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5 Minutes for Books – “Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture”

July 16, 2007 by Jennifer Donovan

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

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This review is authored by regular contributor Jennifer Donovan, book lover and mother of two of book lovers, who blogs at Snapshot.

I have to admit that when I hear the phrase “postmodern culture” especially in conjunction with the “emergent church,” my stomach clenches a bit. But I have loved Mary DeMuth’s perspective on parenting in her books Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God (which I reviewed in our first 5 Minutes for Book column), and Building the Christian Family You Never Had, so I knew that I wanted to read her new book Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture.

This book did not disappoint. My interview with Mary DeMuth that follows will hopefully give you more insight into her parenting philosophy as well as the term postmodern. Not everyone has adopted postmodern thinking, but it is something that will affect our children. It’s not (all) bad, just different. The term in itself is not a harmful one. Some of the ideas can be harmful within a Christian worldview, which is why it’s important to know more about it. After reading the book, I realize that my parenting has already embraced some of these changes (which is evidenced in something I recently wrote on my own blog about the role of children in Children Should Be Seen and Heard). I’m sure that if I keep my mind and heart open, I will continue to evolve with the culture in some ways, while remaining steadfast in areas which I know that the Lord would not want me to change or compromise.

JD: What does postmodern mean? And why should it matter to parents?

MD: Postmodernism is the waiting room between what used to be a modern worldview and what will be. According to several postmodern scholars, we’re in a shift right now, leaving modern ideas behind, but what we are shifting to is not yet fully defined. Postmoderns believe that rationalism and/or more education doesn’t necessarily create a better society. They typically don’t embrace the notion of absolute truth, though they reach for the transcendent. They are skeptical, and often question whether science is something to be embraced or feared.

The question for parents is how will we mine the current worldview, even as it shifts? What in it can we embrace as biblical? What is not biblical? What I’ve seen in the church is a fearful adherence to what is familiar. So we cling to modern ideas, even though they may not be biblical and shun postmodern ideas even when they might be biblical. Our children will meet this shifting worldview no matter what our opinion of it is.

JD: Does a cultural shift matter? What happens if we don’t change our perspective on parenting as the world around us has? What happens when we do?

The shift matters because our kids will face that world. The key is preparing them well. How? We have to understand the culture, even if it means going out of our comfort zone to figure it out. But, it’s not so scary. Maybe just think about it as the same-old, same-old generation gap. It will exist. We will view life differently. But we can still engage our children. The most important thing is to love your kids wildly, to provide a safe home where they can fall apart or rejoice, and to be available when they want to process.

If we stubbornly don’t change our perspective, we may see a rift in our relationship with our kids. Some worry if we capitulate to our culture, we’re giving in and becoming weak parents. I’m not talking about abdicating our role as parents and becoming chummy with our kids to be cool. I’m simply advocating parents try their darnedest to walk around in their kids shoes a bit, to understand their world. Maybe it really boils down to empathy.

JD: How can we as parents figure out what works best for us and our own children without worrying about what others think, if we might be going against the norm in our particular group?

MD: Oh that’s a hard one. Go to Jesus. Trust Him for your family. Rest in His direction. And let the naysayers say their naysaying. We got plenty of that when we put our kids directly into French schools. Believe me, it was agonizing. I’m still grieving that time. But it was the direction we felt the Lord leading us to go. We saw miracles. We saw our kids in perhaps the most difficult school situation in the world still learn to thrive. They clung to Jesus. Nothing, nothing, nothing can take that away from them. They learned that Jesus is near even in the most difficult situations.

JD: I love how you often admit to apologizing to your kids when you make a mistake. It’s something that I have to do often as well. Do you remember a change in your parenting theory that allowed you to do this, or was it always a part of your parenting style?

MD: I grew up in a home where nary an apology was uttered. This was crazy-making. I grew up with a terrible sense that I was what was wrong with the world. I determined to not continue that pattern. I want my children to know that I’m human, that they’re not always to blame, that mommies fail too. I also don’t want to show myself as perfect to my kids. Otherwise, why would I need Jesus? I don’t want them to think Christianity is a bunch of dos and don’ts. I want them to fall in love with Jesus. If they think it’s all about personal perfection, they just might miss Him.

The author has donated a copy of this book (for U.S. or Canadian addresses), so if you’d like to win, leave a comment by Friday.

Congrats to the winner of last week’s drawing for Fat Proof Your Family:

Michele at Life in the Old Pueblo

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About Jennifer Donovan

Jennifer Donovan has been a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom team since 2007. She writes product reviews, covers events, and manages the 5 Minutes for Books weekly column and website. She lives in Houston and blogs at Snapshot about life with her family.

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45 Comments

  1. Cari says

    July 17, 2007 at 6:19 pm

    This sounds like a book I would like to read. Please include me in the drawing!

    Reply
  2. Jen says

    July 17, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    After discussing my husband’s study of a postmodern world view with him at length and after hearing him teach several classes on it, I think a book like this is most needful. I look forward to getting a copy and reading it! I definitely need to know how to instruct my child to deal with the shift in culture while still following the teaching of Christ!

    Reply
  3. melody says

    July 17, 2007 at 2:28 pm

    Mary is a delightful person. I’ve had a couple of conversations with her via email, and was so moved, inspired and enlightened by “Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God”.

    I’d love to have this book.

    Reply
  4. At A Hen's Pace says

    July 17, 2007 at 10:40 am

    Nice interview, Jennifer! Please enter me in the drawing.

    Jeanne

    Reply
  5. Katrina says

    July 17, 2007 at 10:34 am

    Sounds great, and I always love Mary’s books. Put me in for the drawing, please!

    Reply
  6. Connie says

    July 17, 2007 at 9:34 am

    Very interested in this book – please enter me!

    Reply
  7. Susan S. says

    July 17, 2007 at 5:28 am

    Please count me in! I too like the idea of apologies… definitely an imperfect parent, I grew up a bit of a perfectionist. I’d like to push against this trend where my little one is concerned.

    Reply
  8. Jenn says

    July 17, 2007 at 3:29 am

    Sounds interesting, please add me to the list!

    Reply
  9. Bad Sheep says

    July 17, 2007 at 12:47 am

    Sounds like a big help in parenting. Is this the manual every one looks for?

    Reply
  10. corinne says

    July 16, 2007 at 10:55 pm

    Sounds intriguing — count me in!

    Reply
  11. Christy says

    July 16, 2007 at 9:54 pm

    This sounds like a very interesting book. I would love to win it so I can read it on my next vacation.

    Reply
  12. tanyetta says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:18 pm

    count me in 🙂

    Reply
  13. Rachael says

    July 16, 2007 at 5:59 pm

    Would love to be a winner!

    Reply
  14. Beth/Mom2TwoVikings says

    July 16, 2007 at 3:45 pm

    I’m leary but intrigued. Count me in.

    Reply
  15. Faerylandmom says

    July 16, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    Sounds interesting, and worth giving a fair read. Count me in, please. 🙂

    Reply
  16. Sara says

    July 16, 2007 at 2:55 pm

    Thanks for the review it sounds like a great book!

    Reply
  17. Mama Zen says

    July 16, 2007 at 2:53 pm

    Sounds like a great book!

    Reply
  18. Brandie says

    July 16, 2007 at 2:48 pm

    Sounds like a book that would be a good read!
    I’d lie to throw out, I am so good at apologizing to my children too! And it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who has to do that. But I make mistakes, and I feel bad, and I don’t want my kids to feel bad about my mistakes so I think that apology is an important step. Also, I have one perfectionist child who thinks she must be perfect all the time. Especially for her, I think she needs to see me be imperfect because it gives her a little more breathing room to accept herself when she isn’t perfect, kwim?

    Reply
  19. Lauren says

    July 16, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    This book sounds terrific. I would love to win it!

    Reply
  20. Teresa says

    July 16, 2007 at 1:09 pm

    This looks like a very good book. I am always looking to read about ways to be a better parent and to help my children lean on Christ in a world that does not. Thanks for such a great review!

    Reply
  21. Ashley Nichole Navarre says

    July 16, 2007 at 12:51 pm

    me please!

    Reply
  22. relevantgirl says

    July 16, 2007 at 12:22 pm

    Thanks so much for your honest review. I so appreciate it. I need to say that the “waiting room” metaphor to postmodernism is something my friend Will Samson coined.

    Blessings to you all,
    Mary

    Reply
  23. Laura says

    July 16, 2007 at 11:36 am

    Sounds very interesting, please include me.

    Laura

    Reply
  24. Anna says

    July 16, 2007 at 11:29 am

    I’ve been looking at this book for a while! Thanks for offering it to win!

    Reply
  25. Jana (sidetrack'd) says

    July 16, 2007 at 11:28 am

    Sounds like an interesting read; please add me to the drawing. Thanks for an opportunity to win it!

    Reply
  26. Heather says

    July 16, 2007 at 10:55 am

    Would love to be entered. Love to read any parenting book I can get my hands on. I figure we can always use any help/advice we can get to become the best parents God intends us to be.

    Reply
  27. Beth says

    July 16, 2007 at 10:50 am

    I am always looking for new ideas to help me be a better parent!

    Reply
  28. Amy Grant says

    July 16, 2007 at 10:10 am

    I love the new look of the site! Wow!

    btw.. I really would love to win this book!

    Reply
  29. escapades unlimited says

    July 16, 2007 at 9:45 am

    I probably need to read this book, because I love what she said about wanting her children to fall in love with Jesus and that Christianity isn’t just a bunch of dos and don’ts. Count me in on the giveaway!

    Reply
  30. Jill says

    July 16, 2007 at 9:37 am

    This book sounds great, count me in!

    Reply
  31. Cory says

    July 16, 2007 at 9:25 am

    I’d love to win this book. Mary sounds like a wonderful writer. Thank you and God bless you.

    Reply
  32. Diana Bartling says

    July 16, 2007 at 9:07 am

    Sounds like a great book…and so very true that churches often get stuck in the familiar without thinking about what is truly biblical!

    Reply
  33. Shauna says

    July 16, 2007 at 9:04 am

    I love Mary’s books. Please count me in.

    Reply
  34. Adventures In Babywearing says

    July 16, 2007 at 8:49 am

    First of all, the site looks great! And this book sounds so interesting!

    Steph

    Reply
  35. kelli in the mirror says

    July 16, 2007 at 8:46 am

    Count me in- I want to hear more about this.

    Reply
  36. Barb Taylor says

    July 16, 2007 at 8:43 am

    Please enter me. I would like to read more!

    Reply
  37. Tessa says

    July 16, 2007 at 8:21 am

    Yes, I agree,sounds like a good read. I also like your new blog style. Very Groovy.

    Reply
  38. Liz says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:59 am

    The book sounds very interesting especially as the postmodern discussion really heats up.

    Reply
  39. Jen says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:51 am

    This looks like a book that would have some great insights into helping your children be in but not of the world. Please enter me in the contest, thanks!

    Reply
  40. stephanie says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:48 am

    I’m in … sounds interesting.

    Reply
  41. Gretchen says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:34 am

    I think the book sounds really interesting! Count me in!

    Reply
  42. Monkey Giggles says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:33 am

    COUNT me in on this one. Thank you for offering it up.

    Reply
  43. ChupieandJsmama says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:29 am

    I love your new look! Count me in for the book 🙂

    Reply
  44. mama k says

    July 16, 2007 at 7:16 am

    please enter me!
    It really sounds interesting.

    Reply
  45. Jenn in AZ says

    July 16, 2007 at 3:31 am

    Thank you for the chance at winning this book! This sounds interesting…I need to read it through before I can say I agree totally with it. That is what makes a compelling book!

    Jenn in AZ (hometeachinatcox.net)

    Reply

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