Thanks so much for taking the time to read You Are Loved; I really hope you enjoy it. This short book is a collection of my own ideas and beliefs on caring for our children but also treating our families and selves with love and kindness.

For a long time, I have felt a growing disconnect in the way we, as a culture, view and care for our families. Some popular parental advice even seems to go against our natural inclinations to nurture and bond with our children, especially infants. Providing love, understanding and care is what we, as human beings need to develop confidence, happiness and peace. This goes for children and adults both.

At the same time, news reports of children suffering and even dying from severe abuse and neglect seem to be growing daily with no end in sight. I truly believe the situation of child abuse in our society has reached horrible, epidemic proportions. Any positive change we can make in the way children are viewed and treated in our homes, schools and communities can stop the patterns of abuse and change our whole society for the better.

As these stories stayed with me, I knew that just feeling angry and sad about the situation was not going to change things. I wanted to do something to help children and families today. What I’ve written in the following pages of this book is part of that offering along with my blog, TheMommyPadawan.com

I am not a doctor or a psychologist; I am a mother. I was married at 22 years old. By 25, I was a divorced, single parent. Seven years later, I was re-married and gave birth to another son the following year. Some of my beliefs come from my own parents, family and childhood. Others came from experiences I gained while working with infants and toddlers as a daycare teacher and later on, from experiences caring for my own two children.

Parenting is an immense topic. There is so much ground that can be covered on the topic of raising children, most of the parenting books I’ve seen are several hundred to several thousand pages in length. In this book, I’ve focused on just a few common and important issues most families deal with and offer helpful information for supporting children and creating happier, easier home lives. Some of the topics and issues covered include:

• Creating a stable, loving home environment
• How taking great care of yourself helps you care for others
• Fostering the bond between parent and child
• Discovering ways to support, protect and encourage our children
• Ending all forms of domestic violence and child abuse

Caring for yourself and your family in a loving way has so many positive benefits; from having more peaceful and happier relationships, calm and happier homes and secure, successful future generations. My hope is that treating ourselves and each other with understanding and loving-kindness can grow and reflect out to create a more peaceful and happier society for all of us to live in.