How to Raise Kind Kids

February 19, 2018
Lickona (Raising Good Children) offers practical if old-fashioned advice about raising kids with good character amid an increasingly politically toxic and entitled cultural context. Parents will be heartened by studies showing that kindness­—a concern for the happiness of others, driven by goodness—is a human capacity from an early age. However, Lickona’s alarmist just-say-no attitudes toward the challenges of electronic device use and teen sexuality limit his work’s applicability to 21st-century problems. Similarly, one of his preferred teaching methods, stories with moral messages like the Narnia series, will be too heavy-handed for many modern kids. A long list of conversation starters for families feels significantly more timeless, and the author’s general call to be more present for the other people in one’s life would be well-heeded. Lickona does not throw much of a lifeline to families in crisis, but he projects a strong attitude, supported by a solid toolbox of ideas, to make kindness and its associated virtues a daily presence in homes and schools from the start, and to tweak already functional families into becoming the best people they can be. Agent: Robin Straus, Robin Straus Agency.

Starred review from July 1, 2018

Founding director of the Center for the 4th and 5th R's (respect and responsibility), developmental psychologist Lickona (Educating for Character) is world renowned as an advocate for character education and advisor to Harvard University's Making Caring Common project. Using cutting-edge advances in moral development, brain research, and traditional wisdom (studies show that the earliest signs of empathy are found in babies, who cry longer and louder when they hear another child wailing), the author shares strategies for promoting kindness in an era of toxic political and entitlement culture. According to Lickona, the person we become is largely based on which "wolf" (compassion or cruelty) we feed by our choices. Lickona's approach centers on respect, fairness, and self-discipline through a parent's example and action. He also touches on topics he believes tilt society toward kindness (or malice), such as screen usage and a hypersexualized culture. VERDICT Chock-full of straightforward tips and principles for creating a home that cultivates empathy, this work offers essential advice for all parents and teachers interested in character development.-Julia M. Reffner, North Chesterfield, VA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2018

Founding director of the Center for the 4th and 5th R's (respect and responsibility), developmental psychologist Lickona (Educating for Character) is world renowned as an advocate for character education and advisor to Harvard University's Making Caring Common project. Using cutting-edge advances in moral development, brain research, and traditional wisdom (studies show that the earliest signs of empathy are found in babies, who cry longer and louder when they hear another child wailing), the author shares strategies for promoting kindness in an era of toxic political and entitlement culture. According to Lickona, the person we become is largely based on which "wolf" (compassion or cruelty) we feed by our choices. Lickona's approach centers on respect, fairness, and self-discipline through a parent's example and action. He also touches on topics he believes tilt society toward kindness (or malice), such as screen usage and a hypersexualized culture. VERDICT Chock-full of straightforward tips and principles for creating a home that cultivates empathy, this work offers essential advice for all parents and teachers interested in character development.

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.