The Mentoring Mom
Jackie Kendall
New Hope Publishers

Inspirational Read ... Recommended ... 4 stars

This work of 271 pages includes twelve chapters, and an Appendix with booklist. Chapter offerings include suggestions for parents on the nuts and bolts of how to mentor children with examples and specific how-to covered in the chapter titled ‘The Mark of the Mentoring Mom.’ Life principles including love for God and familial caring are included in the chapter ‘Stamp the Image of Love for God.’ ‘Stamp the Image of a Praying Woman’ offers hints for making time for prayer in all situations. With simple questions and suggestions ‘Stamp the Image of Loving God’s Word’ leads the reader into how to instill and develop the love for reading God’s word. ‘Stamp the Image of Emotional Health,’ ‘Stamp the Image of Loving People to Christ,’ ‘Stamp the Image of Your Heart’s Passion,’ continue the instruction with examples taken from the writers own child rearing, suggestions and questions to aid readers toward making a better impact upon their own child rearing practices. ‘Stamp the Image of a Noble Life Purpose’ leads the reader into an understanding that being a wife and mother is a noble life purpose. The reader is led to understanding that something as simple as slipping a note into a lunch bag or jumping rope can and do make a huge impact on the lives we hope to influence. ‘Stamp the Image of Teachability’ is a chapter I found especially interesting. I am both parent and a classroom teacher. ‘Stamp the Image of Your Perseverance’, ‘Stamp the Image of Reckless Abandon to God’, ‘Stamp the Image of an Adapting Spouse’ round out the work with more suggestions, examples and questions for life living.

I found 'The Mentoring Mom' to be a highly readable, informative book. I liked the life examples offered by the author in which she lists specific trials, situations and highlights from her own life experience. As both parent and classroom teacher I am inclined to rely more heavily on those who have been ‘in the trenches’ so to speak to those who offer suggestions about what might work at first glance, but have nothing to substantiate the notion. Some of the teaching we try with our own kids will work for them, and for others. And some of the teaching we attempt, especially the ideas that seem so good when on paper, or on the surface of our mind fizzle and backfire. I find a writer who can mention successes and note the near misses and total ones too, to be more credible than ones who blithely put forward much rosy and no thorn. Mentoring kids is darn hard work.

This is a work to keep close at hand during those child rearing years. 'The Mentoring Mom' is a book to be turned to often as parents face the day to day struggle, confusion and struggle that is so much a part of raising a family. The writer leads the reader into understanding that raising kids is a big job, is not an insurmountable job and is a job to be savored.

The reader is offered suggestions for letting others and God do some leading in our own lives, an important quote I especially liked was added "Parents of good kids take too much credit and parents of struggling kids take too much blame" is offered. While I didn’t have the quote when my own children were teens, the notion was well entrenched and carried me through those years with a minimum of upset.

'The Mentoring Mom' will be a welcome addition to parental personal reading list, the therapist shelf, school and public library and for all who hope to make a positive difference in the lives of another. 'The Mentoring Mom' is a book to be read in entirety and then kept close at hand for study during times of particular need or situation.

Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend.