The Formula

Great book on parenting. It emphasizes the importance of providing your children with a sense of purpose and agency from a very young age. The book covers successful mindsets, such as growth, resilience, grit, mastery orientation and sense of duty, to name a few. The bulk of the book centers on the formula, eight parenting rules with a positive impact on kids. The advice is sound and insightful based on studies and anecdotal evidence. However, not all kids are “typical” and not everyone’s drives are the same, so I would have liked to have seen a bit more on self-realization as it relates to well-being and life satisfaction, rather than such a heavy emphasis on success. Having said that, I do think this is one of the top parenting books I have read.

Initially, I was unable to view the book on my device but I didn’t give up and finally figured out how to download it. My goodness, I’m so thankful I did! While many parenting books tend to focus on what parents should not do, I loved that this book focused on what parents COULD do to help their children succeed. It was written in a positive and enlightening tone. I’m a mother of two young girls, so the parenting aspect really appealed to me. I’m also a Registered Nurse, so the scientific component hooked me in, as well. I really feel that I gained valuable information on how I can be the best parent to help promote high achievement for my children in the future. This book was very well written and insightful without the dryness sometimes associated with this genre. One of the best aspects about “the formula” presented in this book is that it can be learned by anyone. You don’t have to be a Ivy League College Grad to have a child that goes on to be one. I highly recommend this book for any parent desiring to unlock the full potential of his or her children. I plan to make this book a gift for other parents I know and refer back to it in the future as I help guide the learning and development of my child in the years to come.

Raising a kid is a project and I strongly believe that it should be. Sometimes a parent may think that his only job is to bring a kid in this world and it has the right to be true. Raising a kid for me is a long-term project. Taking it seriously, it needs a strategy, an approach and a consistency in delivery. The book is great not only because it provides a step by step approach to parenting (called "formula"), but also with plenty of real life examples from the research undertaken. Interesting enough that I have recognized several patterns I am following as a parent. Pretty much they come based on my childhood experiences and the gaps I have identified in my upbringing. Great approach and structure, examples throughout and conclusions represent and interesting book to read, great ideas to implement and structure in place.