My Grandma Has Black Hair


Book Description

A child talks about her grandmother, who is definitely not like the grannies in storybooks.




The Psychology of Grandparenthood


Book Description

The majority of people will now spend about one-third of their lives as grandparents, yet developmental psychologists have largely ignored the nature of the grandparental role, and the influence which grandparents can have on grandchildren. Originally published in 1991, this book redresses the balance and uses life-span evolutionary and psychodynamic theoretical frameworks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of grandparenthood from cross-cultural perspectives. Much recent work in developmental psychology has disregarded the extended family in favour of the two-generational nuclear family of parents and children. But grandparents do have a significant role in family relationships and children’s development. This volume contains detailed discussion of intergenerational transmission of parenting skills, cooperation and conflict in three-generational families and the ways in which grandparents and grandchildren perceive one another. The importance of considering social and cultural contexts of development applies to grandparents just as much as to other areas of human development. Kinds of family structure, social policies regarding employment, health and housing, attitudes to marriage and even particular historical events all have an impact on the position and role of grandparents and on stereotypes of old age. These factors vary considerably from country to country. Our understanding of grandparenthood can only be enriched by learning about the variety of ways in which it is expressed in different cultural settings. Most previous research has been confined to the USA. This book is truly international containing contributions from Britain, Canada, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, West Germany and the USA. International comparisons enable us to see which elements are essential to grandparenthood and which are culture dependant. In most Western countries the population is ageing and this sort of study is becoming vitally important. The Psychology of Grandparenthood is required reading for anybody who is professionally involved with the elderly and for psychologists interested in development, the life-span and family systems.




The Age of Dignity


Book Description

One of Time’s 100 most influential people “shines a new light on the need for a holistic approach to caregiving in America . . . Timely and hopeful” (Maria Shriver). In The Age of Dignity, thought leader and activist Ai-jen Poo offers a wake-up call about the statistical reality that will affect us all: Fourteen percent of our population is now over sixty-five; by 2030 that ratio will be one in five. In fact, our fastest-growing demographic is the eighty-five-plus age group—over five million people now, a number that is expected to more than double in the next twenty years. This change presents us with a new challenge: how we care for and support quality of life for the unprecedented numbers of older Americans who will need it. Despite these daunting numbers, Poo has written a profoundly hopeful book, giving us a glimpse into the stories and often hidden experiences of the people—family caregivers, older people, and home care workers—whose lives will be directly shaped and reshaped in this moment of demographic change. The Age of Dignity outlines a road map for how we can become a more caring nation, providing solutions for fixing our fraying safety net while also increasing opportunities for women, immigrants, and the unemployed in our workforce. As Poo has said, “Care is the strategy and the solution toward a better future for all of us.” “Every American should read this slender book. With luck, it will be the future for all of us.” —Gloria Steinem “Positive and inclusive.” —The New York Times “A big-hearted book [that] seeks to transform our dismal view of aging and caregiving.” —Ms. magazine




The Great Expectations School


Book Description

At the age of twenty-two, Dan Brown came to P.S. 85 as an eager, fresh-faced teacher. He was even as-signed his own class: 4-217. Unbeknownst to him, 4-217 was the designated “dumping ground” for all fourth-grade problem cases, and his students would prove to be more challenging than he could have ever anticipated. Intent on being a caring, dedicated teacher but confronted with unruly children, absent parents, and a failing administration, Dan was pushed to the limit time and again: he found himself screaming with rage, punching his fist through a blackboard out of sheer frustration, often just wanting to give up and walk away. Yet, in this seeming chaos, he slowly learned—from the more seasoned teachers at the school and from his own mistakes—how to discipline, teach, and make a difference. The Great Expectations School is the touching story of Class 4-217 and their teacher, Mr. Brown. But more than that, it is the revealing story of a broken educational system and all those struggling within and fighting against it.




Snapshots: Glimpses of My Family in 1930's & 1940's America


Book Description

What would it be like to grow up in a different time and place? What was life like for our grandparents and great-grandparents? The true stories in this book give us a fascinating look at life in rural America in the 1930's and 1940's. Lets take a step back in history and look at the snapshots of our past . . . This first edition is also complete with a Student Glossary for young learners and a section filled with Ideas for Educators. 'Snapshots' makes the perfect accessory text for any elementary or middle school history class.




Ribbon of Darkness


Book Description

Throughout history, God has made covenants with humankind. And while the very first covenant was between God and first man, Adam, many of us do not realize that even today, God has made a covenant with America. Yet like that original alliance, our covenant as a nation with God is breaking. In Ribbon of Darkness, author Rev. Mel Jolley offers his insights into the various social issues happening in our nation, taking us through the election period and the candidates running; this commentary explores the deterioration of America and the breaking of our pact as a nation with God. Jolley explains how this agreement mirrors the covenant Israel has with God—the only covenant nations with the sovereign God. Nothing is more important than the covenant God has with our nation today, and all of us need to be aware of the changes in our society and pray for guidance in these harrowing times. Because in the end, we must make a stand for Christ and the true heritage of our nation.




Apple Blossom Time


Book Description

Apple Blossom Time: An Autobiography in Prose and Poetry is a unique approach to the story of a woman's life. In prose and poetry, author Louise A. Hess tells readers who she is and how she lives by showing how she interacts with the people in her life; in telling about them she is telling about herself as well. Readers will quickly identify with the author as they realize that they share similar experiences regarding timeless universal themes of love, family, friendship, and life. Apple Blossom Time will draw readers into a relationship with the author. Written in a comfortable conversational voice, this collection of stories, reflections, poetry, newspaper/newsletter articles, essays, memories, and slice-of-life offerings is interspersed with introspective and reflective thoughts. Apple Blossom Time is a book readers will enjoy and reread at various times in their lives; and they will want to give this book to special women in their lives. It's the perfect book for those on the run; the short selections offer easy reading in a compact format. Louise A. Hess is a native of New York, New York; she married the love of her life and they now reside in Bonita Springs, Florida, where she works as a published freelance writer. Besides publishing in various periodicals, she is the author/editor of Something Yummy: Treasured Family Recipes. She is currently working on her next book, Applesauce.




Where Shadows Hide the Sun, The Last Years


Book Description

"Amen, Lord. So be it!" Dave waited on God and heard him speak. And now he wishes he hadn't. The team is finally unified, ready to declare Jesus. But will they get the chance? When the riots begin, and Jed calls for a lockdown . . . When the mosques shout in anger, and an embassy burns . . . When his daughter's dreams reveal the spiritual battle . . . Dave must cling to what he knows and pray: pray for his students; for his friend who's in prison; for his daughter who's going blind; for the demonic to leave his home. Pray. Pray. Pray. And lie to his teammates. Dave can't go back. There's no un-seeing Jesus.




Long Trip Home


Book Description

Akoni and Micah are two brothers who live in Lahaina, on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Akoni is the older and has a standup paddleboard that Micah likes to ride on while his brother paddles. After teaching Micah to paddle, Akoni has an idea to modify an ocean-going kayak into a standup paddle kayak so the two brothers can paddle across the seven-mile wide channel that separates Maui from Molokai, where their grandmother lives. With their kayak modified and their parents' permission granted, the boys embark on their journey. Helped along their way by gentle trade winds, the brothers encounter playful dolphins and have a too-close encounter with an enormous passenger liner. However they arrive on Molokai safely and are warmly welcomed by their grandmother. Visiting their grandmother on Molokai, the boys learn things about their family and their Hawaiian heritage they'd never known before. Inspired by their newfound understanding of their familial and cultural heritage, they strike out across the channel for home. But this time the going is treacherous. Strong winds and currents force them out into open sea. The boys' pleasant journey becomes a struggle for survival as Micah and Akoni unexpectedly find themselves on a Long Trip Home. Although a "mainlander" author Robert Temple Frost loves Hawaii and Maui in particular. Now retired after 37 years as a research lab administrator, Robert is the author of two previous self-published works, The Knowers - First Move and The Knowers - Second Move. His first novel, Okinawan Adventure, was published by Charles E. Tuttle back in 1958. Photo of Ryan Feinan on Front cover taken by author. Publisher's website: http: //sbpra.com/RobertTempleFrost




My People It's Time to Come Home


Book Description

Have you ever wondered about your purpose in life? It was a long time before I ever knew I had a purpose. Everything seemed that it was self-serving in life: you were supposed to have a family, a nice house, and a nice car with money in the bank. Then one day it hit me: life was not all about me. I found out that life was about friends and family, about community and relationships. I saw that to me, it was about helping kids by being a coach, and it was my purpose to be a father to four wonderful children, and to be a loving husband to my beautiful wife. This revelation caused me to take a look back at my family's history, and as a result I found some of the greatest stories I have ever heard. I saw love, hope, strength, loyalty, and honor. Most importantly, I saw faith.