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For the parents out there, there’s a really good book aimed at 5-13 year old kids on this topic. Honestly I think it’s good for adults who haven’t sorted it out

For the parents out there, there’s a really good book aimed at 5-13 year old kids on this topic. Honestly I think it’s good for adults who haven’t sorted it out either. Specifically, self discipline vs imposed discipline, and how self discipline if properly harnessed is the best way to find freedom in life. I was skeptical at first due to how the book presents itself but it’s really good. “The way of the warrior kid” by jocko willinck.

albatrosstrophy 5y ago
Thanks I'll check it out.
ido 5y ago
Checking the excerpt online, does this book include glorification of the military?
- defphysics 5y ago
  No it doesn't. I listened to the audiobook and agree it has very good lessons. One of the big ones has to do with empathy. I wish I'd had a book like this when I was a kid.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- anonfornoreason 5y ago
  That was my hesitation as well. My kid is young, didn't want to start that sort of thing early - he has no idea what the military is right now, only thinks guns are for hunting. They do say "Jake is a navy seal" but it doesn't go into it in any detail. It does have each division of the military's codes (along with viking codes, samurai codes, etc) as an example, but it's not a major part of the story and you can literally just skip those pages. I am a self-driven adult, but I even found value in how simply it explains the concept of self discipline. Have you ever had someone explain to you the difference between motivation and self-discipline? I was nodding along because I knew these concepts, but hadn't seen them explained in a way that was just perfectly crystal clear. Spoilers (funny to write this for a kids book): In one chapter, the kid learns how to learn, and learns that some people are naturally quick at certain things but others have to work much harder. That it doesn't mean you are dumb if you don't learn something really quick, that there are techniques you can learn that help if you just try. It also has a bunch of good stuff on humility, working well with others even if they have bullied you in the past, respecting yourself, etc. For example, the kid is getting bullied (amongst other things going wrong with his life). He trains all summer so he can defend himself, stands up to the kid in a way that isn't physical (it doesn't glorify that in any way) and then befriends him. He then invites him to come play with the other kids. The way he becomes friends with him after being bullied by him for an entire year takes an incredible amount of humility and kindness, and made me feel like I could improve in how I relate to other people I have had conflict with.
  - ido 5y ago
    Thanks for the extensive reply! I’ll try to locate a German translation when my kids get a bit older (they are now 3 and 5).
watwut 5y ago
I don't particularly want my kids to be warriors. Too many of them are psychopaths.
- mrkentutbabi 5y ago
  I do.
- anonfornoreason 5y ago
  I find that exposing my kids to a variety of perspectives helps them become a more well rounded person. I reject the idea that mere exposure to an idea will make them become any one thing, and that I have to shelter them.
  - watwut 5y ago
    The book is not something you give the kids to read. It is something you read in order to be able to shape then in a certain way. It is not about exposing them to ideas, it is about making them certain way, because it sounds cool. --------- But also with exposure of ideas, pretty much no one exposes jids to all ideas equally with no framing. Approving or disapproving framing is there, whether direct or subtle.
    - anonfornoreason 5y ago
      “It’s about making them a certain way because it sounds cool” is an interesting statement to make. It assumes my mental state and motivations. With all things parenting, there are many correct ways to go about raising kids. Whatever you want to call it, I’m trying to raise mine to be resilient, recognize self imposed limitations, to be humble and to recognize the value of hard work and self discipline. Feel free to disregard the suggestion of those things aren’t interesting to you as a parent raising a child. Finally, there’s a huge amount of warrior worship these days (I have my own theory why but I’ll hold that back), so I understand skepticism of the book based off its title.
      - watwut 5y ago

albatrosstrophy 5y ago

Thanks I'll check it out.

ido 5y ago

Checking the excerpt online, does this book include glorification of the military?

defphysics 5y ago
No it doesn't. I listened to the audiobook and agree it has very good lessons. One of the big ones has to do with empathy. I wish I'd had a book like this when I was a kid.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
anonfornoreason 5y ago
That was my hesitation as well. My kid is young, didn't want to start that sort of thing early - he has no idea what the military is right now, only thinks guns are for hunting. They do say "Jake is a navy seal" but it doesn't go into it in any detail. It does have each division of the military's codes (along with viking codes, samurai codes, etc) as an example, but it's not a major part of the story and you can literally just skip those pages. I am a self-driven adult, but I even found value in how simply it explains the concept of self discipline. Have you ever had someone explain to you the difference between motivation and self-discipline? I was nodding along because I knew these concepts, but hadn't seen them explained in a way that was just perfectly crystal clear. Spoilers (funny to write this for a kids book): In one chapter, the kid learns how to learn, and learns that some people are naturally quick at certain things but others have to work much harder. That it doesn't mean you are dumb if you don't learn something really quick, that there are techniques you can learn that help if you just try. It also has a bunch of good stuff on humility, working well with others even if they have bullied you in the past, respecting yourself, etc. For example, the kid is getting bullied (amongst other things going wrong with his life). He trains all summer so he can defend himself, stands up to the kid in a way that isn't physical (it doesn't glorify that in any way) and then befriends him. He then invites him to come play with the other kids. The way he becomes friends with him after being bullied by him for an entire year takes an incredible amount of humility and kindness, and made me feel like I could improve in how I relate to other people I have had conflict with.
- ido 5y ago
  Thanks for the extensive reply! I’ll try to locate a German translation when my kids get a bit older (they are now 3 and 5).

watwut 5y ago

I don't particularly want my kids to be warriors. Too many of them are psychopaths.

mrkentutbabi 5y ago
I do.
anonfornoreason 5y ago
I find that exposing my kids to a variety of perspectives helps them become a more well rounded person. I reject the idea that mere exposure to an idea will make them become any one thing, and that I have to shelter them.
- watwut 5y ago
  The book is not something you give the kids to read. It is something you read in order to be able to shape then in a certain way. It is not about exposing them to ideas, it is about making them certain way, because it sounds cool. --------- But also with exposure of ideas, pretty much no one exposes jids to all ideas equally with no framing. Approving or disapproving framing is there, whether direct or subtle.
  - anonfornoreason 5y ago
    “It’s about making them a certain way because it sounds cool” is an interesting statement to make. It assumes my mental state and motivations. With all things parenting, there are many correct ways to go about raising kids. Whatever you want to call it, I’m trying to raise mine to be resilient, recognize self imposed limitations, to be humble and to recognize the value of hard work and self discipline. Feel free to disregard the suggestion of those things aren’t interesting to you as a parent raising a child. Finally, there’s a huge amount of warrior worship these days (I have my own theory why but I’ll hold that back), so I understand skepticism of the book based off its title.
    - watwut 5y ago