This book was refreshing, challenging, humorous, inspiring, and empowering. As a mom of younger children, it helped me to be forward thinking about intentionally shaping my children's childhoods. I hadn't thought about many of the upcoming issues of middle to older childhood in their entirety and the author guided us through those well. She was quick to offer her own experiences as a child and mother and her own perspective, but also left it open to readers to make choices regarding the various aspects of raising children in this age. She was truth telling, yet humble. She made you laugh out loud and also addressed some serious aspects of the transition from childhood to becoming teenagers.
I recently watched A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, where Tom Hanks played Mister Rogers, and it was so evident that Fred Rogers loved children, childhood, and valuing children in general. It is also clear that the author of Let Them Be Kids loves kids as well and values childhood. She greatly desires it to be a life-giving time for children and parents as well.
I am glad she wrote this book and that I read it as a young mom.