From the Book: The Parent you want to be by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott

The Undeniable Importance of Being a Connected Parent

Dr. Nick Stinnett is one of the nation’s leading clinical researchers in identifying what makes strong families. He has compiled the largest database on strong families in the world.
After interviewing thousands of successful families, Stinnett have isolated 6 consistent marks of what he terms a “fantastic family.” The number one mark of such a family is that the parents choose to make an unconditional commitment to each child. In Stinnett’s words, “Members of strong families are dedicated to promoting each other’s welfare and happiness. They express their commitment to one another—not just in words, but through choosing to invest time and energy. Their commitment to each other is active and obvious.

From the Book, “Help my Kids are Hurting”
By Marv Penner

Kids will decide whom they’ll trust with their deepest pain.
Kids need non parental adults to help them navigate the realities of their complicated adolescent world. Formal systems to deal with kids at risk have been established in many communities. Guidance counselors in schools, Social Workers, toll-free crisis lines, after-school programs, and counseling centers invite hurting kids to tell their stories. But when a kid really hurts, he longs for a relationship with someone who cares about him on a personal level—someone who knows his name and is available outside of office hours. Kids share their lives with people who’ve taken the time to prove their trustworthiness. They don’t care about the education, certification, or experience of the people they choose to trust. They just need to know those people care.