Let Them Be Kids

Adventure, Boredom, Innocence, and Other Gifts Children Need

By: Jessica Smartt

Narrated by: Amanda Sanfilippo

As parents we want to safeguard our children from the pressures and influences of the world, but also prepare them for age-appropriate realities. How do we find that balance? Jessica Smartt shares ways to be more aware, proactive, and protective, but also adventurous with our kids.

A former English teacher and homeschooling mother of three, Jessica Smartt felt the weight of helping prepare her kids for life, seeking to raise her children with a sense of adventure, self-confidence, manners, faith, and the ability to use technology wisely.

Let Them Be Kids is Jessica’s offering of grace and confidence to moms, providing practical ideas to meet the challenge of raising children. Part story, part guidebook, every chapter includes doable parenting strategies and encouragement for the journey, equipping moms with ways to provide a safe, healthy, Christ-centered upbringing for our children. Her well-researched, tested methods, woven together with her personal stories and witty humor, deliver wisdom on tough topics, such as:

• Managing technology and fostering creative playtime
• Balancing family time versus sports and extracurriculars
• How and why to let your kids be awkward
• Protecting innocence and purity
• Showing grace when kids disobey

If you want to conquer fear and find the truth that transforms entire families, Let Them Be Kids will show you that it’s not only possible but essential to enjoy every special moment of building family values together. And it serves as a gentle reminder that, someday, you'll be very glad you did.

Great read

Such a great read, so many things I will take away from this book.

easy changes huge results

was very happy to experience this book I will be completing it again this probably several hidden gems inside here that I might have over look the first time if you apply this and are open-minded you'll notice a difference in your children and in yourself

Read this book

Listened, then went and bought the hard copy to read again with my husband.
Filled with wisdom and gentle challenges.

Nostalgia and great concepts

I enjoyed the theme of this book and the goal of trying to create an environment in which our kids can be kids. I did not care for the religious references but it was not overbearing like other books I've read, so that was good.

The whole thing!

I’ve read and listened to dozens of parenting books and this one was the most encouraging of all of them. Filled with values based parenting skills and tenderness, i resonated the whole way through.