"What About the Children", Book Reviews
The truth is that children of all ages are being raised by "other people's children". Many parents are not strong disciplinarians. Some want their children to like them, and so they make poor choices when it comes to monitoring them, where they go, who they are with, and what they are doing. Other parents are absent in various ways.
Based in those realities, "What About the Children" (by Charmaine M. Tucker) provides the point of view of those young people telling the story and the options they have found for their individual situations. Sounds like real life to me! Not very pretty at times, but, fortunately, for those characters telling the story, the personal interventions among friends are a cause for celebration. Parents might not like what they see their children doing and hear them saying. Yet, they do need to pay attention.
The characters in "What About the Children" tell the stories that many times not told in private counseling sessions. The questions at the end of each chapter are geared for the teen reading audience, but I think adults, too, will benefit from answering the questions from an adult point of view. All readers will need to deal with their own emotions on difficult and, at times, unpleasant topics.
For me, the Christian-based solutions are realistic for the situations of the friends. It is obvious that someone in their families and neighborhoods has been raised in the church, and that they are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The book "What About the Children" will be a good discussion tool for teenagers in a book club at school and church. In addition, I want some of my adult friends to join with me in a discussion of the book using the questions included for that purpose.*****Millie Hodges-Lemon - Counselor and Life Coach - Omaha, NE*****
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What About the Children ask the question I ask about everything in this world today; who's watching the people in charge. This book showcases the many issues children face today; from neglect, prostitution, drug abuse and incest to name a few.
I don't have any children of my own, but I do co-parent several god children. How I co-parent is based on love and guiding each one of them. The author seems to focus on how parents have failed to care for the needs of the children. In some cases I believe this to be true. Ms Tucker surmises that where parents have failed to tend to the needs of children they also lack the gift of building up a child.
This book is more of a self help manual for parents to stay on track and remember that children cannot raise themselves; they need love and acknowledgement from their parents. At the end of each section, the author poses questions to the reader to meditate on. The questions allow the reader to reflect on the story they've just completed as well as self reflection.
Many times while riding public transportation I've watched young people with their children. The way they speak to them or should I say speak at them. Sometimes the child is having a conversation with the parents and they receive no response/acknowledgement it breaks my heart. The author's theme of "children raising children is scary to say the least but a reality. This book is for anyone who enjoys reading and has children in their life, as the African Proverb goes "it takes a village to raise a child"*****Missy - Reader's Paradise - (Chicago, IL) Amazon.com - 3 bookmarks*****
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"What About The Children", gets deep about life issues that our youth are faced with every day. This is a beautifully written story that delivers riveting insights into reality...especially when the children are the future. *****Jimmy R. Smith - Author of the up and coming, "It's Going Down" - Fort Worth, TX*****
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In a society where there seems to be a lack of parental responsibility, and a generation of children who seem to be receiving their upbringing from television, movies, and music, it is important that a book like this exists. "What About The Children", exposes the real lives that children of today are experiencing, and it gives them hope. I would ask that this book be placed in every youth center and school so that the reader can read that victory is possible – that their situation can be changed – and that there is someone who truly cares. I commend the author for bringing to the forefront the situations that our youth are facing today and giving them a positive look at what can be accomplished if they believe. *****Artilla Martin - Wife, Mother, & Grandmother - Orlando, FL*****
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After reading "What About the Children", it made me reflect on my parenting skills: how I discipline, how I communicate right and wrong, and how I love. No one has the answers to how to live life perfectly, even as a child under the direction of our parents. However, with prayer and discernment we must believe and strive for perfection and know God has us safe in his arms. Thanks C. Tucker for the mind opening reading! *****Frances Hodges - Mother, PhD Student at Our Lady of Lake University, San Antonio,TX - Houston, TX*****
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I received this book courtesy of the author. As you can see, I didn’t give this book a rating because it’s more of a self-help book than a novel.
The book presents a number of scenarios that children face every day. The author is conscious of the fact that children learns a lot more at a much earlier years. The premise of the book is that parents are often fail to notice the needs of their children. When parents do notice the needs, they sometimes fail to either acknowledge or inspire the child. The author recognizes that because parents are so caught up in their own world, children often end up with part time parents.
As the author is African-American, she speaks to needs in the African-American community. I hesitate to write that because the issues that these children face crosses all races and cultures. The scenarios are from one particular community. So there is continuity in the “story-line” so to speak. The topics that the author deals with in the scenarios are: incest, molestations, drug use, drinking, prostitution, work ethic, alternative lifestyle, and statutory rape. At the end of each scenario, the author poses relevant questions to the reader.
It gave me a lot to think about. I don’t have children, but I have thought about my own experience with my parents and what things I need to either do or not do with my children if I have any. One thing that stuck me about this book was how much children end up being reared by “other children.” There was one family where the children went to their mom with questions and concerns, but for the most part children were trying to help other children deal with things. There wasn’t even other adults that the children could ask questions. I know this happens a great deal. I think this is one of many problems in why so many children today turn out badly. Children and teens don’t know nothin’ yet. They just think that they do. Often they make really stupid mistakes do to inexperience. That’s why children have parents. It’s parents job to make sure a baby becomes a productive member of society. Unfortunately, a lot of parents are to busy dealing with the drama in their own lives or trying to be their child’s best friend. It doesn’t work. Some types of mistakes you don’t want your children to make. Sometimes they don’t get a chance to learn from their mistakes.
So if you are interested in a Christian child raising manual, you make want to take a look at this one.*****Bluestocking, Book Reviewer*****
http://web.me.com/Bluestocking_bb/The_Bluestocking_Guide/Book_Reviews/Entries/2010/1/26_What_About_the_Children.html
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“What About the Children?” by Charmaine M. Tucker (Empowerment Publications, $13.99 paperback)
The author, a native of Omaha who now resides in Texas, offers a series of short stories that attempt to show what young people are thinking about or doing in various circumstances. Each story concludes with questions directed at young people and their parents. The resulting discussions may be more interesting than the book itself.
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