They're all there...

[Carrie in PA]

...just about every bad parenting book I know of is in my church's new library!!!!! :hissyfit :hissyfit :hissyfit

I have seen people post that one or two of these books are in their church's library...or maybe all the Dobson books. Here is what my church's library holds:

Babywise
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Age of Opportunity (this is by Tripp, but I think this is the other Tripp, and maybe not that bad?)
To Train Up a Child
Dare to Discipline
and John MacArthur's parenting book, which I can't remember the name of, but it's there.

How's THAT for a list!!!! I am just sick!!!! :sick2

And even worse is that I know I won't get anywhere with having the books removed from the library because I have been through this with my pastor over trying to get Babywise removed when they just had a few books on a table to borrow. He and his wife are die-hard Ezzo fans. He is also very pro-spanking and is quite elitist in his attitude about it being the "way to go". :td

My husband and I are having a hard time getting past this fact about our pastor and have thought of leaving the church. We hate to uproot our kids though and go somewhere else again (we've skipped around a bit over the years.) We like the teaching otherwise. But how do you get spiritually fed by a message when the deliverer is someone you have a hard time respecting?

Thanks for letting me vent. Expressions of empathy are welcome! :hug

[ArmsOfLove]

I am sorry :( :hugheart

[beccafromlalaland]

If you don't respect the teacher, you will not respect the lesson, if you don't respect the lesson, how are you going to take it to heart?

[Chris3jam]

We've got them all. Tripp, Pearl, Fugate, Dobson,. . . . . . . . . . .

The newest 'thing' going around is "Have you read 'Created to be His Helpmeet'?!?!?! It's wonderful! It changed my life!"

:(

[katiekind]

You have my sympathy.

Is that the full gamut of parenting books in your church library, or are there other, more moderate, titles as well?

[MarynMunchkins]

:(

[Carrie in PA]

Thanks, friends! :grouphug

Chris, how do you handle it in a punitive-minded Ezzo/Pearl church? I feel overwhelmed!

Kathy, there are other parenting books. At least the shelf was fairly full. I am actually afraid to see what else might be coming as they library has only just started being created! :nails They did have more Dobson books like Hide or Seek and Bringing up Boys. There was one by Chuck Swindoll, and I'm not sure what else. To be perfectly honest I was just scanning to see what bad ones were there! I may try to put some balance on the shelves and donate Christian Parenting and Childcare by the Sears', How to Really Love Your Child, Relational Parenting, Families Where Grace is in Place, and other's like that. Is there any Christian-based book specifically on baby care, like a counter to Babywise? Truthfully I am not sure how much my pastor is involved in the decision-making process of what gets into the library or not, ot if he would "approve" some of these books. Now that will be very telling, huh? :think

[Chris3jam]

Chris, how do you handle it in a punitive-minded Ezzo/Pearl church? I feel overwhelmed!

Not well at all. :( :blush I'm afraid I'm definitely the odd man out. I just don't 'socialize' that much. I do it here on GCM. :grin

[gentlemommy]

.

[mom2threePKs]

Christian Parenting and Child Care by the Sears was written pretty specifically to counter Babywise. That would be a great addition to the library. I'm sorry the current list is so disheartening. :hugheart

Magan

[CelticJourney]

I LOVE Ministry of Parenting Your Baby! First AP book I ever read and I almost cried because there was finally someone supporting my ideas about motherhood!

I say pray over that library as often as you can. Someone started Creative Correction at my church. I didn't go to the pastor because I had recently used up my political 'clout' over something else. I noticed that it 'restarted' last week (apparently not a big showing to begin with) when the pastor included it in his announcements (something he rarely does). I was doing the sign language interpretion for the service and my mom just looked at me with this 'so what are you going to do now?' look on her face because she knew I had to sign it but didn't want to - but the lady I sign for doesn't have little kids, so it wasn't too bad, just felt like I needed to wash my hand afterwards :/. Anyway, I happened to walk by the room where they were having the class Wednesday night and there were only two ladies in there (I go to a HUGE church) and to be quite honest they didn't seem very impressed. I am just going to keep praying that they question everything they hear!

[Carrie in PA]

I LOVE The Ministry of Parenting Your Baby also! I had the same exact experience as you, Elizabeth, when someone (BLESS THEM, LORD!) gave me that book when I was a new mother being tortured by "You have to let him CIO", "Don't hold him so often" :blah :blah :blah

I thought this book was out of print??? I would love to get ahold of a copy. I'll check amazon.

Great idea to pray over the library too. I am just concerned for the new vulnerable parents. I will make it my ministry to pray for them. I'd love to give this book as a gift to new moms too instead of BW which the pastor and his wife give to all moms (the ones I haven't cautioned against it, that is!). Don't think I'll have much success with the woman in charge of the Ministry to Moms...I never see her baby out of her carseat! :banghead I'll have to be a one woman revolution! :giggle

[BHope]

half price books is a great resource for gently used books. It might be an affordable option for finding books to add to your churches library. I've also gotten some great books off of paperbackswap.com. Can you tell I'm voting for "kill them with kindness." Get that library so oversaturated by books on Grace and Gentle parenting that the "bad" books will be overshadowed and overlooked. (hopefully?)