“Play nice!” “Be kind!” “Don’t do that!” Every day, it seems half our conversations with young people is made up of commands dealing with character and niceties--all issues that need to be addressed and not ignored. But how is it working? Do you find yourself back at square one the next day, with a child acting as though they had no idea they shouldn’t be lying? In Parenting with a Story, author Paul Smith, one of the world’s leading experts in organizational storytelling, shows that when stories are used to illustrate to children how choices and consequences play out in the real world, with real people, the impact will be far more profound than the relentless commands that are forgotten or ignored as soon as the parent turns away. This collection of 101 narratives from people around the world and from all walks of life includes lessons that illuminate the power of character, integrity, curiosity, creativity, grit, kindness, patience, gratitude, and other essential characteristics every parent should be trying to instill in their children. Sometimes heart-wrenching, sometimes funny, always compelling, these stories impart wisdom and help steer choices about: • Resisting peer pressure• Remaining open-minded• Being humble• Making courageous decisions• Standing by their word• Bouncing back from failure• Showing compassion• Picking friends wisely• And moreThroughout all of history, stories have been used to help shape who we are and who we aspire to come. But effective storytelling doesn’t have to be reserved for teachers, writers, and preachers. As a parent, learn how to share stories, discuss them with your child, and watch your child grow into the adult every parent would be proud of.

Professor, author, researcher and couple and family therapist Saliha Bava, PhD, and her husband, author and illustrator Mark Greene share the core ideas of relational thinking through comics, fables and powerful articles, charting a playful and transformative path to growing our children's relational intelligence."Growing our children's relationship super powers is the joyful cure for what ails our angry, disconnected culture."-Micheal Kasdan, The Good Men Project"Life-changing, culture-shaping ideas ... I was smiling, highlighting, imagining how I could use this to equip teachers and parents with new insights and understandings and SUPER POWERS. The theory masterfully bridges what I know from my work as an early childhood teacher right through to my new field of guidance and counseling."-Bronwyn Leiataua

Unconventional--yet effective--parenting strategies, carefully curated by the creator of the popular podcast The Longest Shortest Time Some of the best parenting advice that Hillary Frank ever received did not come from parenting experts, but from friends and podcast listeners who acted on a whim, often in moments of desperation. These "weird parenting wins" were born of moments when the expert advice wasn't working, and instead of freaking out, these parents had a stroke of genius. For example, there's the dad who pig-snorted in his baby's ear to get her to stop crying, and the mom who made a "flat daddy" out of cardboard and sat it at the dinner table when her kids were missing their deployed military father. Every parent and kid is unique, and as we get to know our kids, we can figure out what makes them tick. Because this is an ongoing process, Weird Parenting Wins covers children of all ages, ranging in topics from "The Art of Getting Your Kid to Act Like a Person" (on hygiene, potty training, and manners) to "The Art of Getting Your Kid to Tell You Things" (because eventually, they're going to be tight-lipped). You may find that someone else's weird parenting win works for you, or you might be inspired to try something new the next time you're stuck in a parenting rut. Or maybe you'll just get a good laugh out of the mom who got her kid to try beets because...it might turn her poop pink.

Storytelling has come of age in the business world. Today, many of the most successful companies use storytelling as a leadership tool. At Nike, all senior executives are designated "corporate storytellers." 3M banned bullet points years ago and replaced them with a process of writing "strategic narratives." Procter Gamble hired Hollywood directors to teach its executives storytelling techniques. Some forward-thinking business schools have even added storytelling courses to their management curriculum. The reason for this is simple: Stories have the ability to engage an audience the way logic and bullet points alone never could. Whether you are trying to communicate a vision, sell an idea, or inspire commitment, storytelling is a powerful business tool that can mean the difference between mediocre results and phenomenal success. Lead with a Story contains both ready-to-use stories and how-to guidance for readers looking to craft their own. Designed for a wide variety of business challenges, the book shows how narrative can help: * Define culture and values * Engender creativity and innovation * Foster collaboration and build relationships * Provide coaching and feedback * Lead change * And more Whether in a speech or a memo, communicated to one person or a thousand, storytelling is an essential skill for success. Complete with examples from companies like Kellogg's, Merrill-Lynch, Procter Gamble, National Car Rental, Wal-Mart, Pizza Hut, and more, this practical resource gives readers the guidance they need to deliver stories to stunning effect.

After more than two decades and over two thousand presentations, my interactions with parents reveal that although most want to learn and parent their best, they feel ill-equipped. Kids don’t come with manuals. The goal of this book is to equip and empower you as a parent, grandparent, or youth leader to help kids navigate all aspects of life in the current culture. How do we sift through the unending philosophies on parenting and be intentional in how we choose what’s best for our family? The number of voices is overwhelming. This book distills the essential elements of parenting so you can apply them in your own home. It approaches parenting from a Christian perspective and is filled with practical advice that is applicable to everyone. As we explore the foundations of parenting, we will look at: Parenting. What are the stages of parenting? What is the current state of parenting? What is the purpose of parenting? Parenting styles. What are they and which ones should I be using? What might I need to alter about my current parenting style? Progression of parenting. What are the skills our children need to learn? Time. What does quality time and being present with my kids look like? Communication. How can I gain better communication skills so that I can more effectively connect with my kids? Discipline. How do I effectively discipline my children? Family discipleship. Why is our worldview important, and how we can raise kids with a Christian worldview? Mental Health. How do we address issues like anxiety, panic attacks, and depression? Engaging the Culture. How do we empower our kids to engage the culture around us without compromising their faith? Media. How can we help our kids navigate technology? Sexuality. How do we direct our kids towards healthy sexuality? Pornography. What is the prevalence of pornography and how do we address its impact on our kids? Dating. How do we best avoid pitfalls in dating? Finances and education. How can we help our children make sound financial and education choices? Drugs and alcohol. What tools are available to assist in drug-proofing our kids? Loneliness. How do we prevent disconnection in our kids and help them to create community?

The Godmother of Silicon Valley, legendary teacher, and mother of a Super Family shares her tried-and-tested methods for raising happy, healthy, successful children using Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration, and Kindness: TRICK. Esther Wojcicki--"Woj" to her many friends and admirers--is famous for three things: teaching a high school class that has changed the lives of thousands of kids, inspiring Silicon Valley legends like Steve Jobs, and raising three daughters who have each become famously successful. What do these three accomplishments have in common? They're the result of TRICK, Woj's secret to raising successful people: Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration, and Kindness. Simple lessons, but the results are radical. Wojcicki's methods are the opposite of helicopter parenting. As we face an epidemic of parental anxiety, Woj is here to say: relax. Talk to infants as if they are adults. Allow teenagers to pick projects that relate to the real world and their own passions, and let them figure out how to complete them. Above all, let your child lead. How to Raise Successful People offers essential lessons for raising, educating, and managing people to their highest potential. Change your parenting, change the world.

A thoughtful and "utterly mind-blowing" exploration of fatherhood and masculinity in the 21st century (New York Times). There are hundreds of books on parenting, and with good reason—becoming a parent is scary, difficult, and life-changing. But when it comes to books about parenting identity, rather than the nuts and bolts of raising children, nearly all are about what it's like to be a mother. Drawing on research in sociology, economics, philosophy, gender studies, and the author's own experiences, Father Figure sets out to fill that gap. It's an exploration of the psychology of fatherhood from an archetypal perspective as well as a cultural history that challenges familiar assumptions about the origins of so-called traditional parenting roles. What paradoxes and contradictions are inherent in our common understanding of dads? Might it be time to rethink some aspects of fatherhood? Gender norms are changing, and old economic models are facing disruption. As a result, parenthood and family life are undergoing an existential transformation. And yet, the narratives and images of dads available to us are wholly inadequate for this transition. Victorian and Industrial Age tropes about fathers not only dominate the media, but also contour most people's lived experience. Father Figure offers a badly needed update to our collective understanding of fatherhood—and masculinity in general. It teaches dads how to embrace the joys of fathering while guiding them toward an image of manliness for the modern world.