What people are saying about the book...
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There is a huge secret to life which most families - and most parenting books - completely miss. That we humans are happiest when we are living for each other, and discovering the fun that brings. In a society that is all about “me” we have never been more stressed or miserable. Caring is a word that holds the key to life going well, and is the real heart of being human. This book shows you how to foster it.
Susy Lee’s book is one of those rare ones you want to have at hand long term, as even dipping in seems to spark you with ideas and clues for really engaging with your children. What to ask, what to challenge them with, what to provoke them with. It covers a lot but enter at any point and there is something you can use. Brightly and clearly written, with real personality, this book turns on its head our focus on making kids happy, and instead shows how to make them generators of happiness. And (as we all know deep down) that’s the only lasting happiness there is. Steve Biddulph AM, Bestselling author of Raising Girls and Raising Boys This is a brilliant book. I just wish it had been around when my own children were younger! It is a treasure trove of insight, information and inspiration; with excellent questions and ideas for deepening the conversations in families, helping them to become rich places for the exploration of deep values and character formation. Every parent needs it in hand. Tim Costello AO Former CEO and Chief Advocate, World Vision Australia I confess to being tired of books of parenting advice. After reading through the usual list of do’s and don’ts the only thing most of us can agree on is that we don’t make the grade. Susy Lee’s approach is different. She offers a way of parenting that feels authentic, achievable and, most importantly, could really make a difference to the world. She offers hope, encouragement and practical wisdom to every hard-pressed and bewildered parent who yearns to speak to their kids about what really matters. Dr Roger Bretherton, Associate Professor and Clinical Psychologist, UK Our world is riven by individualism, atomisation, disconnection. Global fault lines, conflict, pandemics, breaches in the social fabric, survivor of the fittest attitudes, consumerism and Big Tech encroachment into every aspect of our lives, have led to a breaking of ties that bind, a severing of deeper connections and mutual care. Empathy is under threat, eroded by cruelty, bullying, aggression. The natural softness and kindness in children is being knocked out of them. We have become numb to suffering. Susy Lee has done us a service with this easy to read, accessible and practical book. She brings us back to what is important and valuable and to be desired in this life. She explores how we and our children can care about our inner lives, about relationships and about our world. Her book offers timely help on raising emotionally intelligent, ethical, sensitive and empathetic children who will act for the common good and make a difference in the world. Melinda Tankard Reist, Author, speaker, campaigner Wise, warm, imaginative and intensely practical … Raising Kids Who Care is like a blueprint for building strong families and caring communities. Highly recommended for anyone who cares about the future of our children and our society. Hugh Mackay AO Psychologist, social researcher and bestselling author “This remarkable book is about hope that change is possible. As a caring parent, an inspiring practitioner with a deep sense of social justice, and a brilliant peace scholar, the author invites us on the journey of nurturing hope in the world, one family at a time. I cannot wait to delve into each of the 40 family conversations in this book with my family.” Dr. Dong Jin Kim, ISE Senior Research Fellow in Peace and Reconciliation Studies, Trinity College, Dublin Our world and most importantly our children are being bombarded in every aspect of their life. As parents and carers an enabling environment to create kids who care has never been harder or more important. Susy Lee’s Raising Kids Who Care provides a formulaic, data driven approach supported by a workbook for all readers including the kids! Read it and then practice so you and your clan can enable the difference we all yearn for – generational improvement. A must read for those who want to see kids fly, soar, and become butterflies for change. Karen James, CEO Business for Development, Author and Advocate for Women Susy Lee has written a big-hearted, deeply considered, and extremely practical book that is essential reading for all parents and carers. And for all children who want to help us all parent and care better. More than just a how-to guide, or a parenting manual, Raising Kids Who Care, offers personal reflections and practical tools to help families rise to the big personal, social and global challenges of our sometimes bewildering times. Each chapter outlines, in a clear and engaging way, a guided conversation for families to use to tackle issues we often avoid or feel overwhelmed by.
Anyone who wants to nurture kind, compassionate, courageous and committed children should read Raising Children Who Care. In fact, anyone who wants to be a kind, compassionate, courageous and committed person who makes a difference in the world should read it. Ben Thurley, CEO, INF Australia As a twenty-two-year veteran educator and a homeschooling mom, I have not been more excited to recommend a resource for parents in a long time. Raising Kids Who Care is not just a book—it’s a tool to help parents have real conversations with their children. In a culture that revolves around technology and consumerism, parents have to be intentional if they want to raise kids who aren’t just seeking the world’s idea of success but who actually have character and vision for making their community a better place. Through research, statistics, thought-provoking questions, and springboards for conversation, Raising Kids Who Care is a unique approach in the parenting space today that offers practical strategies and hopeful encouragement. If you are a parent who desires to raise kids with character and compassion, this book is a must-have. Jennifer Hayes Yates, B.A. Education, USA Susy Lee invites us to travel alongside our kids, to discover real life ways to build resilience, the capacity to handle conflict, find contentment and make a difference in the world. In an era where our fears for our kid's futures are heightened and we are all too aware of our own inadequacies as parents this book is a word of hopefulness. Its more than just hopes or dreams though – it’s an invitation to positive proactive parenting. Grab it with both hands - it's well and truly worth it. Louise Bartlett, Children & Families Ministry Facilitator, Baptist Churches NSW & ACT Susy Lee has something to say, and we need to listen. Raising Kids Who Care is a book for the times we are in. Susy highlights values of compassion and contentment and shows us it is indeed possible to raise happy kids. She takes us on a journey of understanding ourselves and those around us, and she stretches our greater world view. How does she do this? It’s a new approach and it’s led by the kids. An engaging writer, Susy has an endearing transparency around her own parenting, and is living out what she has written – she is truly changing the world, one family at a time. I have seen many books for parents and many for kids, but very few that tackle the real family conversations that are needed. Framed in the format of a trip – and who doesn’t love going on a family trip – issues of fighting fair, coping when you make a mistake and paying attention are some of my favourites that she creatively deals with. This book is for families to roll up their sleeves and enjoy the journey of discovery together – discovering one another and the amazing world in which we live. Karen Wilson, President, Baptist World Alliance Women; CEO Global Leadership Network Australia; mother and new grandmother! Accompanying my children into adulthood was one of the greatest privileges in my life. I felt deeply blessed for that chance and yet for something so important I lacked much intentionality, unlike many other areas of importance in my life. On reflection, I sadly just assumed we would find our way. Thankfully, sometimes to my surprise as I remember some of my parenting, my children have become generous, kind, functional, grounded adults. As I read Susy Lee’s book, I am genuinely excited for my son and young parents like him. These parents can now have this powerful resource that is practically structured, extremely accessible, and wonderfully creative. This book will wisely guide them to hold important conversations that are life-giving for their children and their family as a whole. Susy Lee is a humble, thoughtful, and generous spirit who holds that nature throughout her book. Cleverly child-focused, the book reinforces the fact that children are not just passive sponges but have voice, and when given the chance to explore all that life is, within the safety of a family relationship, they can flourish and find guidance by having the chance to talk through critical issues that will form their character, guide their choices, and strengthen their mental, relational, and spiritual wellbeing. What is different about this book is that it does not just articulate the challenges we all experience when thinking about raising children who will become quality people, it actually focuses more on the solution and gently instructs in ways that are about ‘good enough’ parenting. This book is not about getting it right but creating a holding, connected, and grounded presence in our children’s lives as we explore how they can become the best version of themselves. Anthony Sell, Director of Design & Learning, SEED: Growing redemptive changemakers for a rapidly shifting world Not content to let Instagram and Netflix raise our children, Susy Lee has written a brilliant guidebook that helps kids to put down their screens and dive into deep family conversations about critical social issues. If you want your family to care more about others, social justice, the planet, and culture in general, use this book! It’s fun, practical, inspiring, and it might just change the world! Michael Frost, Morling College, Sydney I am stunned by the level of thought Susy Lee has put into this book. It feels like she’s thought of everything to help families raise kids who care. This is an encyclopaedic book; by that I mean, complete. Dip in, dip out – stay for a while without feeling like you have to read cover-to-cover, do something with what you have read, and activate your family into caring more. And yet as time goes on, we’ll realise new topics arise that demand our attention and our thought. However, the opening chapters and suggestions will have given us enough fodder to address those matters around our dining table or in the car as we get to our holiday destination. It appears to me that this book is going to be a treasured title that doesn’t sit on the shelves gathering dust but instead turns up on dining tables or kitchen benches, dog-eared and loved. Dog-eared because children pick it up, flicking through the pages, asking to meet as a family and talk more about ‘those things’ that matter. Loved because children will come away feeling heard and appreciated, their opinions sought, and an increased sense of belonging. Loved because adults will burst with pride in response to their children’s suggestions and insights. Additionally, I think this book could become a trusted conversation starter for anyone interested in gathering their children’s friends and their families into these discussions. Whether around the BBQ or after preparing a batch of toasted sandwiches, neighbourhoods could come together and be prompted to talk about what matters most. What are you waiting for? If you’re deciding whether to buy this book – just do it. And if you’ve already made the purchase – call the kids inside. It’s time to connect, discuss, listen and then, act. Jo Hood, CEO, mainly Ministries, (NZ, Aus, UK), Mother of two, mother-in-law to two, grandmother of two As a pastor, I see how busy families are, as they juggle lots of competing demands. It can be easy to lose sight of what so many parents really want – to raise children who care! Susy Lee has created a fantastic Australian work that curates deep reflective thinking and then uses that research to develop games and conversations that bring families together. I love her passion and honesty. You can tell this is someone who has sought to live this out in her own life and family. I would recommend this book to all the families I know! This is also a valuable resource for churches wanting to engage with the wider community and create more spaces for families to wrestle with the big questions of life in a fun way. Rev. Christine Redwood, Pastor "A plethora of versatile, thought-provoking and fun family conversations to promote positive realisations and action." Alanah, 14 "An incredible way to exchange views and bond as a family. The conversations really helped our family to have important and meaningful conversations about our opinions and world views." Jayden, 16 |