I Can't Believe You Just Said That! (Biblical Wisdom for Taming Your Child's Tongue) by Ginger Hubbard (book review)

If you are around my age, in your 30s, and are striving to raise Christ following children, you have probably read "Shepherding a Child's Heart" by Ted Tripp. The first time I read this book was when I was a newer mom and my oldest was probably no more than five. I just recently flip through this very book to gain that same wisdom from my second set of children.

Well I appreciate the biblical wisdom given in that book, I always felt it was more a book of grand ideas versus practical application. Thankfully, not long after I read the book the first time, I came across another book called "Don't Make Me Count to Three" by Ginger Hubbard. This was the book I was looking for! Practical advice on how to use the wisdom from Tripp's book in real life with real people. I have often gone back to this book when I am in need of advice.

image via BookLook

One of my biggest struggles for myself has always been my tongue. And I see those sins pouring out of my own children's mouths. Not to say they wouldn't have their own tongue issues even if I did not, but sin is easier to see in a form that is familiar to you. I was pleased as punch to read Ginger Hubbard's new book "I Can't Believe You Just Said That!" The subtitle is "biblical wisdom for taming your child's tongue."

This is again, a practical application book of biblical wisdom. It covers the gamut of child since that overflow out of their mouths: whining, lying, tattling, defying, manipulating, interrupting, complaining, blame-shifting, teasing, aggravating, bragging, arguing, yelling, gossiping, bickering. I think I have covered most of those issues in my own home in the past week. 

Hubbard goes deep to the heart of each matter, continually reminding readers that these are not merely behavior issues but heart issues. She provides many pieces of Scripture that you can use to go through a simple discipline model of understanding the heart of the matter (yourself), ask (your kid) heart-probing questions, deprive your child for their issue, and following with training your child with biblical wisdom. I love how this is not a discipline book about punitively punishing children so they stop annoying you or disrupting your plans. This plan allows you to speak wisdom to your child and help them to put off their old sinful self (habits) and put on a new self full of Christ. That's the goal!

My only issue with this book is that it does contain a LOT of information that would be nice to have in a chart or printable. While she does have a chart "Wise Words for Moms" available for purchase, I wish the book came with something so you didn't need to flip through the book to buy what you want. On the other hand, I just purchased my copy of her chart for $4 on Amazon.

Hubbard evens warns that this is not "a how-formula for being good parents who raise good kids...there is no parental success, and there are no good parents or children, apart from Christ." I know this from personal experience and I'm so thankful for godly books like this one that helps me direct my own tongue and sin issues while helping to parent my kids in theirs. 

Disclaimer: I received this book in order to write an honest review. Others may not share my thoughts. All of my links are linked through AmazonSmile to support Emmaus Biblical Seminary in Haiti.