KidUnique: Helping Kids Discover Who They Are
Dan Webster
Group, 2011, 196 pp., $17.99
KidUnique: Helping Kids Discover Who They Are (Video Workshop)
Dan Webster
Group, 2011, $79
Are you an adult who hopes to make deep investments in the lives of kids? Or are you a parent who is interested in connecting with your own child in a meaningful way? Dad, author and longtime youth worker Dan Webster has put together a resource that will help adults become trained in being kid-unique. Drawing from decades of personal and professional experience, Webster’s book will score points with parents of preteens and teenagers, but also beneficial for youth leaders, coaches and mentors.
The author’s Four Window Model focuses on taking notice of kids, celebrating their individual strengths, boosting self-esteem and so much more. KidUnique is also loaded with sidebar exercises to help the reader personalize the information and finishes with a 31-day experience that will help in developing a stronger connection with your child or a teenager whom you care about. On the downside, the book seems to be a very drawn-out introduction with little to sink your teeth into; and it may run the risk of being too easy of a read. KidUnique also lacks at times the ongoing engagement to keep the reader turning pages.
The DVD version of KidUnique is well done. The 11-session video workshop captures Dan Webster’s heart much better than the book. Sprinkled with Scripture, personal stories and activities, the DVDs are inspirational and have excellent flow from one session to the next. It is perfect for small groups, a multi-session parent elective, or just a bunch of caring adults who want to do all of the material on a weekend.
The highlight of this resource is Webster’s explanation of how kids are doing today early in the lineup. The camera work is a bit choppy on occasion, and the ending could have used more heart. In all, this is a good product that will be relevant for a long time. It is one of the many good options out there to help adults form life-changing connections with students of this generation.
