A Little Child Shall Lead Them: Hopeful Parenting in a Confused World

by Johann Christoph Arnold

Offers parents practical wisdom on the key to effective education: finding the heart of each child. The book includes chapters on the unborn child, the first five years, the older child, the transition into adulthood, parenting, when children suffer, and the role of grandparents.

Genres: Parenting

193 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 1997

About the author

People have come to expect sound advice from Johann Christoph Arnold, an award-winning author with over two million copies of his twelve books in print in more than twenty languages. A noted speaker and writer on marriage, parenting, and end-of-life issues, Arnold was a senior pastor of the Bruderhof, a movement of Christian communities, until his death in April 2017.

Arnold’s message was shaped by encounters with great peacemakers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Dorothy Day, César Chavez, and John Paul II. Together with paralyzed police officer Steven McDonald, Arnold started the Breaking the Cycle program, working with students at hundreds of public high schools to promote reconciliation through forgiveness. This work also brought him to conflict zones from Northern Ireland to Rwanda to the Middle East. Closer to home, he served as chaplain for the local sheriff’s department.

Born in Great Britain in 1940 to German refugees, Arnold spent his boyhood years in South America, where his parents found asylum during the war; he immigrated to the United States in 1955. He and his wife, Verena, have eight children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Reviews

[Katherine Pershey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written by the senior elder of the Bruderhof, which is a small collective of Anabaptist communities. I have a special place in my heart for Anabaptist theology and culture; they are a historical peace church with a significant commitment to family and simplicity. I didn't agree with all the social and theological convictions in this book, but that's sort of beside the point. It is full of good advice rooted in a wonderful philosophy of parenting.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a more in-depth book as compared to "Thoughts on Children" by the same author. I prefer this one as it comes complete with real-life examples, the author's recommendations on child-rearing, brilliant quotes and practical ideas that we can apply to our daily lives. A good read for parents who are concerned enough to want to research on parenting.