Publisher's Synopsis
No parent is perfect, but all of us can do better! Child raising is one day at a time - best done with love's constancy and wisdom drawn from experience and research. Essentials include food for healthy growth, abiding love for nurture and self-confidence, stimulation of mind for learning gain, and emotional support to develop social skills that are so critical for friendships, formal learning, and purposeful living. The following themes run through the POWERFUL POTENTIAL of PARENT(S): Parent impact is greatest in childhood; parent potential continues throughout life. Each life stage builds upon the previous one; early childhood home experiences are foundational. Every adult is a unique mentor and role model; two parent(s) double the messages to offspring. Body, mind, emotion, and spirit interact; internal and external forces affect all humans. Child rearing works on probability theory; positive outcomes increase when brought up right. Each generation sets the course for the next one; this ongoing cycle bridges past to present and to future. Practical recommendations are laid out in handbook format (61 pages) for every stage of human growth; they can serve as a referent "checklist". Also, each chapter ends with reflective questions that encourage introspection and promote meaningful dialogue. The writing is an easy read. In sum, this book is filled with wisdom of the ages as well as what recent research confirms as sound parenting practices. This truth holds throughout: A child's parent is the first, best, and only lifelong teacher.
