Ask any parent what they want most for their child, and most likely you'll hear the same answer again and again: to see their children grow up into happy, healthy adults whose lives count for something. But ask those same parents what they're doing to equip their children for such a life and you'll get embarrassed silence.

Finally, parents can find help for this crucial task in a book that is encouraging, easy to grasp, and filled with great practical suggestions. In Launching Your Kids for Life, Bob and Cheryl Reccord liken the job of equipping your children for success in...