Parenting with Grace: Catholic Parent's Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids [Paperback]

Gregory K. Popcak (Author), Lisa Popcak (Author), Val J. Peter (Preface)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This book's "uniquely Catholic" approach to parenting combines vigorous relational advice with careful theology and plenty of good humor. (The chapter on family planning is entitled "Is Eight Enough?"). The Popcaks guide parents through each stage of child development from infancy to adolescence, offering age-specific advice on "parenting with grace." They call upon natural law theology to encourage attachment parenting, co-sleeping and extended nursing through infancy, and urge parents of older children to consider home-schooling so that children always understand "that family is the primary relationship." Later chapters address a few Catholic-specific issues, such as stimulating children to pursue Church vocations. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 367 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879737301
• ISBN-13: 978-0879737306
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #312,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Catholicism > Self Help

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best book on Christian parenting (next to Dr. Sears)!, July 15, 2000

By 

Kathy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parenting with Grace: Catholic Parent's Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids (Paperback)

If you want to do more than: raise an "okay" kid, in a grow-up, get-a-job, basically-decent-person sort of sense, then this book is for you! This book is about raising your children to be all God wants them to be (i.e. SAINTS!) and gives parents very practical suggestions on how to accomplish this. The author also cites numerous writings by our Holy Father and other esteemed Catholics that promote a parenting style in line with the values and ideals of the Catholic Church. This book specifically encourages the idea of attatchment parenting,(in a society that seems to practice de-tatchment parenting),which I found very gratifying since my husband and I try to do that anyway -and again the author cites specific Catholic sources to reinforce this viewpoint. I also think the author's appendix in the back about why he can't spank, and his critical examination of corporal punishment is one of the best Christian arguments against spanking that I have read. I can't say enough about how much I love this book! While the bookstores are stocked with many books on how not to let your children manipulate you (i.e. Babywise and others), and how to make your children fit into your lifestyle(instead of re-arranging yours to put your children first), this book is a refreshing and timely reminder that children are a gift from God and as such, deserve to be parented in a way fitting of their dignity as a human being! I intend to give it as a gift to the Catholic parents that I know. Do yourself a favor and buy one for yourself and one for a friend- they (and their children) will thank you for it!

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the BEST parenting book out there!!!, December 20, 2002

By 

AineMama (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parenting with Grace: Catholic Parent's Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids (Paperback)

This book is my parenting BIBLE!! I can't say enough good things about it--each and every chapter is INVALUABLE. I am so glad I found something that can help me figure out how to handle my kids at every bend in the road, in virtually every situation. It advocates attachment parenting and loving-guidance discipline, and also gives you a plethora of techniques and tells exactly when and how to use them (i.e. "everyday discipline" vs. bigger, more stubborn issues). He clarified the reality that family life is not just a mundane distraction--a family should have goals, a vision of where they are going in life, etc. He talks extensively about how all family members must have a solid rapport between them for discipline to be effective, for love to be felt, etc. He clarifies the question of spanking from both a spiritual and a scientific perspective. He goes into detail about how to handle the various stages of childhood, from loving the infant to "taming" the toddler to handling the teenager--gracefully. He outlines how to foster virtues, morals, a love for religion and a love for Jesus in your children; he tells how to make your family into the "domestic church" Pope John Paul calls it to be. I wouldn't even waste time with any other parenting or discipline book--this one more than covers all your questions and worries. I refer to it at least once a week, and it gives me the guidance I need to be an effective yet loving parent to my kids. It wil literally change your outlook on family life; it will give you new hope and make parenting a truly gratifying experience. The title couldn't be more appropriate--now I really have the information I need to raise "perfect" kids! If you REALLY unconditionally love your children and want them to be the best they can be, you will be thrilled to have this book!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be required reading for every parent, August 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Parenting with Grace: Catholic Parent's Guide to Raising Almost Perfect Kids (Paperback)

Whether you're Catholic or not, if you are a parent you will benefit tremendously from this book. I'm a Catholic parent and I'm really thankful that someone took the time and trouble to organize the vast plethora of parenting techniques out there so that it is easy to see their place within the structure of a Catholic parenting paradigm. The author is very knowledgeable of both scripture and church doctrine and explains their relevance to raising children. The step by step techniques for dealing with the various stages of a person's maturation are excellent. He also has little quizzes that you can use to help elucidate the areas where your parent-child relationship may need help. He has a superb treatise on why spanking is not a suitable discipline technique. I can't say enough about the excellent blend of philosophy, practical application and religion that the author has put together in this book. He is an organizational genius. Read this book!