Tara's View on Books: Not So Fast (press release)

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Not So Fast (press release)

Is every hour rush hour at your house?

We’re raising our kids in a high-speed, high-pressured, 24/7 world. Pushing children to get ahead, we cram everything possible into our days to maximize their chance at success. We’re overloaded, overextended, overcommitted, and over-caffeinated. And we’re paying a price.

Not So Fast: Slow-Down Solutions for Frenzied Families explores the jarring effects of our overcommitted culture and offers refreshing alternatives with a Christian perspective. Author Ann Kroeker relates her own story of how embracing a slower everyday pace has resulted in a richer, fuller, and more meaningful family and spiritual life. Practical ideas and insights will spark creativity and personal reflection. Plus, ponder real-life stories from parents reaping the riches of a simper, slower lifestyle. Not so Fast offers hope that families struggling with hurried hearts and frantic souls can discover the rejuvenating power of an unrushed life.

Adapted from Not So Fast:

What’s behind all this rushing around? Why do we haul our families hither and yon, cramming as much as possible into each day? What compels us to keep up the pace?

Our answers may be all over the place. Some are reasonable motivations; others are questionable. In any case, it’s enlightening, if at times a bit sobering, to dig a little and understand why we’re making these choices. Do our choices glorify God?

Take a deep breath and join me for some self-examination. See if any of these motivations ring true as we ask, Why do we fill up the kids’ schedules?

· Because it’s safe

· Because it gives them a competitive edge

· Because we’re afraid of being seen as sluggards

· Because it’s the only way to relate

· Because it sure looks—and feels—good

· Because it’s all I know

(see Chapter 3 for further explanation of each of these motivations)

Author Bio: Author of The Contemplative Mom, Ann Kroeker is an acclaimed writer and speaker committed to encouraging and inspiring families as they face the demands of daily living. A contributor to the award-winning Experiencing the Passion of Jesus, she has written for numerous corporations and her articles have appeared in a variety of publications including Decision, The Student, Christian Home and School, and Indianapolis Woman. Ann and her husband, Philippe, have been married 18 years and have four children.