Love is necessary for our survival and is the key ingredient for both the parent and the child. Children see the magic in everything, and loving parents can and will experience so many magical moments while raising their children. Mudpies can be fun at times and also leave us covered with dirt.

From my experience as a father of five, grandfather of eight, pediatric surgeon, counselor to those with life-threatening illnesses, and as a Chosen Dad for the suicidal and abused children I have met, I know our childhoods have a profound effect on our lifelong health. I've seen that what we learn in our earliest years has a direct effect on our self-esteem, behavior, and choices. It makes me realize that the parenting we receive is truly the number one health issue in most people's lives.

In this book, I will share with you the gems I have garnered from my medical practice and family life; I will explore every aspect of parenting, from help for new parents, to those with young children or teens, to parents facing an empty nest. If you have the desire and intention, this book will uplift, strengthen, and guide you through the inevitable ups, downs, joys, and heartaches of parenting; it may even help you re-birth and re-parent yourself. Remember, parents are the cocreators of life, so decide what you desire to create and begin now. Your children are the finest raw material you will ever have to work with.