All of us are influenced by the books we read, whether we read non-fiction to learn about a specific topic or fiction for relaxation. What if you can deliberately use stories to shape yourself and your children? It is precisely what Amanda Johnson proposes in her book Raised by Story: Cultivate Character and Preserve Freedom in Children and Culture. She shows how she used stories in various formats, such as books, movies, and series, to teach her son Aaron how to deal with issues like uncertainty, self-knowledge, training, camaraderie, redemption, destiny, and leadership. Co-authored by Aaron Johnson - now eighteen years old - he also shares how his mother's use of stories helped shape his life.

Raised by Story is a helpful guide for parents who believe in the power of stories. Not only does Amanda Johnson show how she used this practice with her son, but she also provides questions for every topic to initiate a conversation with your child. Sharing stories is an excellent way of bonding and spending quality time together. After all, even Jesus taught his disciples through the use of stories. I appreciate that our love of stories is entertaining and can also teach our children essential skills like critical thinking, empathy, foreshadowing, and character-building - all by sharing an activity with your child that you both enjoy. If you love the book, you can also sign up for their workshop to help you address these themes with your children more intentionally.

Raised by Story by Amanda and Aaron Johnson is about the impressions certain stories can have on children as they grow into self-sufficient adults. After a youth characterized by indoctrination in a small town, Amanda Johnson and her husband Ryan steer their son, Aaron, on a course that will enable him to arrive at his own conclusions about religion and the world around him. A seemingly innocuous comment at the dinner table sparks an idea on how to teach their son about the world, decisions, and consequences through stories. Amanda and Aaron share their experiences and encourage parents to try their methods.

As a Christian, I was skeptical at first about Amanda and Ryan’s methods, but they don’t eliminate the existence of a God. Instead, they allowed their son to form his own opinions about a higher consciousness based on the lessons he learned from stories. I valued many of the ideas in the book, but one point hit home with me, which is that a person’s actions do not make that person bad, and this is a truth that I stress with my children. Aaron is an adult, so he can attest to the validity of his parents' methods, so it seems to be a true success story. Through time, traditions and lessons have been passed down orally, so I understood Amanda and Ryan’s idea to give Aaron the right information and allow him to make his own decisions.

Amanda and Aaron Johnson’s book may be met with skepticism, but I implore readers to concentrate on the outcome - Aaron’s wise and mature decisions at his young age - before they form an opinion. I recommend Raised by Story to parents and caregivers as they navigate the years when a young mind is formed, and opinions are shaped by experiences.

Aaron Johnson and Amanda Johnson spill it all in their book, Raised by Story: Cultivate Character and Preserve Freedom in Children and Culture. The mother and son team collaborated to write a book packed with personal accounts, sharing their life experiences, observations, and favorite stories with readers. Amanda was in a deep spiritual crisis at the time her son was born. She questioned her religion and everything she had been taught since childhood. The process of breaking free from early indoctrination was harder than she could have imagined. When she had Aaron, she did not want him to experience what she had gone through. She wanted him to have a mind of his own and understand life before he became an adult. She got the desired results, but she realized the process wasn't fun. She started to use stories to pass on her message. It took a while for her to master the new approach, but it was worthwhile.

This is an outstanding book filled with insightful conversations, lots of interesting stories, and important lessons. People love stories, including children. We are wired to be interested in stories. When you explain something to a young child, he or she might not get what you're saying unless you narrate it in the form of a story. Most moral lessons are instilled in children through the telling of stories. I enjoyed reading about the personal experiences of both authors, and the book was written effortlessly. It had a smooth feel to it. The topic of leadership is an engaging one. If you are looking for a better way to educate your child on how to be a leader, a critical thinker, and develop a worldview that is not easily manipulated, you should get a copy of Raised by Story by Amanda and Aaron Johnson.

Most parents want their kids to mature into self-assured, accountable individuals. I also think that most people want their children to grow beyond who they are. But how do you help kids grow into compassionate, strong, sincere people willing to face challenges with strength and courage? How can you assist them in overcoming generational curses and redefining what it means to be a prosperous businessperson, leader, or even an entrepreneur? In Amanda Johnson and Aaron Johnson's Raised by Story, many of these critical parenting issues are deftly tackled through the gripping tale of a protective mother and her child. As these authors share with you how and what has enabled them to thrive and develop into the best versions of themselves, you will enjoy the development of the most fascinating and admirable relationship any parent should have with their child.

Aaron Johnson and Amanda Johnson did an excellent job of making their main ideas simple enough for the audience to understand. The book was easy to read and was nicely put together. The section that I loved the most focused on how parents can develop virtue and wisdom and change generational patterns to alter their own patterns of behavior and assist their children in avoiding harmful familial traditions. I also liked how the book included a biblical allusion to help many parents raise their children correctly, as well as popular video shows and movies excellently supporting the ideas and thoughts. I have to admit that it has been a long time since I opened my Bible or even took the time to watch a movie. Raised by Story encouraged me to look for my Bible and watch my favorite movie as a child, "Finding Nemo." I was pleased to see how the authors could glean the most appealing parental insights from such relatable sources. I also appreciated how the authors guide and encourage parents to have open, non-defensive conversations with their children. This is the only way parents and children can pour their hearts out and improve their connection.

According to an ancient African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. Irrespective of the location, this process normally involves the use of religious and cultural proverbs as well as other conventional instruments until you get the desired feedback from your offspring. For Amanda Johnson and her son Aaron, this method was dated and did not guarantee the best results. They devised a unique approach that focused on the use of stories (in their case, television stories) to create a system with an instant feedback loop that not only teaches the child to differentiate between right and wrong but also objective reasoning where actions and consequences are concerned. This technique worked and now they want to share exactly how this method works with you in Raised by Story: Cultivate Character and Preserve Freedom in Children and Culture.

Amanda and Aaron Johnson are direct in their explanations, expertly detailing the origins of this alternative learning process and how they expect it would impact the child. The opening chapter sets the tone for the rest of the book with the Bible incident. The use of popular movies for their lessons piqued my interest as I have thought along these lines occasionally but never had villains and heroes flawlessly categorized in this manner. The section on the dynamics of friendships is an eye-opener for parents. Despite its unorthodox approach, I strongly believe Raised by Story is a book ahead of its time. I encourage all parents to read this book and avail themselves of this cutting-edge approach which will ultimately prove invaluable.