Erin MacPherson - The Christian Mamas Guide to Grade School Years: Everything You Need to Know to Survive (and Love) Sending Your Kid Off into the Big Wide World

Praise for The Christian Mamas
Guide to the Grade School Years

Erin MacPherson has covered ALL the bases in The Christian Mamas Guide to the Grade School Years, an exceptional guidebook for parents. Tackling difficult topics such as bullying, extracurricular activities, and helicopter parenting, this faith-based guide will become the go-to source for any parent who hopes to help children navigate this great big world while keeping their little souls intact.

JULIE CANTRELL, NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING
AUTHOR OF INTO THE FREE, GOD IS WITH ME THROUGH
THE DAY, AND GOD IS WITH ME THROUGH THE NIGHT

The Christian Mamas Guide to the Grade School Years is a must-have resource for every Christian mom who wants to give her child the best and not lose her sanity in the process. With authenticity and wit, MacPherson tackles the tough questions of parenting and gives readers a practical road map for grace-based parenting. MacPherson doesnt give easy answers or a one-size-fits-all approach to raising kids. Instead, she gives practical examples, grace, and generational wisdom to equip the mothers of our generation. I recommend this book to every Christian mom of grade-school children!

SUSAN DIMICKELE, AUTHOR OF WORKING
WOMEN OF THE BIBLE AND CHASING SUPERWOMAN

This book is hands-down fabulous! Erin covers all the bases with this guide to success in school and life with a commitment to faith in God as the core. Depth and perspective comes from the practical advice of Erins mother, a veteran mom and school principal. Erins personal life experiences mingled with teachable moments, scripture, prayer, and a huge dose of humor make this a must-read book for Christian parents. As a former elementary school teacher and mom, I highly recommend The Christian Mamas Guide to the Grade School Years.

BECKY DANIELSON, MED, LICENSED PARENT
AND FAMILY EDUCATOR AND COAUTHOR OF
EMPOWERED PARENTS: PUTTING FAITH FIRST

Erin MacPherson has written a parenting book that is engaging, delightful, and humorous and most importantly, offers excellent insight in helping parents enrich their children spiritually in a very easy, relatable way.

JORDYN REDWOOD, PEDIATRIC ER NURSE
AND AUTHOR OF PROOF AND POISON

What every mom needs as she holds her childs hand on the way to drop him off to school for the first time, is another mom holding her other hand, assuring her that everything will be okay. Erin is just that reassuring mom-companion. Armed with experience, practical tips, empathy, humor, and a backpack of prayer, Erin MacPhersons indispensable guide will help you parent your child in the early school years with confidence and faith.

BECKY JOHNSON, COAUTHOR OF
WE LAUGH, WE CRY, WE COOK

As mothers whove experienced sending their children off to school, we all know how taxing this milestone can be. Most of us become fraught with worry (and get downright emotional) as we struggle with the idea of having to let go, and face the fact that our babies are indeed growing up. But as Erin MacPherson so eloquently discusses throughout The Christian Mamas Guide to the Grade School Years, these are the moments where moms like us can place our trust in God and His plans for our childrens future. This is the time where we can step out in our faith, and send our struggles straight up to Him. And as a mom who definitely understands what battling those back-to-school blues are all about, MacPherson equips each of her readers with loads of practical advice, invaluable information, beautifully scripted (not to mention, reassuring) words of faith, and plenty of comic relief to go around. So, if youve got kiddos headed off to school soon (or even if theyve begun their elementary days already), be sure to arm yourself with this book. Youll be so glad you did.

JENNY LEE SULPIZIO, AUTHOR OF
CONFESSIONS OF A WONDER WOMAN WANNABE

Oh, how we needed this book two decades ago when the self-esteem movement was brainwashing parents into raising generations of entitled kids! Erins Fifteen Factors are spot-on remedies for the spiritual immaturity and arrested social development I see daily in my high school students. With hilarious transparency, keen insights, and practical faith, Erin coaches you to support and challenge your child without enabling or over-protecting. Chapter 14 aloneDo This, Not Thatis worth the price of admission!

CHERI GREGORY, VETERAN TEACHER, AUTHOR, AND
FOUNDER OF THE PURSE-ONALITY CHALLENGE MINISTRY

THE
CHRISTIAN
MAMAS
GUIDE
TO THE GRADE SCHOOL YEARS

Other Books by Erin MacPherson

The Christian Mamas Guide to Having a Baby

The Christian Mamas Guide to Babys First Year

The Christian Mamas Guide to Parenting a Toddler

2013 by Erin MacPherson

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Author is represented by Books & Such Literary Agency.

Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture references are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture references marked NKJV are taken from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013930851

ISBN: 9780849964763

Printed in the United States of America

13 14 15 16 17 RRD 5 4 3 2 1

To my wonderful and wise parents,
Glen and Ellen Schuknecht,
who patiently answer my parenting
questions, cheer me on from the sidelines,
and pray without ceasing for my family.

Contents

S oli Deo Gloria. To God alone be the glory. Thats my prayer for this book. I am acutely aware of the fact that every good gift comes from the Lord, and I am eternally grateful for everything He has given meI am so blessed.

This book wouldnt have happened without the insights, ideas, and support of my incredibly wise parents, Glen and Ellen Schuknecht. I appreciate the many hours they spent sitting with me at their kitchen counter, discussing ideas, strategies, and thoughts about this book. I am so grateful not only for their wisdom, but also for their dedicated prayer and their willingness to coach parents everywhere on how to raise kids that love God.

My heartfelt gratitude also goes to my husband, Cameron, who is the most amazing father my kids could ask for. He has stepped up to the plateliterallyand been the kind of dad who plays catch, teaches them how to build pillow forts, and most important, teaches them about God. Im proud to raise my kids with you.

And to my own grade-school-aged kids, Joey and Kate, I thank you for allowing me to test out my theories on you and for being patient with me as I learn with you. And to my baby, Will, who isnt quite there yet, thank you for the endless laughter and endless hugs.

Also, to Alisa, who once again stepped up to the plate and read this entire book for edits and was quick to share her brilliance with me as I fit the pieces together. Thanks also to Troy, who shared endless daddy insight. And also, a big thanks to my other grade-school mom friendsMollie Burpo, Kat Cannon, Kristin Cox, Angie Ekse, Mandy Fritsche, Joanne Kraft, Hollie Rouse, Monica Scantlon, Stevi Schuknecht, and Rachel Spies, to name a few, for letting me quiz you on how youre raising your kids, and then publish what you say for the world to see. You are such great moms, and Im proud to raise my kids alongside you.