As an academic child and adolescent psychiatrist, studying the problems of weight in children and youth, I have been very frustrated to find limited smart and clear materials for families and practitioners.

Dr. Cederquist has the very rare brilliance to know vast amounts of material and to make it practical and clear.

Good luck to anyone who tries to improve on this work!

Combination Physician, Master Teacher & a Writer like this one come around rarely...

FearlessBooks.com. - -
The first step in helping an overweight child is not the introduction of a new diet, says Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist, a family physician and national spokesperson on weight management. Instead, 'tell your child that she is okay, no matter what she weighs. Say it loud and often. . . . Let [your child] know that children come in many shapes and sizes, and none of them is inherently wrong. Your child is more important than what she weighs!'

Solid emotional support is a crucial foundation, says the author of Helping Your Overweight Child, because the psychological and emotional stresses of obesity can be just as tough on kids as the physiological consequences. That's why she recommends that kids old enough to write should be urged to start keeping a journal, so that they can become aware of how they may use food inappropriately to deal with stress while they are still young. After all, our excuses and rationalizations get more sophisticated as we grow older!

While providing a concise and basic overview of all the health fundamentals, including a survey of 'Nutrition 101' and the obvious arguments for displacing TV-watching with exercise, Dr. Cederquist revisits psychological concerns often ' including the dynamics of family communication and suggestions for coping with an overweight child's tendency to binge or relapse along the path to better health. Along the way she dispenses helpful tips on environmental factors, such as restricting dining areas to a well-kept dining room or kitchen out of earshot of televisions and video games, and serving food from the stovetop in single portions so that second helpings are always farther than an arm's reach.

And while the author provides about twenty pages of healthy recipes for kid's favorites prepared in the home, she also faces the modern reality of childhood eats in America by providing complete nutritional breakdowns of all the foods served at junk food palaces like McDonalds, Wendy's, and Denny's, as well as standard grocery-store offerings. In each case, she lines up her 'better choices' (1 serving of Annie's Shells and Cheddar: 280 calories, 4 grams of fat) 'as compared to' the usual, unhealthier suspects (1 serving of Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese: 300 calories, 10 grams of fat).

At a concise 158 pages, this is a guide that will not overwhelm concerned parents with too much information while providing them with a serious but not overly stern guide to changing childhood eating habits. Since those habits are very likely to be rooted in psychological and environmental factors that influence the whole family, what proves to be healthy for the overweight child will likely benefit his or her siblings and parents as well.

Helping Your Overweight Child: A Family Guide is a straightforward guide written for parents, to help the family better understand the causes of weight problems in children, basic facts about good nutritional and exercise habits, and serious, practical lifestyle changes that the entire family can make for the improved health of all members. Written by an experienced professional doctor board certified by the American Board Family Practice and the American Board of Bariatric Physicians, Helping Your Overweight Child presents professional expertise for the lay reader not only the form of information, but also in hands-on useful material such as sample sheets for eating and exercising goals, emotion journals, comparisons of nutritional value/fat content in many brand-name food products and kid-friendly nutritional recipies. Helping Your Overweight Child is very highly recommended to conscerned parents and care providers seeking to assist overweight or obese children toward a more age and height appropriate and healthy weight.

Empowering Adolescent Girls is a "must-read" for anyone who has an adolescent girl, knows one, teaches one, counsels one, works with one, is one, or is in any way curious about what makes them tick and how to more successfully communicate with them. This is an intelligent, articulate, compassionate, and realistic approach to a very difficult and important social phenomenon. Daley in particular is masterful at connecting clinical theory to everyday application, and does so in prose that is both concrete and clear. She manages to seamlessly blend tough-minded seriousness with humor and empathy, revealing both extensive experience with and a natural feel for her subject. Do yourself a favor and put Empowering Adolescent Girls, and the accompanying Go Grrrls Workbook, at the top of your summer reading list!

This is a "must-read" for anyone who has an adolscent girl, knows one, works with one, is one, or is in any way curious about what makes them tick and how to communicate more successfully with them. An intelligent, articulate, compassionate, and realisitic approach to a very important and difficult subject. Daley in particular is outstanding at connecting clinical theory to everyday application, and does so in prose that is both concrete and clear. She manages to seamlessly mix tough-minded seriousness with humor and empathy, revealing both extensive experience with and a natural feel for her subject. Do yourself a favor and put Empowering Adolsecent Girls and the Go Grrrls Workbook at the top of your summer reading list!

I just finished reading empowering adolescent girls and I am going to start over at the beginning. This book contains a wealth of information. It is encyclopedic in scope, but offers specific strategies for working with real girls. The curriculum that is included in the book is really helpful as it lays out exactly how to conduct a group meeting. It even has evaluation tools and a companion parent curriculum to use. It's like getting three books in one. The workbook is a perfect tool to use with girls. It incorporates fun and informative activities in an interactive format that I know my clients will love. I'll be using this as a reference for years to come, and expect to order several more workbooks for clients to use.

This is a beautifully written book which reads like poetry. It is a must for a nature lover's library.

Annette Otts Beaverton, Al.

A stunning and lively account of encounters with animals in unusual and not-so unusual settings. Childs does his research on the behavior and anatomy of many of the animals he writes about which I found impressive. Not only does he open the reader's eyes to the many faces of animal behaviour and character, but he also injects human emotion, which allows the reader to connect with each story. The accounts are not just moving, but downright hillarious at times.

Where was this book when I needed it? When I think back on those joyous and turbulent times when my sons were teenagers, things were never too clear, but Judi Craig, Ph.D., MCC is an experienced clinical psychologist and professional coach ...who writes with exceptional clarity. She manages to pull apart the tangled threads of teen-parent relating and show them to you, one by one, which is particularly important because when they come at you in real life, they’re going to be coming in confusing combinations. She’s also the mother of three grown children, so she’s been in the trenches and knows whereof she speaks. I know I’m supposed to believe that someone can know about teens who hasn’t raised one, but I don’t.

Craig points out right away something that’s often missing in parental advice books – there’s a warp and a woof to the fabric – there’s what’s going on with the teenager, and then there’s what’s going on with the parent(s). “What’s Really Happening with Parents of Teens?” addresses the developmental stages the parents are going through, which impact on the relationship. When you’re clear about yourself, you can handle the storms of teen emotions better.

Full of concrete advice, this book gives you specific suggestions for real-life situations that really work. She helps you keep your head about you and distinguish what's imprtant and what isn't: “If your teen does not seem to be unduly affected by his musical choices,” she writes, “and basically remains his usual self, there’s probably no reason to raise the issue and create a potential power struggle. On the other hand, if his new musical heroes seem to be part of a negative new identity, it would be wise to intervene…not all loud music that teens love contains objectionable content.”

She has a way of disarming loaded issues that makes the information a lot easier to absorb. Her chapter on the “S” word begins, “If there’s one issue that is guaranteed to bring anxiety to both parents and teens, it’s sex!” Somehow that statement allows you to read further, and you need to read further.

Read this book before your children become teens, and keep it on your bedside table when they are. If you counsel or coach, keep it in your office. It’s upbeat, common-sense advice, and you’re going to need it!

I've been searching for books that actually have specific examples of teenage problems and what to do. This book hit it right on the head. I have also tried some of the ideas in this book with my 12 and 13 year old. It works. Just have patience.

This is a great little book. The book is so straightforward about behaviors and compassionately dealing with difficult behaviors, and treats the parent as well as the child. Every time I pick it up to read, I feel like I'm in a therapy session. I have found it very helpful and want to add it to my personal library.

Here's a sample from Chapter 9: "Demanding children sometimes put our optimism to the test. It's hard to see beyond the daily struggles of parenthood and glimpse the possibilities. Yet it's essential to focus on the positive aspects of our demanding child's qualities. That way, we'll be more optimistic and less tense, and thus more able to be effective parents. And a positive attitude leaves us open to the delights and surprises that our children will bring us as they grow.

Parents who are consumed with anxiety about their children's futures are less able to concentrate on the ways they can help in the here and now. And too much parental fretting has another effect: It can convey anxiety to the children, suggesting that parents have little faith in the children's ability to grow and thrive and overcome their difficulties.

The parents who keep their worries in perspective, then, are in the best position to parent positively. Usually, they are the ones who are either similar in temperament to their children, or who have come to understand, work with, and even celebrate their demanding child's individuality, even when the child and parent are quite different.

Sometimes, the worries we have about our challenging children can be eased as they demonstrate their strengths. As they grow, they grow stronger--not always in ways that we are familiar with, but in their own unique way."

I can't convey the whole flavor of the book, but this is from a chapter on twenty well-meaning mistakes parents make:

1. Trying to change basic temperament 2. Failure to guide and direct challenging behavior 3. Failure to prioritize 4. Failure to discipline 5. Using negative language 6. Yelling 7. Praising out-of-control behavior 8. Vagueness and inconsistency 9. Inconsistency between parents 10. Counting on consequences 11. Assigning motives 12. Failure to take care of parental needs 13. Overanalyzing 14. Reflecting your child's negatives 15. Allowing parents' early experiences to define expectations 16. Overprotecting 17. Comparing 18. Assuming that they're tough because they act tough 19. Forgetting that they'll grow up 20. Perfectionism

This is a very impressive and timely book on Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) by 74 contributors in the field of pediatrics and child health from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Holland and Italy.
The term EBM was developed by Sackett and colleagues from the McMaster University (Sackett DL et al. Evidence based medicine. BMJ 1996;312:71-2) as "the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients" or in other words, good medical practice based on as much facts as possible for the benefit of your patient. Since 1991 this field has been incooporated into many medical schools around the work, textbooks published and now we see it reaching pediatrics and child health.
This superbly edited book (updates will be regularly posted on www.evidbasedpediatrics.com) is devided into three sections: "Finding, evaluating and applying the evidence"; "Evidence for routine practices: screening/prevention" and finally "Common pediatrics conditions" with a good and comprehensive index.
The steps in the practice of Evidence Based Pediatrics (EBP) are: to evaluate the clinical situation (by history, by examination and laboratory tests), identify information needs and structure clinical questions, search for relevant information from the literature, evaluate the evidence found or identify lack of evidence and finally apply the evidence to your patients.
You will find many useful and structured entries in this book from the issue of the "well child" to the common pediatric problems of otitis media, constipation, short stature or croup.
We believe that this important book should find its way to the desks of the practicing pediatrician, the lecturer in child health and the researcher in pediatrics.

Professor Joav Merrick, MD
Medical director, Division for Mental Retardation, Box 1260, IL-91012 Jerusalem, Israel, email: jmerrick@aquanet.co.il

Mohammed Morad, MD
Family physician, Division for Community Health, Ben Gurion University, Box 653, IL-84105 Beer-Sheva, Israel, email: morad-62@barak-online.net

It's the first book I've seen that truly captures the spirit of the Canyon. The photography is superb; the text is readable and informative.

The Naked Child: Growing Up Without Shame is a wonderful reference for nudist families and parents, and those who are interested in the subjects of nudity and its effects on children's development. The authors present a lot of academic research study summaries to support their conclusions, and also include a number of anecdotal interviews. I feel that, at times, the anecdotal material is kind of contrived, but, overall, it gives the conclusions drawn (namely, that children's exposure to social nudity is not only not harmful, but is generally beneficial) a more "personal" ring to them. I've owned this book for many years, and I still frequently use it when compiling research on the topic myself.

I have read many, many books on discipline and childrearing in my search for the "right" way to parent. I have been very stressed after reading so many books that say the "rod" is the Biblical way, and if you don't use it, you are being sinful. I feel such "freedom" after reading this book. It seems so "right". "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12 I also found "How to Really Love Your Child" by Ross Campbell to be helpful.

It has been my pleasure to recently read "Free the Children," an autobiography/travelogue from Craig Kielburger, the founder of the youth-run Free the Children organization based in Canada. It tells of the morning Craig first heard of and was made incredulous by the realities of child labor around the world. The book follows his strong desire to get together with fellow kids and try to learn more about the state of children and hopefully be able to change it somehow. Through his amazing commitment and dedication, along with his burgeoning public speaking skills, Craig was able to motivate two dozen of his schoolmates immediately to the cause and soon earn several speaking engagements in local schools to spread the word about child labor.

With the help of a family friend Craig was able to travel to South Asia to see first hand what working children's lives were like and to speak with the children themselves to hear how they lived, what their working conditions were, if they ever went to school, and if they had any ideas for their own futures.

It is a truly inspiring book for adults and children who can always be reminded that one person can absolutely make a serious and badly-needed difference against child exploitation.

After reading Free The Children I feel as though my eyes have been opened to another world. Craig Kielburger managed to keep me interested while successfully telling his story.

At times I laughed while I read the book. However at times I was horrified by what I was reading.

Free The Children has shown me that one person or a small group of people can make a difference, it has also given me the inspiration that I needed to get on with my life. My problems are nothing compared to what others in the world go through.

All over, Free The Children is well worth the read and I would strongly recomment this book to adults as well as children.

I loved "Free the Children", it's one of the best books i have read in a long, long time. Craig has a way of bringing what he saw and did to life, he makes you feel like you are there with him on his journey across Asia. I have got to see Craig in real life at a NCYC conference in St.Louis, Missouri. From the moment i heard him i had to get his book. This is an inspirational book, i think everybody should read this book to see how big of a problem child labor really is, and how FTC is helping children around the world. I definatly give this book 5 stars.