I rarely read parenting books, but I love reading Sally Clarkson’s books and thoughts on parenting. Having enjoyed The Lifegiving Home and Awaking Wonder, I had high expectations for Sally and Clay’s new book, Giving Your Words: The Lifegiving Power of a Verbal Home for Family Faith Formation. I felt less engaged with this book than Sally’s prior books, but I still found it inspirational. I love that her mothering style is based on loving well and serving her children, rather than simple behavior modification and heavy-handed parental discipline.

Giving Your Words encourages parents to use their words in affirmative ways that create a healthy environment for personal and spiritual growth. The Clarksons go beyond positive speaking to explicate how creating a verbal home can lay the foundation for a child’s faith. While I did get a bit of the “do this and your child will turn out right” vibe, Sally and Clay have four well-rounded, accomplished children that bear witness to their methods.

My upbringing was vastly different from the ethos that Sally and Clay created for their children, but the Clarksons make creating a verbal home seem possible even for someone raised in a less ideal environment. The book’s guidance relies heavily on a traditional family of father, mother, and children. It needed another chapter addressing alternative situations such a spouse that doesn’t share the same family vision or co-parenting with an ex-spouse. Overall, Giving Your Words inspires and encourages parents to mindfully create a home atmosphere that nurtures spiritual growth for children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a copy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. ( )