Time and experience on the journey of parenthood teach us that one of the most valuable possessions a parent can hold is their child’s heart. As life progresses and children grow, it is natural for parents to assess their success and failures and seek improvement in the relationships that they share with their maturing offspring. This 184 page book is designed to be a group study to assist parents in creating a successful strategy of developing strong relationships, not only with their spouse and children, but also with their Creator.

Although this manual is designed to be a companion study to the book of the same title, the purpose of this manual is to facilitate small group study. It has group questions, suggested topics, skits, and plenty of room for writing and self-assessment. There are twelve sessions, split into two parts. The first part of the book develops the idea of relationships: why they are needful, and how to build a vision for what a parent/child relationship should look like in your own personal family. It delves into exactly what romance is and how it can effectively establish a bond.

The second part of the book helps develop a strategy to carry out the vision you have created for your family. It discusses the reality of what this vision actually looks like “in the trenches” of parenthood. Challenging circumstances such as hardship and single parenting are also addressed.

The manual is packed with personal stories from the author’s own parenting days, as well as stories shared from history and the Bible. I found the book smooth, funny, easy to read, and especially easy to relate to. Often while reading it, I found myself nodding in agreement and comparing the subject matter to some parenting situation in my own home. Monte Swan’s description on the need for romance to a child’s heart is enlightening.

Do not expect a how-to list when working through this manual. Instead, consider it a personal coach to help you develop a vision for what your family relationships could be, then a strategy and plan to go after that vision and build it into a reality. I look forward to applying many of the principles I have learned in this book to the lives and relationships I am building with my own four dear children.

-Product review by Erica Beyea, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, October, 2016