Linda and Richard Eyre, hosts of a monthly segment on the "CBS Early Show, " help parents accomplish this in The Book of Nurturing, presenting tools for developing family relationships and turning a house into a home. They have crafted nine powerful lessons based on stories and parables that can preserve family values and give children a sense of worth and self-esteem, based on:
-- Commitment
-- Praise, support, and positive affirmation
-- Responsibility
-- Awareness
-- Communication
-- Discipline (tough love)
-- Consistency
-- Security and identity
-- Freedom and empowerment

Parents will recognize the wisdom of the nine natural laws and will appreciate the workability of the ideas and application methods. Children will love the images of animals and nature and will feel included and responsive to their parents' initiatives. In a sense, this is a whole new genre of parenting book -- written both for parents and for children, giving them a common language of symbols that they can share and use together to build their relationships and strengthen their family.