Parental Care and the trusted source for Child to know

When I talk about best source of information in counseling groups, students will usually say their counselor, a favorite teacher, or friends. These sources can be good sources of information; however, they are not their best source of information. When I ask this question young people rarely come up with the correct answer. The best source of information is their PARENTS. When I offer this answer, I see frowns and kids shaking their heads like, "That can't be true." Well it is most definitely true and, "Why is it true?" I ask. Students never get this answer, either, and it's not because they're stupid. It's simply because they've never been a parent. The reason parents are the best source of information is because they LOVE their children. In fact, they love them so much they drive them crazy always wanting them to do things they don't want to do. They're no fun, and young people feel their parents are out of touch with reality. Youngsters need to understand that the steps to success are often difficult and require them to do things they do not want to do. Parents aren't giving guidance to their children so they'll always have fun. They provide guidance so their kids will be safe, and lead successful lives.

Parents have a huge stake in their children. They dreamed of their presence in their lives. They held their child in their arms at birth, watched their first steps, heard their first words, and prayed for them when they were sick. They pretty much deny themselves so they might attend to their children's needs. Parents sacrifice for their kids like a youngster could never understand until they have their own children. No one on this earth is more concerned about a child's welfare than parents. A parent's love for their children is the strongest force on earth. A youngster's ability to be successful in life will be determined by how successful they are in following that force which in reality is their parent's unconditional love for them.

Of course young people can't see what the future holds; however, they can understand what pit falls might prevent them from having success in the future. Have you ever heard an adult say, usually with a sigh, "If I'd only known then what I know now?" In this statement a person is reflecting on all the wrong steps they had taken, steps which led them to a place in life they wish they could have avoided. It doesn't have to be that way for young people if they understand one simple fact: a youngster's present life is, "then," and their parents are, "now." Every day parents are telling their children about, "now." You don't need to seethe future to knowthe future. Kids simply need to listen, because they are hearing the future every day of their lives. Youngsters who have this information can't say one day, "If I'd only known then what I know now." They can only say, "I knew about, 'now,' but I was too rebellious to believe."

Courtesy: Roger Casterline

There is always something to learn

A personal experience of Sandra Nardoni

I'm reading this book called "Discover Your Child's Learning Style" by Mariaemma Willis and Victoria Kindle Hodson. I've been wading through all the work we should have been doing in the last few months while we've been dealing with depression, sickness and injury. Rest is so foreign to me that, though I have tried to accept it, there is still a reality that three kids need mom to be well. (That's for another article though.)

Back to the topic at hand..Ahem..This book is more in depth than any other I've ever read on this topic and I think, like God always does, He has led me to it for such a time as this. I have been noticing both positive and negative things about this school year and sans injury etc.. have observed a few things that have given me some clues about what I'm doing right and what I need to still figure out. So, for those of you with some time on your hands who would like to get a peek into our crazy world, here goes. (This will be a long one.)

First, Rose is thriving on our co-op diet of history songs and all the other songs we incorporate into the memory work. I definitely feel she is benefiting from this environment, as she is able to do much of what the other kids do, in spite of her severe learning disabilities. She is gaining confidence and knowledge at the same time. Because of this book(the learning styles book) I think I'm discovering why she is doing so well. I'm still helping her do the learning assessment but ideas are unfolding about how to unlock the girl's brain. (A six year journey this Tuesday-the anniversary of our first meeting.) I think she learns in pictures (the timeline cards and other resources we utilize are very detailed visually) and also in some ways she is an auditory learner. She learns just about anything if you put it in a song. (Which is strange, because she can't hear or repeat tones correctly.) In addition to this she has to be alone with me to truly learn. That means door to the kitchen is shut, boys are outside or in their rooms. Ug. I've known this one for a while but thought I would reiterate it here. Still no clue how to use this information to help her in reading and math but my little brain is grinding right now.

The next positive thing is that Gabriel is learning well on his own with the flashcards from our co-op so I don't have to double my time to teach them the memory work because he likes to do it on his own. Hallelujah!!!! Also, I think his proficiency for math is greater than I thought. I am thinking he is the type of math person described in the book as having a Mechanical Reasoning talent. He doesn't memorize facts super quick but can work out the processes needed in the problems very easily. Who knew? I also believe Gabriel has the Performer disposition which also involves moving. This is why read-aloud time is torture if he can't play with Legos! It is also why church is such a challenge--although I recently began doing a children's story with a picture to color so he's more occupied during the discussion time. I still am looking for a creative and socially acceptable way for him to be in the church service without flipping out though. (We go to a family-integrated house church) The down side of this not- so- surprising discovery is that I can't really transition to more "scholarly" approaches for him or Ezra (get to Ezra in a moment) because they are both movers to some extent.

Now to Ezra. Ezra is in the eighth grade. All year I've been trying to get him to "act" like a junior high responsible student. He isn't the defiant type so he just kind of disappears and works on all his stuff--rabbits, piano, knitting, hunting, drawing and certainly not working on his assignments. Then, when I ask about it he says he needs help--on EVERYTHING. Sigh. He is very intelligent and I know he is capable of doing much of the work on his own but he swears he can't. So a few days ago when we started our History curriculum again afIter a long hiatus he was SOOOO excited and said he was glad to be with the rest of the family again. Hmmmm... Turns out, I'm thinking he may have what this book calls a relational disposition, which means he likes to be with people when he learns. This would explain a lot about my failing miserably in motivating him this year. So my next job is converting all his assignments into the type of assignments he will really understand. No problem.

All this information is good but it's going to take me a while to sort it out and certainly will take me a while to find solutions for each of my learners. I hope my narrative about my children will help some of you to figure out your own kids!

Courtesy: Sandra Nardoni

India Launch Mangalyaan To Mars!

Things readers should notice while picking up a Book

If you have any hope of having your book achieve financial and critical success, you must understand how your readers (your customers), view your book (your product) when they first see it (online or on a shelf). Once you fully understand how your readers will perceive your book when they first see it, then you can adjust your book accordingly.

In order to accomplish this, you must separate yourself from your personal feelings about your book, and think like the objective buyer would think. What would attract you to a book like yours? What would attract people in your audience to a book like yours? Would you as a buyer be more attracted to a handsome cover, or to the cover blurbs? Would you buy a book based on its cover art, or because of the well-known names that are quoted on the cover? Does the book's page count seem too long, or too short, to cover the topic adequately? Does the subtitle seem to be promising too much for such a topic? How does your book's attributes compare to other books within your subject category?

Here is a quick look at the first things that readers notice when they first view your book:

1. Cover Art

Having the appropriate graphics, images, photos, illustrations, colors, fonts, etc., are essential if you expect to get noticed by book buyers. Books with a great looking cover almost always sell better on Amazon than those that have a lame, confusing, or unprofessional-looking cover. What needs to be on your book's cover that will draw in, or attract, a reader and a buyer? Are the graphics, colors, and fonts appropriate to the book's subject matter? Make sure that you design several covers. And don't be afraid to hire professional help.

2. Title And Subtitle

Your title must grab your buyer as quickly as possible. Generally, it must let the reader know what your book is about in as few words as possible. You can give more specific details in the subtitle. This is where the author lets the buyer really know what the book is about. When deciding which book to purchase, the buyer will usually give more weight to the subtitle than to the main title.

3. Author's Name

The big well-known names will always get more attention. But there are several ways for less well-known authors to get the shopper's attention. The new, or less well-known author, can impress the consumer by putting the title of a previous book that they have written directly under their name on the cover. They could also bring attention to their business or personal website which the consumer can quickly look-up on the internet. One of the best ways to bring attention to a lesser-know author, is to get a much bigger, or more well-known name to write the book's foreword. This person's name will also appear on the cover, directly below the author's name.

4. Cover Blurbs

Blurbs, or short testimonials, are essential for making book sales. And they are not difficult to get. The best ones, and the ones from big-name authors and celebrities, should be on your cover, front and back. You should include all of the other blurbs that you accumulate inside your book, as well as on your book's web site. You must get them from a wide variety of sources, not just the big names.

5. The Foreword

The foreword is a discussion about why the reader should read your book. It is the place where a guest author shows the reader why they should be reading this book. If it is written properly, and by the appropriate person for the job, the book's author will gain a lot of credibility in the reader's eyes.

6. The Preface

The preface is a discussion about how the book came about. It is a place for the book's author to tell the reader how this book came into being, and why. It will build credibility for the author and the book. More credibility will translate into more book sales. Here the author should explain why they wrote the book, and how they came to writing it. The author should be showing the reader why they are worth reading and buying.

7. The Introduction

The introduction is a discussion about the content of the book. Here the author sets the stage for the reader, and prepares them for what can be expected from reading the book. The introduction grabs the reader, and intensifies the reader's desire to find out more, and hopefully devour the entire book.

At the End but not the real end

The key to doing this successfully is to force yourself to look at the book as if you are a buyer, and not the author. Be objective as much as possible. Ask your family and friends for their un-varnished advice. Compare your book to others, especially those from successful authors, and those published by big publishing companies. How does yours compare? What is your first impression of the other books? What catches your eyes? Spend an hour or two in a big bookstore walking around and examining the books all over the store. It is not a difficult process, but one you must devote some quality time to exploring.



By Joseph C Kunz, Jr