As a freedom-over-formula parenting book for moms, dads, and caregivers of all ages, Child Proof provides biblical insight and encouragement for readers who want to parent by faith. As an experienced counselor of children and families and an adoptive and foster mom applying the CCEF model of biblical change, Julie Lowe uses Scripture and biblical wisdom to teach caregivers how to know their children and specifically love them with the love of Christ.
Every family is unique, which is why Child Proof explores the need for parents to cultivate personal and intimate care for their children as modeled in God's individual, personal, and fatherly care to his children. This child-rearing book lays a foundation of parenting by faith and progresses by teaching readers how they can know their own kids well and raise them accordingly. By discussing particular issues moms and dads might have in family life, Lowe demonstrates how formulas aren't the answer, and parenting with biblical wisdom is best for a proactive rather than reactive approach to parenting.
Through Lowe's personal and professional experience, moms, dads, and caregivers, as well as those helping parents—pastors, counselors, youth workers, and churches—will discover gospel-centered application rather than formulas for the ideal family, equipping guardians to be experts at knowing their own children so they can know Scripture and live it out personally in their homes.
By establishing a mind-set rather than a model or a step-by-step "how to" approach to parenting, Child Proof empowers readers to come up with their own blueprint for their families through a biblical framework.
"Parents often want 'six steps to raising good kids,' but God instead gives a vision for how to love well and wisely, humbly and faithfully, amid all the ups and downs. Julie understands that parenting is not like computer programming or car mechanics—parenting is ministry."
David Powlison, Executive Director, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF); author
"Combine Julie's years of experience working with children, along with her personal parenting journey, and you have in your hands a grand-slam book that is deeply practical and biblically rich! Each page brings hope and courage to embrace uniqueness rather than uniformity in the parenting process."
Eliza Huie, Biblical Counselor and Executive Director for Life Counseling Center Ministries; author of Raising Kids in a Screen-Saturated World
"Join Julie as she lays a biblical foundation for parenting, and then benefit from her experience as she helps you navigate a number of challenging situations with grace and wisdom. I couldn't wait to share this content with my wife and family!"
Jonathan D. Holmes, Pastor of Counseling, Parkside Church; executive director, Fieldstone Counseling
"No matter how you approach it, parenting is a complex undertaking. We think that formulas will make it easier, but they either bog us down with their demands or lead to discouragement when they fail to deliver. In Child Proof, Julie Lowe helps us rethink parenting so that in faith, we can love our children personally and minister God's wisdom to their unique needs."
Brian Liechty, Pastor for Care & Counseling, Bethlehem Baptist Church North Campus
"When you have prayed for your kids, sought to lovingly encourage them with Jesus, and things are still a mess, Julie comes along at just the right moment with creative suggestions that give fresh direction."
Ed Welch, Faculty and Counselor, CCEF; author of A Small Book about a Big Problem
"Julie's home is a 'story.' That's her word. It's what God has been writing in her, her husband, and their six kids. Each chapter of their parenting story emerges in the chapters of Child Proof to show other imperfect parents how Christ, by faith, is sufficient for their story with their unique children. Child Proof is biblically principled, realistically wise, immediately applicable, and filled with hope."
Rick Horne, Author of Get Outta My Face! How to Reach Angry, Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel and Get Offa My Case! Godly Parenting of an Angry Teen
"Simplistic and cookie-cutter approaches to parenting overpromise and underdeliver. Julie Lowe offers a parenting pathway that is far wiser and richer. She shows that loving our children is a multifaceted venture of faith-filled dependence on God, patient and careful study of our children, and creative application of biblical wisdom to the particularities of each child's life."
Michael R. Emlet, Faculty and Counselor, CCEF; author of CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet and Descriptions and Prescriptions: A Biblical Perspective on Psychiatric Diagnoses & Medications
"How can we parent with wisdom and grace in a rapidly changing world that offers increased parenting challenges and parenting formulas that may seem right but which fail to deliver? With vulnerability and experience, Julie Lowe offers practical, biblically sound guidance on how to parent faithfully—recognizing that God can and will work in us and through us as we face parenting challenges, fears, and difficulties. In a day and age marked by the collapse of parenting, Julie will help you to pause, ponder, and regroup in ways that will better equip you to parent to the glory of God."
Walt Mueller, President, Center for Parent/Youth Understanding
"I wish this book had been available when I was raising my kids! No formulas. No 'ideal families.' But hope and help for real parents, real children, real conversations, real life, with a real God. It presents a high call to love our kids with Jesus's sacrificial, personalized love and the freedom to let go of trying to manipulate the results. I hope every current and prospective parent will read this book!"
Elizabeth W. D. Groves, Lecturer in Biblical Hebrew, Westminster Seminary; author of Grief Undone: A Journey with God and Cancer
"In this social media age we are programmed to look for 'five steps to this' and 'three reasons for that.' Sometimes this approach can be helpful but it's often too simplistic to address complex issues such as family life and parenting. Formulas can be even more exasperating when they ignore the individual aptitudes, personalities, and needs of our children. What is most impressive about this book is that it resists the pressure to come up with formulas for parenting, and instead, provides biblically grounded tools and practical wisdom to help the reader with one of the greatest challenges anyone has to face: being a parent."
Timothy Witmer, Emeritus Professor of Practical Theology, Westminster Theological Seminary; author of The Shepherd Leader at Home
"For anyone who has secretly suspected that the typical parenting formulas can't cope with the complexity of your family life, this book will be a revelation. With her typical warmth, wit, and biblically rich wisdom, Julie has blown the roof off my tightly held, false parenting expectations. Instead, with realism and honesty, she points the way to parenting by faith in the Lord who is present even in the most complex of family moments. I have never read a parenting book that left me more hopeful."
Ste Casey, Course tutor and speaker, Biblical Counselling UK; pastor, Speke Baptist Church, Liverpool, UK
This is the book I've been waiting for. I've always desired to mother my children the way that God parents His children. There's no shortage of parenting advice from Christian leaders and sometimes it's conflicting. At times, I've seen Christian leaders make their way seem like it's the only God-approved way. So, in my pilgrimage to mother my children as God parents His children, I've made slow progress over the years. Reading this book was like having someone fling open heavy doors and let brilliant sunshine in. The first chapter deals extensively with parenting formulas and what we perceive as “normal.” I'm so grateful the author asserts: “Biblical principles remain universal and unchanging, [but] the way they are applied in specific ways is unique to each family's personalities, gifts, difficulties, and circumstances.” (Page 10) In my opinion, that statement is the backbone of this book. It may seem simple, but it's not. Thankfully, Child Proof offers an opportunity to learn to parent a child as is best for the child. However, that can be hard when outright or perceived criticism attacks a parent. Therefore, it is essential that a parent be convinced about his or her methods. The means of accomplishing this, per the book, is prayer. When we pray and study God's truth, the Holy Spirit can give us specific wisdom for our individual children. Once this premise is established, the rest of part one deals with topics such as Christ-centered parenting, becoming an expert on your child, discipline, and more. Part two delves into common parenting issues including: parenting a difficult (strong-willed) child, parenting a child with disabilites, when your child isn't thankful, technology and your child, and several other issues. To reiterate, the author discusses principles in Scripture and gives examples, but reminds the reader that these principles will look different in every family. The chapters I found most helpful: Chapter 5: When Rules Are Broken. – Kudos to the author for NOT telling me that I need to spank my child in order to apply discipline. This chapter is more about making sure the parent has the right mindset (we are all wandering sheep), assessing rules (instead of doling them out based on culture or advice from others), and cultivating strong character in a child. Chapter 7: Parenting a Difficult Child. – The author takes on the concept that if you raise a child a certain way, he or she will turn out “right.” And the often unspoken assumption: if your child doesn't or isn't turning out “right,” then you must be doing something wrong. This section was immensely helpful and liberating because what worked great with my first child, didn't work so great on my second. I love my second child's determined spirit, but sometimes it can be challenging. So, while Child Proof does indeed offer freedom from parenting formulas, beware: it's not a book telling you to relax and stay positive. It calls the parent to a deep, self-sacrifical love – the kind of love that Christ has for us. And sometimes, that's not easy. For me, it means tamping down my natural irritation so I can respond in love instead of anger. For others, it might mean passing up a good opportunity for yourself so you can do what is best for your child. This book was intense. Seriously, I'll need to read this a few times to truly absorb it. I found that if I stopped reading in the middle of a chapter and did not return to it until the next day, I needed to start again at the beginning of the chapter. Otherwise, there was a disconnect and I didn't glean the message as well. Child Proof: Parenting by Faith, Not Formula by Julie Lowe is a keeper for my bookshelf. As I've explained, I found it immensely helpful and I expect to read it again in the future. I do think the book could have benefited by addressing situations in which parents might not agree. My husband and I are both believers and want to parent our children well, but we still have some completely different ideas about how to parent. I imagine that blended families or single parents might also wish there was a section devoted to such situations. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this complimentary book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Child Proof is a well-written parenting book. The first portion of the book concentrates on the fundamentals of faith based parenting. The remainder of the book discusses navigating challenging parenting situations and does a good job supplying potential action steps. The author not only works with children professionally, but she also has personal experience as a parent which really shines through in her writing.