I just got back from a wonderful visit to Chicago to see my son and daughter-in-law.  Everything was perfect: the flights were all on-time and smooth; the weather in Chicago was sunny and not too windy; their new home is beautiful and they treated me like a treasured guest; the time spent with family was satisfying and enjoyable.  I spent an entire day with my sister, reminiscing about our childhood.  We had breakfast at Stella’s on Broadway.  I walked to the lake and shared many meals with family members I had not seen in several years. 

Two things stand out that I will remember for the rest of my life – and both are connected because they both require a leap of faith.  On Sunday, my son took me to the Chicagoland Skydiving Center, where we registered, took a short prep course on skydiving, met our instructors, got harnessed up, boarded a little plane with no seats – just benches, and went for the ride of our lives.  The best part for me was not the 30 second free-fall, but the 7 minute gentle glide down after the parachute/canopy opened.   It was a thrilling experience and one I will never forget.  On the way back from skydiving, we stopped at my nephew’s home to visit with him, his wife and his two children.  As I watched the interplay between my nephew, his wife and his young children,  I observed what wonderful parents he and his wife have become.  It occurred to me that parenting, like skydiving,  is definitely a leap of faith.  Whether you are a novice parent with a newborn or an experienced parent with several children, there are no guarantees that what you do will turn out right.  You can read books written by the “pros” or consult with “experts”…but in the end, all you can do is your best.

Sometimes, though, it helps to have a little guidance.  Just like the short prep course at the skydiving center and the last-minute instructions and “nudging” from Dave, my skydiving professional, we can gain useful parenting advice from books, workshops, and other sources.  My new book, SHOW ME HOW!  BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING, which will be available by the end of the month,  provides tips, tactics and tools to give parents a sense of competence and confidence in their own abilities.  It pinpoints 100 picture books every young child should hear and develops pre-literacy skills while providing an eco-friendly craft project and a child-friendly healthful recipe for each recommended title.  I’m hoping it will be a parachute for the leap of faith that today’s parents take.

If you’d like to see the skydive I took and share in the excitement, go to: lifepursuitvideo.com/asppublic/Vide… via @AddThis

If you’d like more info about the new book, go to: www.positiveparentalparticipation.com