could not wait for my eighth birthday, but everybody was crying. I didn't understand why they were so upset - don't they know that I will be fine? I did not know it then but my life was about to change - forever. I will tell you what it's like to lose your hair, vomit for hours and learn how to walk again. I will share with you the sadness of losing a friend in the ward next to me, but I will also share my happiest moments with you. Join me on my journey of becoming a cancer survivor, and against all odds a provincial badminton player. The words in this book are Sarah's, or Spunky as she is affectionately known. She started to write them only a short time after her diagnosis - she was eight years old. Her story is one of bravery and determination. Publisher's Note This true story is a snap shot of a difficult time in the life of a little girl - Sarah, or rather Spunky as she is known by her family and friends. Never has a name fitted a person so well. Sarah at eight years old wrote this book but she was helped by her mother, Nicky. Nicky gave understanding to the medical terms and did the initial edit, but they are Sarah's words. We have been lenient with the edit for Spunky's words, where we retained incorrect tenses and grammar to preserve her "voice." As the publisher, many have asked me what I enjoyed the most about the manuscript. Obviously Sarah's bravery inspired me, as did her positive outlook. But the best was to get to know Sarah through her candid descriptions. I am sure you will be as enchanted as I was. I am humbled by the privilege of bringing her story to the world.

Sleep, or rather the lack of it, is the issue of paramount concern to the overwhelming majority of new parents. Getting enough sleep is vital for the health of a growing baby or toddler, and the sanity of mums and dads. Yet striking the right balance between their differing needs can be hard to achieve. Once sleep problems set in, they can fast demoralise and exhaust parents, undermining confidence in their ability to cope. Gina Ford has come to the rescue with her answer: the key to a good night's sleep for the whole family lies in teaching parents to understand the changing sleep needs of their growing baby. This book informs and reassures parents, dispelling many common myths and anxieties and offering practical solutions that work. By creating a structure of regular feeding, sleeping and playing times, Gina explains how parents can help their baby to find a rhythm that will be comfortable for all concerned. Whether parents want to establish good sleeping habits from the start, or find they need to cure sleep problems and get their child back on track, Gina has the answers.

Imagine a young boy who has never had a loving home. His only possesions are the old, torn clothes he carries in a paper bag. The only world he knows is one of isolation and fear. Although others had rescued this boy from his abusive alcoholic mother, his real hurt is just begining -- he has no place to call home.

This is Dave Pelzer's long-awaited sequel to A Child Called "It." In The Lost Boy, he answers questions and reveals new adventures through the compelling story of his life as an adolescent. Now considered an F-Child (Foster Child), Dave is moved in and out of five different homes. He suffers shame and experiences resentment from those who feel that all foster kids are trouble and unworthy of being loved just because they are not part of a "real" family.

Tears, laughter, devastation and hope create the journey of this little lost boy who searches desperately for just one thing -- the love of a family.

Often described as "social phobia's cousin" and misdiagnosed as autism, selective mutism is a debilitating fear of speaking in some situations experienced by some children. The disorder usually presents in children before the age of five, but it may not be recognized until the child starts school. When requested to speak, children with selective mutism often look down, blush, or otherwise express anxiety that disrupts their engagement with people and activities. Selective mutism is related to social anxiety and social phobia, and more than 90 percent of children with selective mutism also manifest symptoms of one of these problems.

This book is the first available for parents of children with selective mutism. It offers a broad overview of the condition and reviews the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. The book details a plan you can use to coordinate professional treatment of your child's disorder. It also explains the steps you can take on your own to encourage your child to speak comfortably in school and in his or her peer group. All of the book's strategies employ a gradual, "stepladder" approach. The techniques gently encourage children to speak more, while at the same time helping them feel safe and supported.

Angela E. McHolm, Ph.D., is director of the Selective Mutism Service at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, ON. The Selective Mutism Service offers outpatient psychiatric consultation to families and professionals such as school personnel, speech and language pathologists, and mental health clinicians who support children with selective mutism. She is assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.

Toddlers can drive you bonkers...so adorable and fun one minute...so stubborn and demanding the next! Yet, as unbelievable as it sounds, there is a way to turn the daily stream of "nos" and "don'ts" into "yeses" and hugs...if you know how to speak your toddler's language. In one of the most useful advances in parenting techniques of the past twenty-five years, Dr. Karp reveals that toddlers, with their immature brains and stormy outbursts, should be thought of not as pint-size people but as pintsize...cavemen. Having noticed that the usual techniques often failed to calm crying toddlers, Dr. Karp discovered that the key to effective communication was to speak to them in their own primitive language. When he did, suddenly he was able to soothe their outbursts almost every time! This amazing success led him to the realization that children between the ages of one and four go through four stages of "evolutionary" growth, each linked to the development of the brain, and each echoing a step in prehistoric humankind's journey to civilization: - The "Charming Chimp-Child" (12 to 18 months): Wobbles around on two legs, grabs everything in reach, plays a nonstop game of "monkey see monkey do."- The "Knee-High Neanderthal" (18 to 24 months): Strong-willed, fun-loving, messy, with a vocabulary of about thirty words, the favorites being "no" and "mine."- The "Clever Caveman" (24 to 36 months): Just beginning to learn how to share, make friends, take turns, and use the potty.- The "Versatile Villager" (36 to 48 months): Loves to tell stories, sing songs and dance, while trying hard to behave.To speak to these children, Dr. Karp has developed two extraordinarily effective techniques: 1) The "fastfood" rule -- restating what your child has said to make sure you got it right; 2) The four-step rule -- using gesture, repetition, simplicity, and tone to help your irate Stone-Ager be happy again.Once you've mastered "toddler-ese," you will be ready to apply behavioral techniques specific to each stage of your child's development, such as teaching patience and calm, doing time-outs (and time-ins), praise through "gossiping," and many other strategies. Then all the major challenges of the toddler years -- including separation anxiety, sibling rivalry, toilet training, night fears, sleep problems, picky eating, biting and hitting, medicine taking -- can be handled in a way that will make your toddler feel understood. The result: fewer tantrums, less yelling, and, best of all, more happy, loving time for you and your child.

Learning to talk is probably the greatest milestone in a child's development: a deeply moving and often hilarious experience for all parents. In this charming and informative book, Britain's leading expert on the English language talks you through every stage in your child's language development. Over thirty years after its original publication, this new and updated edition of Listen to your Child shows us that while the world our children are growing up in may have changed, one thing has not: parents still need to listen. Gathering decades of research from psychologists and linguists, Professor Crystal shows how the more we know about language acquisition - from 'cooking' and 'babbling' to melodic 'scribble talk' and simple words and then to incessant chatter - the more there is to delight in. From birth to the early school years, Listen to your Child provides a painless introduction to the study of child language acquisition as well as invaluable advice for parents.

Your son was created for great things, but he needs your help to appreciate his unique male design and to grow into the strong, loving man God created him to be.
Packed with doable strategies and eye-opening examples of what's really going on inside a boy's brain, "Raising Boys by Design" offers a practical blueprint to help you build a HERO--one who values Honor, Enterprise, Responsibility, and Originality. Among other things, you'll learn how to help your son:
- strengthen his character, resilience, and self-discipline
- nurture genuine compassion and empathy
- process words and emotions in ways that fit his brain chemistry
- succeed in school and hone crucial life skills
- develop a healthy perspective of sexuality
- avoid the pitfalls of media and technology
- embark on a lifelong adventure of faith
This unique resource combines the latest research in brain science with timeless truths from the Bible to reveal the deepest needs shared by every boy of faith while also leading you to fresh insights for honoring the unique personality, talents, and God-given design of your son in particular.
You can help your son thrive today as the hero he is meant to be when you learn the secrets of "Raising Boys by Design."

'Punk Mom' Jessica Mills uses her own experience of pregnancy and parenting to illuminate the tricky course ahead for the prospective parent who doesn't fit into the relatively wealthy demographic that is the target of most parenting advice.

Since 2004, Baby Sign Language Basics has introduced hundreds of thousands of parents and caregivers around the globe to the miracle of signing with their babies - and left them wanting more! Now, in this newly expanded edition, Monta Z. Briant provides more than 300 American Sign Language (ASL) signs, illustrated with the same clear, easy-to-understand photos and descriptions. Baby-specific signing techniques, songs and games are also included to make learning fun and to quickly open up two-way communication. Parents will meet real signing families and learn how to make sign language a part of their everyday interactions with their children. Also included is a video signing dictionary featuring all the signs from the book. Just point and click, and see the sign you want to learn come alive! This is a must-have for all parents, grandparents and anyone else who spends time with preverbal children. After all, what parent or caregiver doesn't want to know what their baby is trying to tell them?

The revised and updated edition of a groundbreaking special-needs activity guide
This revised edition of the companion volume to "The Out-of-Sync Child" includes new activities that parents of kids with Sensory Processing Disorder can do at home with their child, along with updated information on which activities are most appropriate for children with coexisting conditions such as Asperger's, autism, and more.

This is the third in a trilogy of inspiring, heartwarming books that tell the story of a Lafayette, La., couple and their child, Eli, who was born with a birth defect called spina bifida. Published when Eli was 9 years old, this volume follows the boys life from infancy to that of a healthy, happy second-grader. At the same time, on a parallel track, the book chronicles Elis dads growth in and understanding of his Catholic faith. In his journey toward the light of a much deeper faith, Elis dad, Chad Judice, gains an unshakable trust in the Lord, a greater reliance on the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a commitment to the churchs teachings on Natural Family Planning.

Light-hearted, humorous and authoritative, New Toddler Taming is a must for family sanity! By the internationally renowned bestselling author and paediatrician Dr Christopher Green, and full of clear, accessible advice, case studies and useful tips and ideas, this book will make parenting seem a whole lot easier...and enjoyable! 'Dr Green is nothing short of a genius...' -- Independent 'I would highly recommend Toddler Taming, which gives a lot of insight into why children behave and react as they do.' -- The Times 'This book helps bring back a bit of perspective' - Daily Express 'If you're a first-time parent, or already have a cub or two and need a bit of guidance and information into the mindset of a little one, then this book is a must.' -- ***** Reader review 'God Bless Dr. Christopher Green' -- ***** Reader review 'This book is amazing' -- ***** Reader review 'A godsend' -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************************************************************* Many parents wonder how the sweet, chubby baby which gurgles happily at them for the first twelve months changes so suddenly into a bellowing, tantrum prone, heel drumming, carpet biting toddler. What's gone wrong? Whose fault is it? What can be done about it? Renowned paediatrician Dr Christopher Green's classic, internationally bestselling parenting guide Toddler Taming has been revised and updated to answer these questions and others like them in a way that parents of the twenty-first century will instantly grasp. He quickly calms fear of 'abnormal' bad behaviour, points out the inevitable strains of bringing up children and offers invaluable practical advice on all fronts from sleep problems and tantrums, eating habits to potty training, sibling rivalry to discipline, and managing screen-time to surviving as a single parent. All done in a down-to-earth, practical and yet humorous way, this book is a must-have for anyone raising children.

A workbook to help children work out feelings about death. Heegaard provides a practical format for allowing children to understand the concept of death and develop coping skills for life. Children, with the supervision of an adult, are invited to illustrate and personalise their loss through art. When Someone Very Special Dies encourages the child to identify support systems and personal strengths.

The vital skills children need to achieve their full potential! Being organized. Staying focused. Controlling impulses and emotions. These are some of the basic executive functioning (EF) skills children need to function and succeed as they grow. But what can you do if your child is struggling with one or all of these skills? With this hands-on guide, you'll learn what EF difficulties look like and how you can help your child overcome these challenges. Psychologist Rebecca Branstetter teaches you how to help improve the executive functions, including: Task initiation Response inhibition Focus Time management Working memory Flexibility Self-regulation Completing tasks Organization With checklists to help enforce skills and improve organization, The Everything Parent's Guide to Children with Executive Functioning Disorder is your step-by-step handbook for helping your child concentrate, learn, and thrive!

This is a book of gentle, loving games and songs that incorporate the healing, enlivening qualities of gesture, touch, and movement. It will be an invaluable resource for parents, kindergarten and nursery teachers, homeschoolers, or anyone with an interest in keeping in touch with the kingdom of childhood. These games and lullabies are imbued with the idea that loving contact with children helps them to establish a careful, nurturing relation with plants, animals, people and things in their surroundings, and movement leads them to a keen awareness of their important place in all of it. A companion CD, also called Giving Love, Bringing Joy, is available (sold separately).

When to hold on; when to let go--a constant dilemma of parenthood. This timely book examines the balance between these powerful dynamics. How parents can instill confidence and security in children and how professionals can recognize and respond when this process goes awry. Holding too long and too tight? Letting go too soon and too easily? Includes down-to-earth descriptions of family systems and identity development and guidance on remaining an emotional anchor in children's lives as they launch toward independence. Psychologist Benjamin Garber is author of Keeping Kids Out of the Middle and Developmental Psychology for Family Law Professionals.

Helps teach children health and hygiene. Boogie the booger teaches the healthy way to blow your nose using a Booger Ghost. Boogie knows that most people think he's gross, and some people even call him a snot. But he doesn't feel bad because he does great things! He keeps us from getting sick! He's a true defender and just asking for a little respect.

All over the U.S. and in over twenty countries around the world, Touchpoints has become required reading for anxious parents of babies and small children. T. Berry Brazelton's great empathy for the universal concerns of parenthood, and honesty about the complex feelings it engenders, as well as his uncanny insight into the predictable leaps and regressions of early childhood, have comforted and supported families since its publication in 1992. In this completely revised edition Dr. Brazelton introduces new information on physical, emotional, and behavioural development. He also addresses the new stresses on families and fears of children, with a fresh focus on the role of fathers and other caregivers. This updated volume also offers new insights on prematurity, sleep patterns, early communication, toilet training, co-sleeping, play and learning, SIDS, cognitive development and signs of developmental delay, childcare, asthma, a child's immune system, and safety. Dr. Sparrow, Brazelton's co-author on several other books, brings a child psychiatrist's insights into the many perennial childhood issues covered in this comprehensive book. No parent should be without the reassurance and wisdom Touchpoints provides.

Support for Parents Whose Children are Depressed

Contrary to popular belief, young children do get seriously depressed, and many try to kill themselves. In Helping Your Child Cope with Depression and Suicidal Thoughts the authors, Shamoo and Patros, show parents: how to learn to talk, listen, and communicate effectively with a depressed child; what situations can cause a child or adolescent to wish to commit suicide; what signs to watch for; myths and misinformation about suicide; how to determine the risk of suicide; and How to intervene.