"We never thought our lives would turn out this way but who really knows such things?" During the Leider's seven-year marriage they brought three beautiful babies into the world. They marveled at their good fortune and, like most parents, had dreams of what their children would aspire to and accomplish in life. In a moment, all that changed when their idyllic world collapsed around them. Deena and Jeff received the worst news any parent could ever imagine. The world they once embraced and adored was instantly over. The words "life expectancy" rang in their ears and reverberated with the steady tic-tock-of the clock-their personal time bomb. That's when the battle against time began for them and they vowed to save their cherished family. In the quest to fight for their children's lives, they decided that they will not rest until their voices and unique story was heard from the halls of Capital Hill to state and local government. These incredible parents turned a devastating situation into an altruistic crusade. They were determined to live for their little boys and to try their hardest to grieve later. This story is not wrapped with a silver lining but anything worth changing and fighting for never is. The Leider's represent all the unsung heroes who travel a harrowing road with fortitude, extraordinary courage, humility, and endless hope. As you read about this exceptional and remarkable family, you will be deeply moved and greatly inspired by their perseverance and infinite parental love. At story's end, you will be profoundly motivated to accompany them on their continuing journey of strength and optimism.

‘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.

A mother's worst fears are almost always centered on her children. Gifts Of Grace is the compelling and true story of Deb Marcotte's worst nightmare becoming an unimaginable reality. As Deb anxiously awaited the results of the CT scan, she had almost convinced herself that her four-year-old daughter, Allie, was fine. A glance at the medical chart showed otherwise. Deb's heart sank as reality was confirmed by the doctor with words that sent her world spiraling - "It looks like she has had a stroke. But there are older strokes that are present as well." Guilt, fear, panic and an avalanche of other emotions erupted as Deb began to tearfully attempt some level of control. As she had done so many other times, Deb turned to God. Deb prayed for strength and understanding. She prayed that her faith would overcome her questions. This was the beginning of countless medical procedures in hospitals around the country. Allie would endure multiple brain surgeries and endless tests as medical experts worked to find a cure. Deb remained strong in prayer and even stronger as Allie's advocate. Gifts Of Grace is an unforgettable story of a young girl's inspiring strength, a mother's unbreakable faith and indomitable spirit, and a loving God's everlasting gifts.

Kaci's children have craniosynostosis, a condition where the infant skull sutures (openings) fuse early and a secondary condition, chiari malformation, caused by the growing brain pushing its way down the spinal column. With 13 surgeries between the children, the Kings are often asked how they manage daily life along with the difficult diagnoses and seemingly endless trips to the operating room. Finding help did not come easily. Kaci trusted her instincts and pushed on, focusing on the children's health and leaning on sources of strength. The conditions could be fixed once they found a doctor who knew how to help. Their continued search led to Dr. Ben Carson, Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital: an angel in disguise. The children would have suffered gravely without the treatment they so desperately needed. As Dr. Carson states in his foreword, "In Light Will Emerge, Kaci King has provided a wonderful mechanism to gain foreknowledge of the difficulties of navigating the medical system..." There is hope even in the worst of situations, blessings when most aren't sure any exist. Life is about attitude. Kaci was taught that for every action, there is a reaction, good or bad. She shares her family's journey: how they coped; how they found their inner strength; and how not knowing what else to do, they prayed. Kaci offers a wealth of information explaining the medical conditions, websites and online support groups. Through this book, she sheds light on what helped them overcome obstacles, how they found strength during difficult times, and encourages others who may feel hopeless. Kaci shares the heartache and many blessings received throughout this journey. Light Will Emerge enables parents and caregivers to push on to find help in a medical crisis and hopefully to help medical professionals understand their very real story.

Longer than Forevermore 978-0-9886784-2-2 by Martha Sears West

Annotation:

Likely to become a classic, debut author West's richly illustrated book affirms the unbreakable bond between grown-ups and their children at every stage of life. No matter how high, how far, or how deep you go, we will always love you just the same. "More than all the grains of sand, which we could never count. And if we add them all, we'll love you more than that amount." Full color. 8 x 10. 40 pp. (Available now).

West writes so that others may experience the love and harmony she felt in her own childhood. "My books are meant to entertain as well as to provide a safe haven from the realities of a harsh world. To a reader who hungers for the clean, kind, and gentle things of life, these qualities are just as real, and exposure to them can be vital to a healthy human being."

One Mother's Day morning the author looked back on the sweetness of earlier years with three small children. She was flooded with gratitude for her children who are grown and now have families of their own. With these words she told them of her tender feelings: "One thing never changes, and will last forevermore: We'll love you still when you are grown, exactly as before."

Biographical Note

As a child growing up in Bethesda, Maryland, West used to lie in a pile of leaves with pencil and paper, trying to compose poems of profound incomprehensibleness. She was so successful that she couldn't understand them herself. She now prefers crafting stories that she can understand, and that make others smile and feel warm.

West is married to a man named Steve who has cheered her on in many endeavors, including that of being a full-time mother. When she was in her fifties, he made many a peanut butter sandwich while she was earning a B.A. in linguistics from the University of Maryland.

Reviews

"West deserves a place on the bookshelf alongside Nash and Milne, whose classic poetry carries timeless reflections on the universal condition of being a sensitive human being." -Karen McCarthy, ForeWord Clarion Review

"Certain to charm children and parents of all ages. If you like Robert Munch's I Love You Forever, you will LOVE West'sLonger than Forevermore."

-Valerie Milano, Hollywood Today

Publisher Marketing: Targeted national trade launch-date campaign to reviewers, award and festival entities, electronic/social media/direct-mail to vendors and public, author book signings, and other special event audiences.

For advance reader copies, press materials and author appearances, visit www.CleanKindWorldBooks.com, www.ParkPlacePress.com or contact [email protected]

About this story Nothing could be a more true reflection of shackled lives behind the media's publicity-seeking headlines that strike a whole country from time to time. Remember the gripping stories of the "downfall of a golden girl, sex web, shackles and shame, gangster's moll, Bonnie and Clyde - like story, heartache of a fallen girl, the soul of a robber child, burning passion and devotion to a dominant lover and bad kids" This is a story of a downfall and victory that each of us should read. It could happen to anyone of us. Parents open your senses and hear the cries of your child in obscurity.

"Ken Jennings reveals the truth behind all those things you tell your children" (Parade) in this entertaining and useful New York Times bestseller "armed with case histories, scientific finds, and experiments on himself and his own children" (Los Angeles Times). Is any of it true? If so, how true? Ken Jennings wants to find out if parents always know best. Yes, all those years you were told not to sit too close to the television or swallow your gum or crack your knuckles are called into question by our country's leading trivia guru. Jennings separates myth from fact to debunk a wide variety of parental edicts: no swimming after meals, sit up straight, don't talk to strangers, and so on. Armed with medical case histories, scientific findings, and even the occasional experiment on himself (or his kids), Jennings exposes countless examples of parental wisdom run amok. Whether you're a parent plagued by needless concern or a kid (of any age) looking to say, "I told you so," this is the anti- helicopter parenting book you've been waiting for.

The main reasons I wrote this first book is to encourage others of a similar fate. I hope to encourage the lost and depressed in the effort to guide them toward a bigger future without regret. For them to understand they are not alone and someone is there to listen. Not for money, but for the divine privilege to help them overcome and see what a blessing they truly are. Nothing is to great that you can not overcome through Christ.

A true story of a beleaguered mother's experience with an angry/troubled child This is a dramatic case-study of a child gone awry...with a full etiology, plus the reluctant causations inherent. This is a vivid expose of the traumas and tragedies of a family unit in turmoil; and, within that, the consequence of a mother having to bear the constancy of abuse and pain, silently and all-but-alone It is a harsh example of an ever-increasing measure of dysfunction in our youth; and, as part of that, the residual effects to us all It is a real and warranted indictment of the system, on virtually all levels, in both the private and public sectors, for it's well-evidenced failures and lacking particles to adequately deal with an all-bit-forgotten sector It provides a revelation of a real answer/solution, as relevant to all that is now known and/or has been experienced, in Time-Out, For Kids

Helping People with Disabilities Help Themselves is a book about several disabilities that people of all ages may encounter. If you are a person with a disability or know of someone who is, this book will help one cope and succeed by using positive thinking. The author, Barbara Jean Young, has over thirty-four years of experience in various areas of disabilities. As a special education teacher, a retardation specialist, a parent advisor to deaf, blind, and babies and preschoolers with multiple disabilities, and a sign language instructor, Mrs. Young has worked with people of all ages, from infants to adults, having a variety of disabilities. In this book, she tells personal stories of how she was able to help each individual live a more successful and meaningful life. Ironically, in mid-life, Mrs. Young suddenly suffered several disabilities herself resulting from a serious automobile crash involving a drunk driver. In a twist of fate, Mrs. Young had more severe disabilities than most of the people she was helping. Through this experience, she is able to provide the reader with a special insight into what it is like having a disability, and how to cope. Through her experiences, Mrs. Young explains in her book how to assist people who have disabilities and help them attain a more positive attitude. This book also has a special section after each chapter listing references that can be used to seek help for people who want to learn more about disabilities.

Be the coolest parent in the neighborhood, maybe in the world. It's all in this book and so easy. Every child and adult looks forward to enjoying the next big holiday season with their friends and family. What if you could celebrate several of those holidays every month with your kids? Give them some fun days that no other children experience. Give them low or no cost holidays that build a stronger emotional connection with them. Make their friends, and yours, look at you with envy over celebrating things that no one ever thought about. In this book, you will learn the most important birthday for your child and cool new holidays like One Day Fun Day, May Day Play Day, Awesome August Adventure Day, January Journey, September Search, Pie Day, Slurpee Day, and over forty others. Plus, learn how to celebrate the more traditional holidays like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and President's Day in fun new ways. Learn bedtime and good-morning songs, how to educate your kids on things even teachers don't know, and have your kids begging for more. This book took twelve years to develop all those cool things. It's now available exclusively for you.

About the Book The Power within Me is a book of life lessons that will grab you and allow you to feel real-life situations resonating with the effects of bullying and the negative thoughts people feel they could never overcome. In thoughtful and sincere language, author Teresa Wright guides the reader and the victims of this silent epidemic to believe in themselves and live the life they desire to have by building self-respect, self-esteem, strength, and love for themselves. You will learn through her stories how to change the negative thought process that lies within your sub-conscious mind and bring about a positive result, leaving you with the abilities to live your life to the fullest.

As a son, what words did you desperately want your father to say to you?

As a father, what words from you would change your son's life?

Putnam's struggle with the life and death of his own powerful father, his extensive reading of Jung, Bly, and other profound chroniclers of men's lives, and his work in the New Warrior Training Adventure and the Mankind Project enable him to offer a portrait of the Unblessed son-and a path to The Blessing. "The Song of Father-Son" moves sons beyond their addictions, their old roles, and their deadened emotions.to their birthright as strong, loving men.

'The time has never been more right for telling the story of the Unblessed son.Peter Putnam offers his hard won wisdom to fathers everywhere: the legacy of a Blessed son."
-Rich Tosi, co-founder of the Mankind Project and the New Warrior Training Adventure'"The Song of Father-Son" should be read by every son who has ever ached for his father's unconditional love and approval, and by every father who has ever found himself somehow unable to convey the depth of his love to his son."
-Phil Taylor, Senior Writer, "Sports Illustrated"

In Dis Oukei, onthul Ewald en Beatrix van Rensburg die geheim van suksesvolle ouerskap: Om met “sagte oe” na jou kind te kyk. Dit beteken om jou kind se aangebore temperament te herken en te waardeer, sowel as die eksterne faktore wat ‘n invloed op sy vorming kan uitoefen, soos sy geboorteorde in die gesin en die spesifieke ontwikkelingsfase waarin hy of sy verkeer.

Met die wysheid en insig wat spruit uit jare se studie en praktiese ervaring, wys die skrywers daarop dat waar dit kind grootmaak aangaan, die “one size fits all” benadering dood eenvoudig nie werk nie. Daarteenoor sal ‘n benadering wat op die kind se unieke persoonlikheids samestelling afgestem is, lei tot ‘n gelukkiger kind…en ‘n gelukkiger ouer.

Dis Oukei is ‘n boek wat jy stuk-stuk kan lees, oor kan nadink en op die proef kan stel. Jy sal keer op keer terug keer na bepaalde aspekte wat op daardie spesifieke tydstip in jou ouerskap vir jou van belang is.