Emory Luce Baldwin

When Linda and I set out to write this book, we were determined to make it as true to life as possible. Readers will find many examples of the truly frustrating and discouraging moments in parenting: children whining, fighting with their parents and their siblings, and ignoring their responsibilities that illustrate family problems familiar to parents everywhere!

Fortunately, Linda and I had decades of experience as parents, parent educators and parent counselors to draw upon when writing this book. We've seen and heard first hand how many parents feel embarrassed and afraid of 'doing it wrong,' worried and afraid that their children aren't turning out well, and upset and afraid that their children often seem angry, irritable, or unhappy. Thus, we believed that parents needed a book that would first help them understand and make sense of their children's behavior, and then give them the Courage and Uncommon Sense to gain new and better parenting skills.

As authors, we drew our own Courage from our experiences in learning, teaching and using these same insights and skills. We know this works. It has worked within our own families and the families of the more than 20,000 parents who have been taught these skills at the Parent Encouragement Program (PEP) in the Washington, DC area. Over the past three years, the feedback of hundreds of readers has helped us polish Parenting With Courage and Uncommon Sense into a book that is a joy to read as well as a valuable resource for parents now and in the years to come.