How To Raise A Good Kid

By Starbuck O'Dwyer

Essential reading for every parent, How To Raise A Good Kid is a collection of 23 hilarious, honest and heartfelt stories about growing up and raising children that help parents teach lessons about core values such as faith, honesty, courage, hard work, perseverance and love. Guaranteed to make you laugh, each story is authentic, universal in theme and perfectly suited to serve as a conversation starter for parents trying to instill in their kids the importance of integrity and character and for purposes of discussing important topics such as bullying, prejudice, first love and many others. How To Raise A Good Kid is highly entertaining and meaningful and one of the best books about successfully navigating the challenges of childhood that you will ever find.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Starbuck O'Dwyer
• Release date: Feb 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9780972162487

Book preview

Reviews for How To Raise A Good Kid

[paradiseporch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

misleading title - actually "a collection of 23 hilarious, honest and heartfelt stories about raising children that help parents teach lessons about core values such as faith, honesty, courage, hard work, perseverance and love." Quite good.

[ericksevaluation · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

O'Dwyer's different accounts manage to succinctly mirror my childhood experiences. It successfully encapsulates the very essence of what we all go through growing up. A brief, enjoyable read.

[nibbles_243 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

the title is deceiving. it is surly not what one would think it is. in this book he basically reminisces about his child hood. the way he was brought up the differences between households. it brought back some of my old memories and how I really wish I could raise my children the way I was. Not to bad of a book but surely not what I expected.

[awblackwood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good read. Easy read of short stories. The title is a little misleading but understandable because I thought O'Dwyer was a fly on a wall of my life. I caught myself saying..."Wow, that happened to me too!" So enjoyable!

[amindy_2000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review* "How to Raise a Good Kid" is slightly misnamed; Starbuck O'Dwyer's tales of childhood are not so much lessons imparted by his parents, but more of a coming of age and things he has learned about both about himself and others through various experiences.Overall, I enjoyed the stories as they reminded me of my own childhood- the time of first loves and the independence of being "king (or queen) of the mall" simply because your parents trusted you to walk the mall unsupervised with your friends. It's obvious that O'Dwyer has a fondness for these childhood memories, though some seem to be shadowed by a sadness for things gone or regret for things he should have done.The only thing ups bothered me about O'Dwyer's writing style was that he occasionally tended to slip from telling the story in the present to viewing as a past event. This worked well in some stories such as "Patriotism," where there was a nice transition between he time lapse. In others such as "Loyalty," there was no transition; it abruptly changed in the last paragraph and it can feel a little jarring to read as the author rushed to get to the end of the story.

[anne.martin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the book and in a way, it sent me back to my own childhood. No, my parents were not even like Starbuck's ones, the way we were raised not the same, but the time was bout the same and it means a lot. We grew up without video games, or with the early ones, without cell phones or internet, in a world where grown ups know better and are right. Read this sweet nostalgic book, and remember if you are ol enough, or discover if you belong to the younger ones!

[misspider-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The title suggests some kind of parenting guidebook, which "How To Raise a Good Kid" definitely is not - or not in the usual way. It is not filled with raised fingers, advice on how or how not to act to become a good parent. It does not contain unnecessary tips that make you think "Any reasonable person already knows that - I don't need a book to repeat the obvious".Instead, it makes you think about ways to raise and teach a kid about life in a very subtle way. By telling small anecdotes from his own chReview The title suggests some kind of parenting guidebook, which "How To Raise a Good Kid" definitely is not - or not in the usual way. It is not filled with raised moral fingers or lists of do's and dont's. It does not contain unnecessary tips that make you think "Any reasonable person already knows that - I don't need a book to repeat the obvious".Instead, it makes you think about ways to raise and teach a kid about life in a very subtle, almost unnoticed way. By telling small anecdotes from his own childhood, the author evokes memories and feelings from the reader's own past. Comparing the stories to your own experiences, maybe as a parent already, but definitely as the child you once were yourself, you may gain a new perspective on certain subjects and reconsider your own actions.A parent myself, I sentimentalized remembering similar moments with my child, but also of my own childhood. I was reminded of those little every day moments that make a significant impact on a child's development, though a parent may not recognize their importance the way a child does. It's the small things and actions that matter and that we should be aware of every day.(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[mexico24 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A light hearted book in the form of short stories. Well written by an author I have read before an enjoyed.Recommended for parents who want that bit of inspiration.

[jsbancroft · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Based on the title, I thought this was going to be another book with a list of 15 things to do and not to do if you want your kids to grow into decent adults. I was pleasantly surprised to discover instead a collection of entertaining vignettes from the author's childhood that showed how his parents' values, rules and actions shaped him without his realizing it. I loved how his remembrances of growing up in the 1970's and early 1980's brought back memories of my own childhood, and reminded me of the things my own family did at that time. The best part of the book was how it made me realize that it's the little things we do - both the everyday routines and the times we do something outlandish and unexpected - that are forming our children, not the ways we try to emulate what we've been told to do by books, magazines, and the internet. A must read for parents, especially those feeling overwhelmed about what are the right and wrong tactics for raising kids.

[bburns21 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great read! Very relaxed reading and funny. Great for those of the older generation as it brought back a lot of memories, laughter, and tears.

[joycemg3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you expect this book to give you step by step advice for Raising good kids this is not the book for you. This book is Starbucks O'Dwyer's life growing up, which is filled with funny experiences and life learning lessons. It is a book that many of us can relate to and one that brings back many memories.I received this free book from LibraryThing.

[dizzyisi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.honestly I loved this book and how each story made me laugh so much. I also love how its filled with short stories so it made getting into the story and people in it that much easier and made the book so enjoyable.

[lauralistar · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyed it! Old school advice and stories on the ideals of the family dynamic, Fun to read, as it made me laugh a lot! If a book can make me laugh then that's a plus in my eyes :-)

[mootzymom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Won this on a giveaway. Thought it was funny at times and could relate at others!

[kekauoha-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Didn't know what to expect but was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed reading about lessons learned growing up that can be passed down to future generations.

[betsykipnis · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

"How To Raise A Good Kid" is like listening to the Prairie Home Companion only not as enjoyable. It is a collection of narratives that might work for Children or Middle School based television programming. The stories are organized around an ethical core not specifically presented by O'Dwyer. Further, there is no wrap-up or conclusion-like moment that lace up a parent's purpose for reading. In other words, it is not a guide in the least. Readers sort of have to keep reading to extract meaning and really it feels like you are listening to some guy at the Mariano's cafe telling you his fascinating tales of boyhood (which aren't that fascinating). By the last 1/3 of the book, I found myself skimming and scanning because simply I don't relate to the religious references. Coming out the other side of this work, I am left with a feeling of the "Royal We" demonstrating with clever, yesteryear detail how to live in that Wonder Bread sort of way. Glad it was an e-read so I don't have to mourn the waste of paper.

[ckhillman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Each of the shrot stories were for different lessons that were taught to the author by his parents during the seventies and eighties. They were well written and humorous to boot. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading "Goliath Gets Up".

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is NOT another boring self-help designed to make a parent feel inferior. This IS a fun collection of memories by a man who was once a kid and learned from his caring parents. It is also a fairly quick read, so just enjoy it!I won this eBook in Member Giveaway on LibraryThing in an exchange for an honest review.

[mrvica-12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Though I expexted a series of lessons on parenting and was almost ready to criticise some of them, I was pleasantly surprised to find a series of funny and easy-to-read stories about the author's childhood. There were descriptions of little things that the author remembers, events that didn't seem important at the time, but once he grew up made him realise the importance of every little thing his parents did or didn't do. The book brought back the memories of my own childhood although I grew up in completely different surroundings. However, there are some universal parenting values and it's always a good thing to bring them back to life.

[jenny_acc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A nice collection of childhood stories . i really enjoyed the book.

[flusteredduck · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Gently humorous collection of essays about family life and growing up in Rochester, New York. Heavy on nostalgia and sentiment but a pleasant read over the holiday season.

[jlynnp79 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is a collection of short stories of the author reflecting on how his parents helped instill character traits in him growing up, and how these have helped to shape him into the adult that he is now. The stories are sure to be relatable to almost anyone, and they are funny as well as heartwarming. Lessons such as respect and humility are learned, and they are reflected in this humorous book about raising kids.

[amy1825-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is very well written! It contains stories that will surely remind you of your childhood! ( I had a blankie too!) Being pregnant with twin boys currently, this was an eye opening look into the life and mind of a boy growing up, and made me even more excited to be having boys! (I already have a daughter) At 96 pages, this will not take you overly long to read, either! :)

[kimmyd76 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

How to Raise a Good Kid by Starbuck O'Dwyer This was a nice refreshing read! I liked how it was written and enjoyed reading each chapter. I thought it was more of a parenting book when I read the title but was pleasantly surprised it read more like a memoir. Very good book!

[joyceclark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thoroughly enjoyable read. This is a collection of short , mostly funny reminiscences about the author's childhood, particularly his relationship with his parents. No abuse, no divorce, no mental illness - O'Dwyer seems to have had a happy childhood, raised by parents who tried to raise their children to be decent human beings. A feel-good kind of book - I will definitely recommend it to others!

[sportzmomof5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.This was a book filled with cute funny stories. Each one was a lesson learned from his parents. Don't let the title confuse you this is NOT a how-to book. Just a well written collection based on true events.

[jaiw-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good selection of anecdotes written in O'Dwyer's wry style. Written as events in his childhood, and what they helped him learn, they are entertaining and a quick light read.

[librarian42 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A really lovely book, with lovely recollections in.

[lynngw · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Starbuck O'Dwyer's book gives a rather bittersweet look at his childhood and adolescence. I enjoyed his stories. They gave me food for thought in how I'm raising my own son. I read a few of the stories out loud to him. This led to discussion about important matters. So thanks.This e-book is a quick read and well worth it.

[linda.boschert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as an extra Library First giveaway and am so glad I did! I absolutely adored this book! Although I'm a little older, the author and I grew up in the same time period where kids could be kids and time was spent outdoors and with family. This book is basically a collection of short stories told with a great sense of humor. My only criticisim with this book is that I wish the stories had been told in chronological order to his age at the time. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book!