William Martin brings his own experience of fathering two now-grown children to bear in his reworking of the famous Lao Tzu text. The book is deceptively slim, but packed with infinite wisdom written in simple, practical, poetic chapters that reward parents with renewed perspective upon each reading. What speaks volumes at one point in a parenting journey is refreshingly new at another. This is definitely a book to read and reread over the years.

From the book:

27. Fan the Spark

Your children plan their own education,
like it or not.
You must learn to cooperate with that plan.
If they are drawing,
they become artists.
If they are reading,
they become students.
If they are investigating something,
they become scientists.
If they are helping prepare a meal,
they become chefs.
Whatever they are doing,
they are learning.
And it is, for them,
pure joy.

****

Can you refrain from judging their interests?
Can you give them room to explore?
Schools do not often do this.
You may be the only one
who can fan the spark of their creativity
into a flame of joy.

Filled with 81 such wonderful and inspiring chapters, The Parent's Tao Te Ching provides inspirational food for thought on subjects as diverse as behavior, contentment, change, and self-acceptance among many, many others.

Bill Martin and his wife, Nancy, live and work in Chico, California where they run The Still Point, a non-profit Zen meditation and practice center focused on conscious compassionate awareness. Bill Martin offers limited opportunities for personal tutorial over the course of a three month mentorship and exchange. Visit his Helpful Parenting website for more details.

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