Thinking

Free Books-What Kids Need to Succeed Birthday

July 31, 2019 /

It was one of those great conversations — relaxed and rambly. Dad and I visited all sorts of topics: Free books. A little family news. The puppy’s progress. Dog breeders and trainers and veterinarians. Yoga. Domestic violence and addiction programs. And that it seems like a long time since we wrote a book together.

It is: What Kids Need to Succeed: Four Foundations of Adult Achievement is fifteen years old — a teenager! And we want to celebrate. But, if you’ve read the book (or my blog), that probably doesn’t surprise you.

Humble Beginnings & Overcoming Adversity

In the early stages of our collaboration, Dad and I didn’t see our target audience in quite the same way. My father felt that the information in the book would be snapped up by young, upwardly mobile professionals with resources that allowed them to pamper — even spoil — their children. He hoped that the humble beginnings and adversities faced by the high-achieving adults in the book would encourage those parents to let their kids struggle a bit.

[bctt tweet=”We’re celebrating the 15th anniversary of What Kids Need to Succeed by giving away free books.” username=”AndreaPatten”]

I, on the other hand, was coming out of many years of providing support to families struggling with addiction, homelessness, and violence: people who were presently living many of the adversities we wrote about. I thought it would bring hope and to provide a new framework for the difficulties their families were facing.

What Kids Need to Succeed lends itself to workshops for both parents and teens.

Free Books for Single Moms

It turns out we were both right: we got some wonderful letters from people who felt their upbringing was validated — that despite what was going on with their circle of friends, they had permission to provide a bit more struggle and discipline than they were seeing in other families. And I had the opportunity to develop a parenting program for a large inpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility. The facility purchased copies of What Kids Need to Succeed and gave free books to all the women who enrolled in their parenting program. The women said it helped them feel like they were strong enough to break the chain of addiction and violence in their fmailies — that the time in treatment was well spent.

[bctt tweet=”Nominate a program that serves parents — maybe they’ll win some free books.” username=”AndreaPatten”]

Help Us Celebrate — Let’s Give Away Some Books!

With that in mind, we need your help with our celebration — and it’s not going to cost you a dime. We want you to help us give away free books. We are looking for fifteen excellent programs serving parents and their children. We’d like to gift them with books for their program participants.

[bctt tweet=”We’d like to gift some books to 15 excellent programs serving parents and their children.” username=”AndreaPatten”]

We need you to  help us find those programs. Big or small, single parents or couples, biological or adoptive, free-standing or in a facility of some sort. Programs whose participants would benefit from learning more about the four foundations of adult achievement: hard work, discipline, overcoming adversity, and giving to others. Click on the “comment” link just below this post (look carefully — it’s small). Give me the name and location of the program (a link to their website would be great) and a few sentences about why you think we should give them books! (Why you think it’s a great program.)

Then, sit back and watch this space for results. (Or subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss any new posts.) We’re looking forward to learning about the programs that are near and dear to your hearts!

 

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