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.

According to the American Psychological Association, today's children and teenagers are anxious about many things. In addition to the stressors common to any generation--family issues, financial instability, pressure to perform in school or sports--these young people also worry about gun violence, social justice, the state of their divided nation, the fate of a warming planet, and much more. To top it off, recent global events and resulting restrictions have added significant stress even as they have stripped away support systems. For parents, teachers, counselors, and youth leaders longing to understand and help the young people in their lives, When Anxiety Roars unpacks the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that influence anxiety in children and offers specific practical steps to take together to tame that anxiety. Integrating faith with best practices to reduce anxiety, it also teaches coping skills that will help children live more confidently today and into the future.

Christened "charming" and "winning" by the "Washington Post "and "touching" by "Publishers Weekly, "celebrated author Monica Holloway's deeply moving memoir shares the unforgettable story of an extraordinary little boy and the irresistible puppy who transformed his life.
The day Monica Holloway learns that her lovable, brilliant three-year-old son has autism spectrum disorder, she takes him to buy an aquarium. But what Wills really wants is a puppy, and from the moment Cowboy Carol Lawrence, an overeager and affectionate golden retriever, joins the family, Monica watches as her cautious son steps a little farther into the world.
With his new "sister" Cowboy by his side, Wills finds the courage to invite kids over for playdates, conquer his debilitating fear of water, and finally sleep in his own bed with the puppy's paws draped across his small chest. And when Cowboy turns out to need her new family as much as they need her, they discover just how much she has taught them about devotion, loyalty, and never giving up.
Sometimes it's what you don't know to hope for that saves you. For Monica and Wills, salvation came in the form of a puppy with pale blond fur, chocolate brown eyes, a fondness for chewing the crotch out of underpants, and a limitless capacity for love.

ESSENCE of an IDEALIST ESSENCE, From the French word, esse, to be. To exist. If we exist we have essence. When we exist we have choices to make from the very moment we recognize our own existence. This book is about a person who chose to be an idealist, a person who set goals for himself at a very early age and achieved most of them without the need for money. Do not think it is easy to be an idealist? Certainly not in my case, those around you continually remind you to be more practical and advise you, that your goals are neither realistic nor pragmatic. Do idealists fail? Of course they do and some quit to blend in with everyone else. Others recognize their own failure, change direction and try again, and again until they succeed. This book is true account of the author's quest to find his purpose in life. A quest that contains so many failures and so many successes that one questions the trials of an idealist. We tend to categorize idealists as crazy Don Quixote types, charging at windmills to protect the chastity of his Dulcinea. When in fact, the true romantic recognizes, that both author, Cervantes and Don Quixote, appearing as an old chivalrous knight in rusty armor truly understood the power of love. The idealist in this true story seeks adventure at a very early age and even though he finds it, he never stops seeking more challenging adventures. The same is true for success. Success so often is measured in dollars as so aptly put in Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. By mid-life this author has become a millionaire and questions the materialistic rewards of success. He concludes that the accumulation of dollars and materialism are not the answer to happiness, for that which you own, owns you. Should success then be re-defined.? Perhaps. Success could be defined as happiness and only the happiness, within you. If you are truly happy, you are successful. This quest contains both successes and failures to find a purpose in life. I'm writing this while maturing in age and knowledge, and if my life ends tomorrow it shall be said by my friends that I sought adventure, success, happiness and love and you can judge for yourself whether or not I found it.

Major newspapers, news programs, and magazines across the country have recently addressed the current issues of childhood obesity, the link between exercise and improved academic focus, and the importance of diet and exercise in improving the health of our children. As many schools consider cutting recess and removing physical education from their curricula, it has become increasingly important to examine the possible effects of this decision and what it might mean for children and their physical and mental well-being. In Young Athletes, Couch Potatoes, and Helicopter Parents, Jessica Skolnikoff and Robert Engvall look at the important issue of play and its changing role in today's hyper-structured society. The authors conducted countless interviews combined with extensive research in order to gain a comprehensive theory on the current nature of play and how it has affected children's lives. Specific topics addressed include the impact of over-involved parents upon the play of their children, how kids are chosen for sports teams and the effect of these selections on the kids, the lack of unstructured play, and the lasting impression of society's competitive mindset on children. This book is not a criticism of parents who want to be involved in their children's lives, but addresses the structural and cultural issues around the changing role of play and the ways in which kids' sports are viewed in today's society. Intended not only for childhood development studies, education, sociology, popular culture, and sports studies, this book will be of interest to parents, coaches, athletic directors, school administrators, and educators.

Custody of children becomes a major issue when a couple divorces. Worse, these issues can linger long after the settlement in the form of parent alienation-when one parent seeks to keep the other parent from being active and involved with the children they share. In Parental-Alienation Playbook and Three-Quarters Custody, author Julian Andrews presents an overview of parent-alienation syndrome (PAS), how you can recognize when it's happening to you, and how to speak out to defend you and your children. Based on his personal experiences with his ex-wife and their three children, Andrews illustrates how the outdated court system facilitates PAS, but also shows how an alienated parent can directly speak out through the legal and court systems. Andrews proposes the concept of three-quarter shared physical custody as a national solution and a bridge against parental alienation forces in the twenty-first century. Parental-Alienation Playbook and Three-Quarters Custody promotes momentum toward three-quarter custody arrangements so parental alienation can become a condition of the past, and children and parents can be free of the divisive nature and consequences that PAS creates.

On July 6, 2008, when author Dena Sherwood first heard the devastating words, "Your son has neuroblastoma," she never imagined that those words would later become a blessing to so many.

Dena prayerfully fought alongside her son, for three and a half years, to give him the best chance of beating the disease. A year after diagnosis, with God's guidance, Dena founded Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation to fund less toxic treatments for children with cancer and to bring hope to other families fighting the battle. Her son underwent chemotherapy, radiation, four major surgeries, immunotherapy, and a phase one vaccine trial and was later declared NED (No Evidence of Disease).

From living in fear to living by faith No Retreat, No Surrender chronicles how one family's faith in the Lord has brought hope and help to so many.

Being a good mom isn't about doing everything right to create a set of perfect trophy children--though every mom has felt the pressure to do just that and to do it all on her own. To ask for help feels like defeat. Yet when we try to do it all by our own strength, we end up depleted, lonely, and ineffective. Heather MacFadyen wants you to know that you are not meant to go it alone. Sharing her most vulnerable, hard mom moments, she shows how moms can be empowered by God, supported by others, and connected with their children. With encouragement and insight, she helps you foster the key relationships you need to be the mom you want to be. Whether you work or stay home, whether you have teenagers or babes in arms, you'll find here a compassionate friend who wants the best--not just for your kids but for you.

Dr. Margaret Rogers Van Coops has once again produced an amazing and informative book that takes the reader right into the heart of a mother and her baby. Amazing information will astound you, yet confirm to you why you want to be or are a mother already. Every child is joined to a mother before birth through the power of their individual Soul Structures and their earthly personalities. Now in your time The Hero, Star, Indigo, Crystal and Liquid Crystal Children are being born. Discover who your child truly is and what their character and destiny is likely to be as well as your own nature and reasons for the ways you share yourself as a mother. Dr Margaret Rogers Van Coops, Ph.D., DCH,, (IM) shares with you how to bring up your baby avoiding negative influence from birth to adulthood, as well as to integrate your own lifestyle with that of your child.

Are you worried that your teen might be trying drugs and alcohol? Are you afraid that their future will be destroyed, along with your family and your finances? Do you know how to determine if they are using drugs or alcohol-and what you should do if they are?

"Drugs and Your Teen" offers a quick, easy-to-read, comprehensive guide that provides answers-all the information you need to know for dealing with your kids and drugs. It offers step-by-step instructions in determining whether your child is experimenting, using, or abusing legal and illegal substances, including prescription medications, inhalants, alcohol, and street drugs. You'll review symptoms of use and addiction, and be able to identify pushers and dealers, as well as what sources and what risk factors could pull your child into the "addiction hell." You'll also begin to understand the stages of manipulation and abuse your child may be going through.

Learn the responsibilities you bear as parents or guardians; read the methods for testing your children in the privacy of your home; and study the information on prevention of substance abuse and providing treatment. You are not just saving the life of your child; you are protecting the world's future leaders. Be there for your loved ones; let "Drugs and Your Teen" help you stand and face your kids and their problems, along with finding a solution through the use of this book.

www.omnidrugscreening.com

Raising a brat is easy Basically, it's only 11 easy steps. Follow them carefully, or perhaps even randomly, the results will amaze you. Or, ask yourself the filtering question of Will it matter in ten years? to guide you to raise an adolescent who can cope with life. The decisions you make and the perspective you keep on the day to day interactions with your child is incredibly powerful. Conference, A Middle School Kid Moved in Last Night, The Big Scary World, and It's Just an Illusion: Making the Working Mom Thing Look Easy will pose insights that will invite you to reflect on the guiding question of Will it matter in ten years? every time you pick which battle to attend to while raising your child. The battles can be called interactions and these interactions start with your child's first breath. Hang on It's a wonderful adventure and reactions that will help you create the perfect brat or raise a decent kid. Ultimately, the choice is yours. And your parenting decisions matter

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My ve-year-old is always into things. He can't seem to sit still, he can't pay attention to any activity for more than a few minutes, and he always acts before he thinks. He is in trouble constantly. What have I done wrong?

I have tried everything, but Jimmy is still a di cult, unpredictable child. He is lovable but gets into trouble all the time. He tries to obey, but he has so much trouble following directions. Am I a failure as a parent?"

Many children are like square pegs trying to t into round holes. They just don't t the mold, and this a ects both their learning and behavior. In "ADHD: Strategies for Success," Dr. Wilson Wayne Grant helps parents understand their children who don't learn the same way as others, discussing practical strategies for the day-to-day rearing of the "square peg" child.

Presenting usable tools to help parents help their children, "ADHD: Strategies for Success," details an array of strategies that aid in
diagnosing and de ning ADHD; administering discipline; boosting self-esteem; managing relationships between parent, child, and school; maintaining organization and structure; removing aggravating factors; achieving success; nding help; teaching the hard-to-teach child.

"ADHD: Strategies for Success" points you to scienti cally proven, practical answers to commonly asked questions about ADHD and will help you develop your own e ective strategies to help your child reach his or her full potential.

No man's land explores the issues of custody, gender bias in the court system and the difficulties and issues of single parenting. Central to the book is the true story of a single father. His world as he knew it ceased to exist when his pregnant wife fled to another state with his three minor children. The court system did little to help him and for a while it seemed she got away with it. He was faced with three options. He could just let her have her way with the possibility of never seeing his children again. He could let them remain in the new state and fight for visitation. With great risk to himself, he could fight for his children. He chose the latter. He secured their return and subsequently got custody of them. A few weeks after, he was also raising his newborn baby. Single fatherhood was hard on its own but, as though it was not enough, he faced continual attacks from his estranged wife, a biased justice system and an uncaring supervisor at work. He eventually came to the point of giving up the very thing he had fought so hard for. He found out that when life suddenly becomes chaotic it is hard and sometimes impossible to find the balance in order to continue moving forward. For him balance came when he learnt to give up his expectations and to look for hope in God and faith in areas previously unexplored. As he willingly gave up life as he knew it and settled down to enjoying a new life and experiences with his children and with his faith in God, only then did he begin to take control of his life even if he had to do it in No Man's Land.