Parenting Toward the Kingdom

Healthy, honest, wise, and practical. Mamalakis’s work should be required reading in every Christian household. Rooted in the faith, psychologically sound, and tested in the fire of a real family-this is a book I have been waiting to see for years. -Fr. Stephen Freeman, author, Everywhere Present and the blog Glory to God for All Things

Parenting Toward the Kingdom is a heartening reminder of our ultimate goal as Orthodox parents. Dr. Mamalakis offers practical solutions on how to respond more and react less to our children by making us aware of their struggles and helping

us understand the whys of their behavior, thus giving us the ability to truly parent them in the right direction-toward the Kingdom of God. -Sylvia Leontaritis, author of the blog Adventures of an Orthodox Mom

Parenting Toward the Kingdom will help all parents who have the aim of making their homes a “micro-church” (a beautiful goal expressed by that great teacher of pedagogy, St. John Chrysostom). It will be often consulted and reread, because

it combines high Christian ideals with everyday practical tips that everyone can learn to apply. It encourages parents to be vigilant, but it will not induce the anxious second-guessing that often taints the atmosphere in the home and hinders

parent-child relationships from being natural and happy. Instead, this book describes realistically how being a conscientious parent and trying to improve brings blessings upon the whole family. It deals straightforwardly with mistakes

that parents make. It offers solutions and includes ideas about how to make positive use of parenting guides. It will often make the reader smile. -Sister Magdalen, author of Children in the Church Today

This is an excellent book ! My first child was a breeze so when my son started having issues I was at a complete loss: ( this book was an easy read with sound advice coming from both a biblical Christian perspective as well as sound psychological science. I highly recommend this book to any parent regardless of faith background. I was able to put things into practice right away and have seen amazing results with my children and an improvement in our relationship: ) A truly invaluable work, accessible and a joy to read! -Angelina, Broken Arrow, OK

This is an amazing book and has changed my life. The author has written it very well and gives many examples of everyday issues in the home and explains how to deal with them! I have recommended this book to many parents. It has changed the way we view parenting and has improved our relationships with our children .-Adelaide, Australia

Dr. Philip Mamalakis lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with his wife Georgia and their seven children. He is the Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, where he directs the field education program and teaches courses on pastoral care, marriage and family, grief, death and dying, and pastoral counseling. Dr. Mamalakis also has a private practice in Newton, Massachusetts, where he works with individuals, couples, and families. He holds an M.Div. from Holy Cross and a Ph.D. from Purdue University in child development and family studies, specializing in marriage and family therapy. Dr. Mamalakis has been offering parenting courses and writing on parenting for 21 years, and he enjoys leading seminars and retreats on intimacy, relationships, marriage, parenting, family life, Orthodoxy, and psychology.