Never Say No: Raising Big-Picture Kids by Mark & Jan Foreman

I wasn’t sure what to expect since the title of the book says “Never Say No” but I enjoyed reading this book. Saying NO refers to building a sand castle, taking a walk with your kids, climb a tree-being available to accept your child’s invitation and not saying no all the time or not now. Of course it doesn’t mean to say yes to every child’s wish and demand. “God is one big YES for us, and we want to pay it forward to our own kids.”

I liked in chapter 2 that it addressed creating a new family map-taking how you were raised, how your spouse was raised, and piecing those things together to create your own family “map”. The author explains that what is familiar is not always best for your home. It takes courage, honestly, and persistence to create a new set of family rules and map for your home.

Another thing the author addresses is TIME. Time spent with your kids is showing how much you love them and want to take care of them. Both the authors believed that if they invested their time heavily in their children it would benefit them in the long run. I truly believe that!

Since I work full time outside the home, I spend the majority of my evenings and weekends doing things for my kids and with my kids. We do workbooks, exercising, crafts, going to the library, going to the park, etc. Yes after a long week at work I would rather stay home and do chores and relax, but spending time with my children and enjoying my time with them is how I show them that I love them.

An important question asked at the end of chapter 3-“Do we enjoy your children? More importantly, do we know the delight of God’s love for us so we might purely enjoy our children for who they are?”

I love that at the end of every chapter, there are thought provoking questions that are asked, as well as space to write down your thoughts and answers.

This book was good resource to read! Reading the whole book, or picking and choosing chapters to read will hopefully benefit you and your family.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
The question Mark and Jan Foreman are most often asked is: How did you raise your kids?

Mark and Jan Foreman’s adult sons Jon and Tim Foreman of Switchfoot have influenced their world not only by a successful music career but also through their positive impact on communities around the globe. The Foreman parents instilled in their sons a belief that they could make a difference by living beyond themselves.

This powerful book gives readers an inside look at the process. It begins with both parent and child finding their identity in God. It then explores practical ways to encourage holistic learning while cultivating specific gifts, nurturing creativity in a media-saturated culture, and balancing structure with individual choice. Never Say No inspires readers to raise children to live in the wonder of life by loving others well. Parents will find encouragement for their own parenting journey as they guide their kids to live out God’s purpose in radical ways.

About the author:
Jan and Mark Foreman live in the San Diego area, where Mark is lead pastor of North Coast Calvary Chapel. Mark is the author of Wholly Jesus, and holds advanced degrees in Theology, Education and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Pastoral Care. Jan is a gifted teacher, artist, and she also facilitates partnerships with underprivileged women and children both locally and in developing countries. Together they love surfing, sailing, travel and especially being with their family.