit, investments. etc.

Merrilee's personality is delightful and makes the book enjoyable to read. What an inspiration! I will recommend this to every mom I know!

Stacey Warnick
Phoenix, AZ
Mom of 3 boys (7,3,10 mo)

I was absolutely spurred to action by Merrilee's book. This is a great book for giving parents back the power they never knew they had, to raise uncommonly capable children. And she made it a kick to read! She is wonderful!

What a delightful book to read on a topic that can be more than overwhelming. I laughed, I plotted, I planned... all so I can raise great children. Thanks for the practical, smart ideas. My sister recommended this book to me and I've passed it along to several friends already. There are several more I can't wait to share it with. Thanks Merrilee for sharing your wisdom and wit with those of us wanting to raise truly independent children.

This book is excellent not only for struggling parents, but for good parents raising children! It gives you great and realistic ideas on how to better your parenting. Many children are smart or athletic but can't function well as an independent adult. This book fills that parenting weakness and teaches parents how to raise their children better.

I LOVED Merrilee's humor and grit! She tells it like it is, and constantly encourages the reader to "develop a backbone" and "be the parent". I appreciated her fun-loving attitude, and effective examples of how this plan has worked in her family and others she knows. It gives hope to the rest of us! I began implementing parts of the program immediately, and have seen them begin to work in my own family. It's so simple, and quite frankly, it's what most God-fearing parents have always done - work hard and expect your kids to do the same - while TEACHING them high morals and principles and TRAINING them for the work of life, not just sending them out into the world unprepared! Great advice for all parents on teaching responsibility, money management, and life skills; with specifics for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on saving money for a mission, paying tithing, etc. This is a fantastic book for any parent, and especially those who feel they were untrained kids themselves!

This is the only one you need. Allowance, discipline, work... I didn't realize all of the things that my kids should be able to do and I look forward to teaching them step by step so that they will be prepared for the real world. What a wonderful book. I recommended it to a friend. After she read it, she bought two more copies for herself.