Seven Things Children Need: Significance, Security, Acceptance, Love, Praise, Discipline, and God

by John M. Drescher

After selling over 125,000 copies and being translated into nearly twenty languages, this Herald Press classic has been refreshed for new generations. Drescher continues to emphasize how parents can meet their children's seven most basic needs. Anybody who cares about children as persons created in God's image will rediscover the topics of significance, security, acceptance, love, praise, discipline, and God through this practical, timely resource written in a personal, down-to-earth way.

Genres: Parenting

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, quick read, but worth the time. I like the layout, feels more like a bullet-point presentation than a chapter book. It contains a few stories that speak to parents. I actually found a few ideas that I think I can implement, like trying to include Tate more in what I am doing when I am unable to go play with him on the floor and making sure I introduce Tate to new people to help him feel accepted. Not that I wouldn't think of introducing Tate, I just think that his age snuck up on me and now I realize he is old enough and I should start introducing him instead of just encouraging him to say hi when we talk with someone I know, but he doesn't.

[Samuel Sexton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal book!!! Must read if you are planning to have a child, but this is also an amazing book for understanding people and what they need.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

~Solid principles but read with a grain of social salt~

First the bad...this book was written in the mid 1970s and it shows. The author makes certain social and relationship assumptions about parents that are not consistent with our current society. For example he writes as if all parenting relationships include a mother and father who are married. For the most part I was able to read around these assumptions and apply the heart of the principles.

NOW for the GOOD...this book offered a lot of positive principles about raising children. It routinely asked thought provoking questions for parents to consider how their own actions and life choices would affect their children. It was also blessedly short. I think the 7 principles the author covers are solid, necessary, and timeless. Even if you don’t read it cover to cover, definitely give it a look see.

[Gabriela Freitas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and easy reading. Good to reflect if we, as parents and educators, are providing for a whole person's development for the children in our lives. Sometimes Drescher mentions some research but fails to provide the source, which often sounded fake, like "research conducted on this place showed this and that" but no more information about it is added. Overall I enjoyed the reading it provided my husband and me with some good questions about our parenting style.

[Ericka Colon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been searching for something like this!

This book has brought me to tears (good tears). I am feeling so much more confident in the areas of raising up children who love God and biblical disciple. Thank you to the writer your effort and God given writing talent are a true blessing to this family of ours! I pray many would come to this book for learning! If you are on the fence get it! You too will be delighted.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, this is a great book. It is super short, but goes straight to the core of what children needs. The author is Christian but it is not overtly religious, other than in the chapter about God.

It is a blast from the past, with good traditional values, put forth in a very digestible way, albeit a bit too simple for my taste as well as being a bit on the anecdotal side.

Worth reading, and worth recommending.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple but informative book on meeting your children's most important needs.

[Covenant Presbyterian Springfield Ohio]

Call Number: PS 155.4 DRE

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