The Tao Of Parenting

Classic Taoist wisdom applied to the world of parenting, guiding mothers and fathers to meaningful conversations and relationships with their children. William C. Martin has freshly reinterpreted the Tao Te Ching to speak directly and clearly to the most difficult of modern tasks -- parenting. With its combination of free verse and judicious advice, The Parent's Tao Te Ching addresses the great themes that permeate the Tao and that support loving parent- child relationships: responding without judgment, emulating natural processes, and balancing between doing and being. "A masterpiece. William Martin captures the essence of what it means to raise a child. Urgently needed, this precious book lifts parenting to new heights."-- Judy Ford, author of Wonderful Ways to Love a Child and Wonderful Ways to Be a Family

Following the successful debut of the Parent's Tao Te Ching -- William Martin now reinterprets the Tao for couples. With The Parent's Tao Te Ching, William Martin beautifully re-interpreted Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching -- one of the world's oldest and most widely read books of wisdom -- expressly for parents. Now, he distills and freshly re-interprets the essence of each of the Tao's 81 chapters to speak directly and clearly to couples. William Martin's indelible, spirited, and sage advice, rendered in free verse, captures the ancient spirit of Lao Tzu's original text, yet speaks directly to modern lovers--and to the full sweep of their experiences and emotions. A deeply felt alternative to advice books that urge readers to manipulate their partners rather than to love them, The Couple's Tao Te Ching is for everyone who has embarked upon a loving relationship, which, as William Martin says, "can be the most rewarding and enlightening adventure possible."

The author, a mother and teacher of meditation and yoga, was inspired to meditate with each of the teachings of the Tao te ching to capture its wisdom in words specifically directed to mothers.

“A brilliant book, overflowing with wisdom.” —Philip J. Ivanhoe, author of Confucian Reflections The ancient Chinese philosopher Mencius compared children to tender sprouts, shaped by soil, sunlight, water, and the efforts of patient gardeners. At times children require our protection, other times we must take a step back and allow them to grow. A practical parenting manual, philosophical reflection on the relationship between parent and child, and necessary response to modern stereotypes of Eastern parenting, Little Sprouts and the Dao of Parenting reconsiders cultural definitions of success and explores how we might support and nourish young people. Engaging deeply with foundational Daoist and Confucian thinkers, philosopher Erin Cline shows how we can strengthen innate virtues of compassion, generosity, and individuality in our own tender sprouts.

Completing the trilogy that began with the Parent's Tao Te Ching (praised as "pure gold" by Hugh Prather) and continued with the Couple's Tao Te Ching ("a singular book," said George Fowler), William Martin now distills and freshly reinterprets the Tao for "sages," or those in the second half of life. As Martin writes, sages are the "primary keepers and transmitters of wisdom, culture, values, and spirituality." Martin's free-verse interpretation captures the ancient spirit of Lao Tzu's text, yet speaks directly to modern readers. The text is accompanied by a visual interpretation of the Tao in more than 50 original ink-brush drawings. Like the Parent's Tao and Couple's Tao before it, the Sage's Tao has the hallmarks of a classic. "You have ceased trying /To tie up all loose ends./You have discovered/That life does not need to be neat/You have more questions than answers,/And this is a great delight to you./You trust the mystery of life/Without having to possess it." - from the book

Applying the ancient yet timeless 81 principles of Taoism to parenting, The Tao Of Parenting features instructive anecdotes from four families to demonstrate how Taoist teachings help parents raise good, healthy children. The stories are just as diverse as the families who tell them (a blended family featuring children from separate marriages, a couple with different cultural and ethical backgrounds, a single parent of twin boys, and a couple with different parenting techniques learning to compromise).Some of the Taoist principles used by these families include: *Do Not Think of Self. Shows the rewards parents receive by making their children their number one priority. *The material is fleeting, the spiritual is everlasting. Demonstrates the rewards of caring for those in need. *Do Not Be Authoritarian. Shows how to foster self-reliance and responsibility in children while supporting their efforts, rather than controlling their every move. *Follow the middle road; it is the heart of knowing. Offers the benefits of parents being neither too permissive or too strict, but rather adjusting the rules for each child and each circumstance. There are many more valuable lessons in this special book which can be used by parents of all faiths to help guide their lives and those of their children.

In this companion to her bestselling Kids are Worth It!, parenting educator Barbara Coloroso shows how parents can help children find a way through grief and sorrow during the difficult times of death, illness, divorce, and other upheavals. She offers concrete, compassionate ideas for supporting children as they navigate the emotional ups and downs that accompany loss, assisting them in developing their own constructive ways of responding to what life hands them. At the heart of her approach is what she calls the T.A.0. of Family -- Time, Affection, and Optimism -- coupled with her deep understanding of how people move through grief. Barbara Coloroso's clear answers to difficult questions are enriched by uplifting humor and insightful anecdotes from her own experiences as a Franciscan nun, mother of three, and her thirty years as a parenting educator. With this Guide in hand, parents can feel assured that they are responding with wisdom and love when children need them most.

Distilled from many years of study Zen Buddhism, Zen Parent, Zen Child is a book that brings the reflections of a 2,600 year old philosophy to present day parenting. The reader is encouraged to pick up the book, flip open to a random page, and meditate on the reflection provided. The more parents can understand that they are being observed in every moment, the more they can help their children live loving, peaceful lives.