For Heaven’s Sake! Parenting Preschoolers Faithfully (Quill House Publishers, 2010) makes an excellent addition to the usual outpouring of gifts welcoming a new baby. Unlike the cute little outfits and baby toys which the new arrival will soon outgrow, the parent who takes this book to heart will be helping their child take the first steps of a lifelong spiritual journey.

The importance of Family Ministry is now being recognized by many in the church today and there are excellent resources to help churches in addressing the spiritual needs of families. For Heaven’s Sake! is specifically geared toward parents, although it can be a valuable resource as well to other family members and church leaders who deal with children.

The author, Marilyn Sharpe, is a mother, grandmother, and parent educator who recognizes the need for faith to be nurtured in all areas of life. The book is much more than a list of specific exercises and practices; it shows parents how to initiate faith and awareness of God in every moment of a child’s life. It is built on Rev. Dr. David Anderson’s concepts of Four Keys for Nurturing Christians and AAA Christians and provides simple, everyday ways to nurture faith through caring conversations, family devotions, rituals and tradition, and family service by Christians who are authentic, available and affirming.

An important message in the book, especially in our media-saturated world, is to have times when you’re fully attentive to your child. Sharpe gives specific ways to do this, beyond the obvious such as turning off the TV and computer, such as “face your child and be on the same level. Crouch down…” For parents unsure of what to say, Sharpe gives specific simple statements.

There is also valuable information on the development of preschoolers and what we can realistically expect of them, which is done in a practical and easy to understand way. For instance, in a section about decision making, the author takes us step by step through the process of helping a four year old decide whether to attend a birthday party.

It’s obvious the author has genuine love and a heart for children. While never forgetting that a parent’s job includes discipline, she sees discipline as primarily modeling behavior for children while loving them unconditionally. As she says at the beginning of her book: “The whole point of parenting your child of God is to express unconditional love.” For new parents, this book can provide inspiration and practical advice for one of their most important tasks--raising children to have a lifelong transforming faith.