Tim Stuart and Cheryl Bostrom offer a unique and practical perspective on how to have a godly, eternal impact on children. Their message is especially critical to those young people whose lives have been characterized by disappointment and rejection. —Dr. Bill Bright, founder, president, chairman emeritus, Campus Crusade for Christ
"Every child is bound to bump into tough times and these experiences are sure to shape their character for good or ill. Children At Promise is an immensely practical and inspirational tool for helping kids rise above adversity? and succeed not only in spite of it, but because of it. This book is a winner!" —Les Parrott, PhD., professor of clinical psychology, Seattle Pacific University: author, Helping Your Struggling Teenager
"Teachers of every stripe, public and private, will benefit from Children At Promise. Taken seriously, it would revolutionize American education. Every prospective and practicing parent and teacher will want to read this book. I needed this thirty-five years ago when I started teaching, and before I became a principal and a par ent." —Ron Polinder, executive director, Rehoboth Christian School
"We've heard much from government in recent years about 'leaving no child behind.' In Children At Promise, Stuart and Bostrom show what it will take from the rest of us to make it happen, one child at a time." —Dr. Duane Litfin, president, Wheaton College
"Tim Stuart and Cheryl Bostrom recognize that one hundred percent of all children are at risk but that one hundred percent are also 'At Promise.' This thinking could start a much-needed revolution. Brilliant work!" —Marilyn Meberg, author and speaker, Women of Faith International
"Children At Promise uncovers an insightful and inspiring view of 'at-risk' children, a term that encompasses every child as they overcome everyday obstacles and 'grow and go' in God's love. This detailed account of the effect of a mentor, backed by relevant scripture, is an outstanding reference and 'operating manual' for any faith-based mentoring program." —Foster Friess, founder and chairman, Friess Associates; adviser to the Brandywine Mutual Funds; and president, The Lynn and Foster Friess Family Foundation
"Children At Promise promises real help to real parents and educators! This book gives a new paradigm for looking at children that is biblically sound, positive and practical and if followed, will turn children at risk into children of great promise." —Claudia Arp and David Arp, M.S.W., authors, Answering the Eight Cries of the Spirited Child
"Parents and educators who take the 'At Promise' paradigm seriously will discover something new in themselves, something that they might not have known was there. That 'something' is a sense of the positive potential in every child that, once we've come to believe in it and act on it, changes each of us, one person at a time, in ways most miraculous." —Dr. Arthur K. Ellis, professor and director, International Center for Curriculum Studies, Seattle Pacific University.
In today's complex world filled with violence, drugs, and confusing sexual messages, these and other threats to our young people have prompted educators, politicians, and government agencies to label up to 90 percent of our children as "at risk" of failure. Although intended to be a way of identifying those who need help, this label can cause us to taint our language and behaviors toward young people with hopelessness and defeat.
But there is hope. Children At Promise maintains that all children can be viewed with positive expectancy and shows how we— parents, grandparents, educators, and friends— can help to fulfill our children's deep potential. In this inspirational and informative book, high school principal Tim Stuart, Ed.D. and former
teacher-of-the-year Cheryl Bostrom, M.A., offer easy-to-understand, research-based evidence for the power of nurturing the promise in all children regardless of the risks they experience. Stuart and Bostrom's unique, revolutionary approach to child rearing emphasizes the true identity of all children and their caregivers, the importance of relationship, and the value of adversity. They offer a practical perspective that inspires caring adults to change an "at-risk" situation into an "at-promise" reality and helps them interpret adversity to build character. Solidly grounded in tested educational and psychological theory combined with timeless biblical wisdom, Children At Promise provides nine key principles for raising successful children of P.R.O.M.I.S.E. character.
