Buddha Never Raised Kids
& Jesus Didn't Drive Carpool

Vickie Falcone

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

About four years after I started teaching parenting courses, I began to receive invitations to speak to conferences and groups around the country. One day while preparing a Parenting with Soul keynote speech, I was reviewing quotes from the Dalai Lama, Buddha, and Jesus, when I suddenly said out loud, "Hey, none of these guys raised kids! No wonder it's so easy for them to spew messages about peace and centeredness. They've never had to drive a carpool of screaming children through a traffic jam or get their two-year-old to eat her veggies!"

Buddha Never Raised Kids and Jesus Didn't Drive Carpool - was it too irreverent a title for my talk? As I tested it on friends and students of different faiths, it seemed to strike a happy chord, and no lightning struck me, so I figured it was okay. I felt deep respect for the work of these and other masters, and now I felt even more committed to synthesize the wisdom from their teachings and apply it to my everyday parenting challenges.

Review by Molly Martin (310804) Rating (8/10)

Review by Molly Martin
Rating 8/10
The Seven Principles for parenting with soul put forth by the author are the Section Titles for the work.

Falcone lists eight chapters under PRINCIPLE 1 CONNECT, two chapters comprise AWAKEN YOUR INTUITION, BECOME A CONSCIOUS CREATOR, LIVE IN INTEGRITY and TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH GRATITUDE each are covered in one chapter each. CREATE ABUNDANCE is explained in two chapters and INFUSE YOUR LIFE WITH PEACE is defined in three. An Introduction, glossary, resources and information pertaining to the author round out this just under 300-page work.

I knew I would enjoy the read when looking at the inside book cover. These words not only piqued my interest but brought a smile to my lips: Buddha never Raised Kids, Jesus didn’t drive carpool, and it’s doubtful the Dalai Lama ever changed a dirty diaper at dawn. In her work Buddha Never Raised Kids writer Falcone offers concrete suggestions to new and labouring parents of older kids for how to connect with self. Falcone suggests that it is important for parents to take time for themselves.

She suggests writing/posting and following suggestions listing how to be a happy parent as well as offering fifty ways to calm the self. Falcone goes on to state that once connection with self is established it is time/possible to create the parenting vision. Chapter two is filled with suggestions for parents as they seek ways to improve parenting and gain peace in their lives.

I especially like the works offered at the beginning of Chapter 6: Move toward your child with love: how to connect with your child. The PHIL: Powerful, Heard, Important, Loved concept offered in the previous chapter is now embellished by writer Falcone with workable suggestions for parents to use as they endeavor to create the home peace and close relationship most of us envision when we first view our newborn child.
A quote by Pope John 23 gracing the heading of chapter 8 is the tenet I have long believed and used in my career as a teacher and as a parent: See everything, overlook a great deal, correct a little.

Actual case studies and comments gleaned from seminars and motivational groups held by writer Falcone on the pages of Buddha Never Raised Kids add interest to the various chapters. Reading about the struggles of real people is often something helpful for the rest of us who also struggle with a particular problem. Falcone’s easy writing style, her ability to list successes and some instances of not quite so successful add to the believability of her assertions. Parenting is hard work, Falcone herself a parent of two children has provided a valuable tool for parents in Buddha Never Raised Kids.

Buddha Never Raised Kids is not a heavy tome filled with ‘pie in the sky’ type oughta work but probably don’t with real people type work. It is a must have for the home library of those who seek to improve their own lives. Enjoyed the read, happy to recommend.
Molly Martin (31st August 2004)