Are My Kids On Track?: The 12 Emotional, Social and Spiritual Milestones Your Child Needs To Reach, Written by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan, published by Bethany House, is a publication that seeks to help answer the question: How is your child doing, socially, emotionally, and spiritually?

This publication is designed to help parents guide their children into and through age appropriate milestones, while encouraging healthy development. Readers will also discover the uniqueness of both genders, male and female, and learn how to help each one find ways to flourish.

Leaning upon their abundant experience, Goff, Thomas, and Trevathan, bring forth an amazing tool that is sure to help any parent bring positive growth in the lives of their children, thus it is a recommended purchase.

Dr. Jeff Krupinski

Are My Kids on Track? asks the question that are on many parents minds. Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan, all licensed therapists, take us through three important milestones: emotional, social, and spiritual that will help parents determine if their children are on track. Each milestone is explained through its stumbling blocks and its building blocks. The stumbling and building blocks are identified and explained in detail for both boys and girls. Some of the topics within each milestone discuss emotional vocabulary, perspective, empathy, reciprocity, identity, mercy, and ownership. The authors even include a section at the end of each chapter that gives parents pracitical ideas on how to build on the topic discussed in the chapter.

I really think this book is a great tool for parents. It discusses key areas in childrens development that are very pertinent. I think the authors give wonderful examples through their work with children and families. Scripture verses were wonderful examples of how others in the Bible struggled similarly and give hope and encouragement.

The African proverb It takes a village to raise a child is true and I consider the advice from these fellow villagers (Sissy Goff, David Thomas, & Melissa Trevathan) to be very helpful.

Happy Reading!

Note: I received a free copy from the publisher. No review, positive or otherwise, was requiredall opinions are my own.

Are My Kids on Track? is the title of this book by Sissy Goff, David Thomas, and Melissa Trevathan. Every parent wants to know whether they are doing right by their kids. Are we doing enough? Are we preparing our kids for life? Are we loving them well? Are we good parents?

A few years ago, I read my favorite parenting book--Growing Grateful Kids. In that book, Susie Larson says that we can't give ourselves something we don't have ourselves--so we still need to work first on our own hearts (with the Lord's help) rather than simply focus on what we see that we want to see fixed in our kids hearts. That piece of advice has been a huge one for me that always lingers in the back of my brain. It also dovetails nicely with this book.

Goff, Thomas, and Trevathan tackle some of the difficult life and emotional milestones of children's development. They give separate insight and advice for boys and girls in each chapter. Yes, they are wired differently! I read through various pieces of advice from this book and found that the writing sounds like counselor's voices. The voices don't sound like that of Growing Grateful Kids or Journey of a Strong-Willed Child. The tone of this book is more like a textbook or a reference book. It is focused on parenting K-12th graders. It isn't about parenting little ones.

I really like that the authors identify both stumbling blocks and building blocks for boys and girls. One example is what the authors wrote about the stumbling block of entitlement for boys. There was the simple insight that boys stumble here when they believe the rules don't apply to them. Hmm... Something to think about and something to make sure I convey to my son.

Your children or my children may not struggle with all of the stumbling blocks, but if you see some they do, the book may be helpful. I like that the authors come back to the Word of God. I also like that the authors continually encourage parents to look at their own patterns of behavior and responding to life and how those patterns influence their children's responses.

But, the biggest thing I would say after reading this book is that we need to love our children for who they are--not who who want them to be--or even think they should be. As parents, we want our children to become who God has for them to be. If you're looking for some ideas about how to tackle some emotional stumbling blocks your children are wrestling with, this may be a book worth checking out!

Please note that I received a copy of this book from Bethany House books, but that this review contains my own opinions.

We track our children's physical growth with doctor check ups and percentages. Vaccinations and vitamins are a regular part of the routine. Their intellectual progress is tracked in the classroom and standardized tests. But in terms of social, emotional, and spiritual growth, it can feel like we're stumbling in the dark. What should be expect? What's reasonable? And how in the world do we get there?

These are the growth markers Goff, Thomas, and Trevathan tackle. These three counselors identify and outline 12 key milestones in your child's social, emotional, and spiritual life. These milestones include:

Perspective

Empathy

Ownership

Identity

Mercy

Each milestone is identified, stumbling blocks for both boys and girls are explained, and hands-on practices are given. And the end picture is inspiring.

However, the book in its entirety is quite overwhelming. While reading through each chapter, it felt like everything I say and do with my kids is at critical mass. Like the slightest word could tip them over the edge. And while I do believe there's good material in this book, the authors seem to be overly critical and targeting parent's insecurities. There's so much information and warnings to parents; the entire book become overshadowed with a negative tone.

All in all, the tone of this book outweighed any good it could do. If you can read this book with a lot of wisdom and perspective, there are nuggets of truth to be mined. Otherwise, I would pass on this book. There are better parenting books out there.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.