The highs, the lows and the delightfully neurospicy – this book is for every parent raising the ‘in-between’ children in a neurotypical world.

How many times have you heard ‘he doesn’t look autistic’ or ‘she seems fine to me’? Do you sometimes feel alone as a parent, like no one really gets it? And have you ever watched in horror as your child told a friend their house was ‘boring and smelly’?!

If any of that sounds familiar, it’s time to throw out the perfect parenting guides and join Lisa Lloyd on this rollercoaster journey of raising neurodivergent children who don’t fit the mainstream but aren’t considered ‘severe’ either. Lisa has been there and is ready to tell all – from the confusion of the early years and discovering your child is neurodivergent, to navigating a school system that doesn’t seem to fit, and the daily frustrations of picking your battles (and losing most of them).

Ever wondered what would happen if you took your autistic three-year-old on a haunted ghost ride? Or what your reaction would be if your seven-year-old grabbed a stranger’s backfat in the changing rooms? Wonder no more! Raising the SEN-Betweeners is a very honest guide for all those parents in similar shoes, navigating the challenges, joys and hilariously unpredictable moments every day. If that is you, this book will make one thing very clear: you are not alone.

This book explores representations of fathers in select South African novels published from the birth of apartheid to the post-transitional moment.

Father figures in the texts reflect political and social climates in South Africa – at different times representing the oppressive apartheid government, righteous and authoritative liberation leaders and the unfulfilled promise of a democratic South Africa. Grant Andrews examines how father characters are linked to storytelling; they narrate the lives of their children and their patriarchal power is constituted through narratives. He features authors such as Alan Paton, Nadine Gordimer, J.M. Coetzee, Zakes Mda, K. Sello Duiker, Mark Behr, Zoë Wicomb, Lisa Fugard and Zukiswa Wanner.

Stories of Fathers, Stories of the Nation also investigates how fatherhoods are being reimagined in light of shifting discourses of gender and identity. More recent novels have deconstructed the father figure and his paternal narrative power, representing conflicts around racial identity, sexuality, legacy and how the sins of the father are visited on his children.

At thirty-nine, movie critic Mary Pols knew she wanted to have a baby. But never--not in a million years--on her own. When she finds herself unexpec-tedly expecting, she plunges into the greatest adventure of her life. With humor, insight, and compelling honesty, Pols reveals what it means to compromise in the name of love and to find joy in an accidental life, suddenly brimming with purpose.

‘I straighten her little tiara every morning – I lift her chin and remind her that she is meant for greater things than playground bullies.’

‘Everything shines in its own time. There is no timetable for life.
Timetables are for classrooms, not for people.’

These are just some of the wisdoms shared on The Village, South Africa’s beloved Facebook group for parents raising tweens, teens and young adults.

Having kids is a baffling endeavour beset with sulks, meltdowns, anxiety and disappointment – and that’s just the parents! When you get that call to the principal’s office? When the school acceptances don’t come? When the bedroom door slams and you hear your child sobbing behind it? All awful but the family years are also, to many of us, our most precious time. The trick? To find a way to enjoy our families, love our children and believe in them and ourselves despite the daily challenges. And laugh . . .

In this book, Vanessa Raphaely and Karin Schimke have gathered together experiences and insights from The Village members. These are the gems and remedies from the real parenting experts – the parents – to help you raise your family in your own perfectly imperfect way.

Die skrywer, 'n raadgewer, bemagtig jou danksy jare se praktiese ervaring om jou kinders se angstigheid en gevoelens van onsekerheid te beperk en so doeltreffend moontlik die ewewig in jou gesin te hervestig. Sy gee praktiese riglyne oor die volgende aan die hand van talle gevallestudies uit haar omvangryke leers: Hoe, wanneer en waar om jou kinders op 'n ouderdomsgepaste en eerlike manier in te lig; Emosionele ondersteuning vir jou as ouer; Hoe om aktief te luister, woede te hanteer en duidelike, ferm en konsekwente grense daar te stel; Die regsaspekte van die nuwe Kinderwet wat die beste belange van die kind beklemtoon; Ooreenkomste vir gesamentlike ouerskap; Voortgesette verhoudings met uitgebreide familie en hoe om nuwe lewensmaats bekend te stel; Raad aan stiefouers en ouers wat nooit voor die skeiding getroud was nie.

Hi there! Welcome to the family and your 'New Life'. A Life of learning, a life of responsibility, a life of unbounded potential, a life of ecology, a life of possibilities and a life of understanding. Lone parent expert Sabrina Ben Salmi BSc (a proud mother of five Entrepreneurial 4yrs old to 17yrs old who she referees to as her Fantastic 5) has complied strategies that will help you to let go of the past, take control of the present and create the life you and your dependent(s) deserve. Through Sabrina Ben Salmi people - just like you, are empowered to change adversity for empowerment and attain their dreams. Sabrina is a multi award winning author, business & personal development Consultant, founding directors of Ofsted outstanding Harris Invictus Academy (Secondary School), Former Radio Show host, public speaker. Founder of Dreaming Big Together & 21 Day Shift Happens. Sabrina has been featured in the media via Radio, TV, Newspapers, magazines etc to name a few, Channel 4 Secret Millionaire, BBC London News, LBC Radio, BBC Radio, Fabulous Magazine etc.

The first one thousand days of human life, or the period between conception and age two, is one of the most pivotal periods of human development. Optimizing nutrition during this time not only prevents childhood malnutrition but also determines future health and potential. The Politics of Potential examines early life interventions in the first one thousand days of life in South Africa, drawing on fieldwork from international conferences, government offices, health-care facilities, and the everyday lives of fifteen women and their families in Cape Town.

Michelle Pentecost explores various aspects of a politics of potential, a term that underlines the first one thousand days concept and its effects on clinical care and the lives of childbearing women in South Africa. Why was the First One Thousand Days project so readily adopted by South Africa and many other countries? Pentecost not only explores this question but also discusses the science of intergenerational transmissions of health, disease, and human capital and how this constitutes new forms of intergenerational responsibility.

The women who are the target of first one thousdand days interventions are cast as both vulnerable and responsible for the health of future generations, such that, despite its history, intergenerational responsibility in South Africa remains entrenched in powerfully gendered and racialized ways.

With this compassionate book by respected grief counselor and educator Dr. Alan Wolfelt, readers will find simplified and suitable methods for talking to children and teenagers about sensitive topics with an emphasis on the subject of death. Honest but child-appropriate language is advocated, and various wording and levels of explanation are suggested for different ages when discussing topics such as death in general, suicide, homicide, accidental death, the death of a child, terminal illness, pet death, funerals, and cremation. An ideal book for parents, caregivers, and counselors looking for an easy resource when talking to youths about death, this book can be used for any setting, religious or otherwise.

Covering the most troublesome aspects of parenthood, this book is full of real, sensible, down-to-earth guidance. It restores you confidence in yourself so you don't feel undermined by all the self-proclaimed experts and enables you to raise your children in a way that is better for them... and lot better for you!

This book was started in 2005 to share my personal experience with the present fathers, mothers and parents who are struggling and future ones who will struggle to bring up a child or children with special reference to teenagers in Britain. Having brought up four children with my wife; I have realised the difficulties confronting parents, especially fathers, in bringing up teenagers in a 'liberalised' country like Britain. The impact of' 'missing' fathers on children, in particular, those in their teenage years, the community, and lone parents form the central theme of this book.

A real-world guide to Attachment Parenting from the "Big Bang Theory" actress, neuroscientist, and mother Mayim Bialik--a book hailed by Dr. William Sears as "delightful" and by Ricki Lake as "a fantastic guide to birth and parenting that is packed with invaluable wisdom."
Mayim Bialik was the child star of the popular 1990s TV sitcom "Blossom, " but she definitely didn't follow the typical child-star trajectory. Instead, Mayim got her PhD in neuroscience from UCLA, married her college sweetheart, and had two kids. Mayim then did what many new moms do--she read a lot of books, talked with other parents, and she soon started questioning a lot of the conventional wisdom she heard about the "right" way to raise a child. That's when she turned to Attachment Parenting, a philosophy and lifestyle popularized by well-known physicians like Dr. William Sears and Dr. Jay Gordon.
To Mayim, Attachment Parenting's natural, child-led approach not only felt right emotionally, it made sense intellectually and instinctually. She found that when she followed her intuition and relaxed into her role as a mother instead of following some rigid parenting script, both she and her children thrived. Taking into account her experience as a mother (and her scientific background), Mayim presents the major tenets of Attachment Parenting, including:
Baby wearing: How to "wear" your baby in a sling or a wrap to foster a closer bond with your child--it's possible even for mamas with bad backs (and with big babies)
Breastfeeding: Learn how to listen to your baby's cues rather than sticking to a rigid schedule--and why people on airplanes love a nursing mother
Gentle discipline: How to get your child to behave without yelling, threats, or time-outs--it really is possible.
Co-sleeping: How to avoid "sleep training" and get a great night's sleep for the whole family.
Without the pretense and luxuries typical of so many Hollywood actors and parents, Mayim describes the beauty, simplicity, and purposefulness of Attachment Parenting, and how it's become the guiding principle for her family. Much more than a simple how-to parenting guide, "Beyond the Sling" shows us that the core principles underlying Attachment Parenting are universal and can be appreciated no matter how you decide to raise your child.