I was so excited and desperate to get my hands on this one - it is long-awaited in exvangelical spaces as so many have had a reckoning with the parenting advice many were raised on our handed to when we had our own children. I cannot wait for this one to be officially published so I can enjoy it with my book club. It's well-researched, thoughtful, and is ripe for discussion.

Meticulously researched, The Myth of Good Christian Parenting, is a journalistic and historical exploration of the Christian parenting empire in the 1970s to present, which touted “experts” such as James Dobson, Michael and Debi Pearl, and Tedd Tripp. Authors Marissa Franks Burt and Kelsey Kramer McGinnis identify the central myths of good Christian parenting, such as teachings on authority, children’s autonomy, sin nature, and of course, spanking. They also share interviews with adults who are recovering from the impact of these teachings, demonstrating the adults’ struggles with their sense of self, decision-making, faith, and relationship with their parents. This book is for anyone—whether you were a parent in this generation or a child—who is questioning the false promises of Christian parenting literature and wants to examine the outcomes.

Disclaimer: I received a free review copy from NetGalley and Brazos Press. I am friends with the authors and share a literary agent.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC. This is a thoughtful and thoroughly researched account of how certain doctrines shaped generations of parenting and what we can learn from (and learn not to do from) them. Particularly in an American context it’s vital reading and still valuable in my English context.