This book is filled with insights which can help every father, mother, or want-to-be father or mother. Although the title reflects on what a dad can do, the world shows us "dads" come in many forms and formations. This book will guide any parental figure in how have a meaningful and long lasting impact on those who look up to them for guidance and love. This is a special book.

It might strike you as an oddity on why I choose this book to read. I'm not gonna be a dad, ever (I will be a mother maybe, someday). But this book really caught my interest.

Being a teacher, I can relate everyday problems of parents. Saw what the parents feed to their kids make it works or not. So I want a glimpse of what a dad should be, and hoping that this book will inspire me.

And I can tell you that this book is what I will suggest dads to read. You might not be the perfect dad, or experienced having one, but you can be the perfect one for your kids. This is a handbook of reminder on what we should do being a dad, to build a healthy family, and kids that can survive this hard world.

A great read for any parent, regardless of gender, a great way to break down the role a parent has for their children. Practical and actionable advice.

**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Although Dads were the intended audience, The Dad Difference: The 4 Most Important Gifts You Can Give to Your Kids, provides great instruction for both mothers and fathers. Loritts uses the Acrostic "RITE" to flesh out the four gifts:
~ Relationship
~ Integrity
~ Teaching
~ Experiences

Within each of those areas, Loritts offers a number of ideas for implementing each area into your parenting. Using many examples from his father, Crawford Loritts, as well as examples from his own parenting journey, readers are given a glimpse into a family that, while not perfect, has been committed to following Christ in the area of parenting. And sometimes that meant modeling how to admit failure and ask forgiveness.

The author candidly shares examples of how his father handled prejudice and racial tensions with love and grace. One thing the senior Loritts was known for were his "Prayer Walks." Times when he needed to talk to God in order to work through a situation, get some perspective, or maybe just cool down before disciplining a child. What a great strategy to help parent with a clear head and godly wisdom.

Loritts addresses fatherlessness as a pandemic--particularly in the black community. Fathers who are absent or uninvolved rob children of valuable influence. In a culture where men are often bashed, ridiculed, or marginalized, Loritts' offers an alternatively hopeful and inspirational view of the potential men have to influence their children and grandchildren. Providing a godly example of manhood not only provides sons with a model to follow but also gives daughters a blueprint for finding a godly mate.

This book would make an excellent Father's Day gift for a dad of any age. It would also make an excellent book for any young man contemplating marriage. To consider the pattern he wants to create in his own marriage and family is a great way to maximize his influence and make a lasting difference for generations to come.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Dad Difference from NetGalley for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are my own. No other compensation was received.

Very interesting book to read, I found everything the author said helpful, and as this was a memoir, it was very effective in seeing practically what the author meant by each principle.

There are so many things that, as parents, we must choose to give our kids. What is most important? What will make the most impact? How do we live lives as dads that are pleasing to God and most beneficial for our children? As a dad, this was a very fun yet convicting read. Loritts uses his experience with his own dad, faults and all, showing how he chose to raise him in a godly way, and the affect that this has had on his life.

Loritts states early on in the book: “The Bible casts a compelling vision for us parents with our children. Children are given to us to live out the purposes of God in their generation for the glory of God and the good of humanity (see Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 78:5-8; Acts 13:36). So that work becomes a platform to advance God’s good purposes during our specific moment in history.”

The argument of the book is that we must give our kids 4 gifts: Relationship, Integrity, Teaching, and Experience. Loritts, using the acronym, calls this our choice to parentRITE. He walks through each of these “gifts,” showing how they are crucial for our children to grow into healthy, mature, and faithful adults.

This is a short read, full of inspiring stories that also sting with conviction for us dads who are struggling through this calling called parenting! If you are looking for guidance in how to raise your kids on a God glorifying way, this book will be of much help. There are not guarantees in parenting, but we do know that God is faithful and we, as dads, have the choice to live faithful lives towards God and towards our families, lives full of relationship, integrity, teaching, and experience.

Read & Repeat

This book was incredible. I highly enjoyed reading this book and was delighted each time I picked it up. Great information throughout the book, engaging and interesting stories to tie to his points. The stories also carried over into multiple chapters, but it didn’t feel disconnected or that he needed to start the story over.

I highly recommend reading this to every father. I am so very glad I got the chance to read this book. I will be a better Dad because of this book!