#15 - The Heart of Anger

I try and read a parenting book every year. There's a lot of them out there. Some are good, some are bad and some are great. The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo is great.

Call it anger, bitterness or rage and most parents would think they or their children don't have much of a problem with it. But if you realize that frustration, sulking, bad attitudes, disrespect, being ticked off and even giving the silent treatment are all forms of anger, I think everyone has a problem with anger.

Priolo begins the book by describing the issues related to having angry kids. He makes a very important point - we need to use biblical terminology in order to properly understand and deal with problems according to God's design. Next, Priolo addresses parents. In order to help your child, you must stop exasperating your child or creating situations that tempt him/her to anger. And of course, you can only help your child as much as you are able to set an example.

"Question: What is the first rule for teaching a parakeet how to talk?
Answer: You must have a larger vocabulary than the parakeet.
Question: What is the first rule for disciplining children?
Answer: You must have more discipline than the child."

Priolo is exceedingly practical. He gives great illustrations, examples and advice. He deals with biblical communication, suggestions on questions to ask and journaling to understand what is going on in your thoughts and feelings. But he connects all of this practical methodology with core sound doctrine. He shows you how to deal with the heart of sin that is the source of all this sinful behavior.

His chapters on Disrespect and Manipulation are pure gold.

I highly recommend this book if you have a child who is disrespectful, rebellious or just plain angry when he doesn't get his way. It is probably most appopriate for children who are about 8 or older as it has exercises for the child which require reading, writing and self-evaluation.