Your Kids Are Your Own Fault: A Guide For Raising Responsible, Productive Adults (Hardcover)

~ Larry Winget (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Larry challenges us as parents to complete the job and embrace the journey of responsible parenting. This book is a great reminder and road map, full of good tough love for parents!"
-MC Hammer

"Larry is no stranger to confrontation, and in his book, Your Kids Are Your Own Fault, he sets the stage for your success as a parent, and your child's success as a productive member of our society-that is if you are ready for the cold, hard facts. His in-your-face approach is fresh and relevant to raising a generation of youth who will make us all proud to call them our own. A coach has a playbook, and as a Pastor I use my Bible for daily instruction. Your Kids Are Your Own Fault is a playbook for parenting for generations to come."
-Dick Bernal, Pastor and Founder, Jubilee Christian Center, San Jose, California

"First this book scared the hell out of me. Then it gave me hope. It scared me because Larry is brutally honest about the challenges and dangers facing kids today. The hope came from Larry's message that our kids will probably be just fine if we take full responsibility as parents. This book will make you squirm, make you mad, sometimes make you laugh out loud and mostly make you think very carefully about how you're raising your kids."
-Joe Calloway, Cate and Jessica's dad, author of Becoming a Category of One

"One of the lessons it's important to teach kids is not so much about how much money you have but how you use the money you have. Sadly, that lesson is rarely taught. Brilliant, bold, and true! Larry says it all in these few words. Thank you Larry!"
-Sharon Lechter, co-author of Think and Grow Rich, Three Feet From Gold, and Rich Dad Poor Dad

"In the Hispanic/Latino family there is always a lot of love and appreciation. However, there is not a lot of training or education especially about money. I have been a radio and television host for 23 years and did not know how to manage my finances until I was 30. I wish I knew in my teen years what Larry's book teaches. He provides the tools and tops for every parent to train a successful generation of great and productive citizens. I recommend this book wholeheartedly."
-Marco Antonio Regil, International TV Host/Family Feud, Price is Right and Smarter Than a Fifth Grader

"Larry Winget's book on taking responsibility for what kind of adults your kids become is outstanding. I have 7 children, and laying the foundation for the next generation and what kind of adults they become starts from day one. My oldest son Romeo attending USC is no accident. Read this book. No more excuses."
-Percy "Master P" Miller, CEO BBTV/Recording Artist

Product Description

Straight-talking, bestselling Pitbull of Parenting Larry Winget says "This is not a fix your kid book. It's a fix the way you parent book. You owe it to your kids to parent with a plan!"

Being a parent is the toughest job in the world, especially with the increasing number of negative influences and pitfalls facing our kids today, from childhood obesity and out-of-control celebrity culture to the dangers of the internet and credit card debt. Larry Winget has never been one to shy away from tough truths, and what he says here may well be difficult for some parents to swallow: we are in the midst of a crisis with our kids. Kids today are over-indulged, over-entertained, under-achieving, and under-disciplined, with a sense of entitlement that is crippling society. And the real problem is that parents aren't paying attention to what's going on. If they were they would realize that most kids today barely read and write, except with their thumbs on their cell phones!

Well-behaved, respectful kids are the exception, not the rule, and for the most part, parents are to blame. Responsible parenting is about beginning with the end in mind and parenting with a plan. But most parents have never stopped to consider what kind of adult they want to raise. They have all this fun creating a baby, but they don't have a plan for the end product.

Larry's message to parents: Teach your kids to become the best adults they can be. But don't expect your kids to improve until you improve. Your Kids Are Your Own Fault covers familiar lessons and principles that have led Larry's readers to greater success with money, career, and goal setting, this time at a level where they can be taught to children. This book shows parents how to design the adult they want their kid to become and work backwards to make sure it happens. Kids don't come with an instruction manual, but finally being a parent does!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Gotham (December 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592404952
• ISBN-13: 978-1592404957
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,668 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are raising kids, READ THIS BOOK!, December 28, 2009

By	Alain B. Burrese "Author, Speaker, Mediator, ... (Missoula, MT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    (VINE VOICE)

If you look at Larry Winget and me, you wouldn't think we are very similar. I don't wear the flashy colored shirts like he does, I don't have earrings, and I do have hair. Well, looks can be deceiving, because we sure think a lot a like. I didn't really know anything about Winget until last summer when I checked out one of his books from the library. I agreed with a lot of it and ended up purchasing a few others. When I learned he had one coming out on raising kids, I looked forward to it. Now, after reading it, I agree with Winget that this is his most important book.

"Your Kids Are Your Own Fault: A Guide For Raising Responsible, Productive Adults" by Larry Winget should be read by anyone and everyone raising kids. Yes, I believe that! Is it because Winget is the be all and end all of parenting advice? Heck no! He'd be the first to agree with me on that. It's because he raises so many important issues in this book that need to be addressed and he provides common sense advice for dealing with these topics. I firmly believe all parents should study being better parents and learn all they can regarding raising their children. My wife and I are far from perfect parents, but we try. We go to parenting classes offered in town and we read various books on parenting. We continue to do so, and that's why I wanted to read "Your Kids Are Your Own Fault." Anything that can help me be a better father is worth the time to me.

So what's so good about this book? A lot! In his direct no-nonsense style, Winget first lays out what he believes is wrong with many kids today. Having seen kids at the mall and local YMCA that have no respect for the facility, equipment, and others; having seen overweight kids stuffing their faces at fast food joints; and having seen many of the statistics Winget provides to illustrate the problems, I agree with him. It's a problem! I hope this book wakes some people up to these alarming trends in today's youth.

Winget then goes on to describe his five basics of parenting: Communication, Involvement, Education, Discipline, and Punishment. Hard to argue those are not extremely important and he provides some good advice regarding all five.

The third section of the book focuses on what Winget believes should be taught to kids. In this section he has short chapters about a lot of important topics such as: Money, Sex, Relationships, Health, Appearance, School, Technology, Cars, Honesty, Integrity, Lying, Religion, Finding Purpose, and Succeeding. He offers straight-forward advice on what to teach kids about these subjects and why.

Now you might not agree with everything he advises, and that's okay. There are a few places where I certainly differ in opinion. You should too! You need to think for yourself and use the book as a guide, not a bible. Winget himself acknowledges some of what he writes will make people mad and some won't agree with him on things, and that's okay with him. But do him and me both a favor. Read what he wrote with an open mind and then take those areas that can help you be a better parent and apply it to your own parenting. I'll bet you'll find a lot here that is helpful.

Throughout the book Winget asks questions and provides a few lines for you to answer them. Even if you don't write out the answers in the book, these questions are worth taking a moment or two and answering. Thinking about your answers to these topics and then applying what you think about can help you be a better parent.

Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Winget loves his kids unconditionally and wants all parents to do the same. He believes this is his most important book because he believes kids are our future and it is a parent's responsibility to raise kids to be responsible, productive adults. I agree with him and recommend this book wholeheartedly to all parents and anyone else who influences the lives of children.

Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Parenting Guide that is desperately needed in the US, January 30, 2010

By	Terry (Northern CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

My child is grown but I work in a school helping students learn. Recently I have experienced disrespectful, rude, and demanding students. This book has opened my eyes about what is happening in families. The parents are responsible for this shameful behavior. Most parents are abdicating their responsibility to teach their children that there are expectations of them and consequences to failing to follow rules. Parents are more wrapped up in what they want. They are allowing their children grow up without guidance. If this attitude doesn't turn around in America, we are in serious trouble.

Thanks Larry for "telling it like it is", again.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Common Sense Thoughts, January 20, 2010

By	J. Thacker - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I enjoy all of Larry's books and YKAYOF is no exception! His writing style is light, simple, and funny which is great for people with short attention spans like myself. Larry's witty, common-sense approach has a way of "keepin' it real" which is the way it should be. He doesn't waste time with complex, intellectually-based solutions. Rather, he preaches plain and simple values such as personal responsibility, discipline, and example. I recommend this book to everyone struggling with the enormous responsibility of parenthood!