Gary Barnett

The Scream of the Butterfly Gary Barnett

In today's world, more children are being raised outside of their biological family than ever before. The blended family, the substitute parent, and relative care are now the norm, not the exception. Among the toughest roles in the world is serving as a substitute parent-whether for a foster child, a step child, your own grandchildren, or any other child who needs you. And, it can be among the most rewarding things you will ever do. Like with any other parenting role, there is no instruction book that comes with the child. These children, often through no fault of their own, are hurting-from neglect, from abuse, from a sense of loss; the list can be complex and endless. At the stage in their lives when ou step in to help, they are screaming butterflies-beautiful on the outside but hurting on the inside. This book will help you decide if you are right for this challenging role, how to handle the first days as a substitute parent, how to deal with attitude and behavior challenges, how to communicate so the child understands, how to effectively use discipline, and many other challenges you will encounter as a substitute parent.