Family First

by Dr. Phil

In this book, Dr. Phil explains the five factors for a phenomenal family (great alliteration, right?). To do this you need to create a nurturing and accepting Family system; promote rhythm in your family life; establish meaningful rituals and traditions; be active in your communication; and learn how to manage crisis. I found this book to be helpful and, at least, reassuring about my desires to do simple things like eat dinner at the dining room table instead of in front of the tv and scheduling family time, making it a priority. Simple rituals like reading a story to your child every night before bed becomes an integral part of the glue that keeps the family together and ingrains wonderful memories for years to come.

A great read!

Finding Fish

by Antwone Quenton Fisher

I know this one was posted before but I wanted to elaborate a little....

This autobiography strikes into the heart as we follow a young Cleveland foster child, Antwone Fisher, through his years of abuse and neglect at the hands of his foster mother, Mrs. Pickett. Though the scenery is familiar to me, the family dynamic - if you can call it that - is foreign, shocking, and sadly true. From being locked in the basement, beaten down verbally and physically, Antwone not only survives but he truly learns to live.

According to Fisher, foster children have the odds stacked against them from the beginning. But, he was determined to make something of himself and after a brief interlude of homelessness, he did just that.

Truly well written and uplifting in the end! Now I am going to see the movie adaptation with Denzel Washington!