- A book for everyone who cares about parenting children, Endangered will renew your confidence that no matter how great the odds, the love we give children is still the most decisive factor. Every parent and educator wants to be more effective. Endangered shows them how, not by offering child-rearing tips, but by transforming the way they view children and empowering them to act on the innate wisdom they already possess.For parents who try to do ‘the right thing’ but feel frustrated at every turn, or for teachers and caregivers who worry that no matter what they do, it is not enough. Arnold offers the reassurance that no deed of love is ever wasted, and that even the smallest sacrifice has lasting value and significance. Arnold concedes that bringing up children in the 21st century is going to demand everything of us. But he insists that as long as we raise them with the reverence that lets them know they count, we will win their confidence and their trust. And in the end, he says, if we are willing to put them first, they will give us ‘more than we can ever give them.’- There are more than enough books on parenting. That was one of the few things I was certain of when I set out to write this book. A father of eight and grandfather of twenty-two, I have had ample opportunities to experience parenting in action, and I sense that what today’s parents lack most is not expertise or ideas, but daring. They simply lack the courage to put their children first. As we enter a new millennium, we stand at a crossroads. On the one hand, prosperity and progress have benefited many; on the other, millions are trapped in situations of homelessness and unemployment, starvation and disease. The split is not only an economic one. Evils such as racism, violence, and neglect affect people on both sides of the divide. In general, the forces that transformed society so rapidly over the last generation continue to change it at such a rate that it is anyone’s guess what the world will look like in even a decade or two. But one would have to be extremely naive to predict that it will be a safer or happier place for children. A book on parenting can’t change the world. But parents and teachers can – by saving each child entrusted to them. And that’s why I have decided, in this book, to offer you the encouragement of others who have “been there.” Whether single, married, or divorced, whether comfortable or struggling, these people have children of their own or work with children, and the wisdom reflected in their stories is rooted in the realities of daily life. But it is also born of hope. Because no matter how dark the horizon seems, we must never forget that for us, as for children, a new millennium – and the chance for a new start – begins every morning.