I love this rhyme and I think parents – and grandparents, aunts, uncles and others – will be adopting it pretty soon. Sounds like Tracie's daughter is on her way to becoming a fine future adult. After all, wailing in the workplace won’t get you a raise will it?

It's amazing how things start to change when you start employing the Four Foundations. I remember the moment when, after researching successful adults, we noticed these four simple common themes in their lives. It was a real ‘Eureka!’ moment.

The four themes are:

    1.  Refuse to Fail
    2.  Work Hard
    3.  Develop Discipline
    4.  Give Back

I said they're simple, but that doesn't mean easy- good parenting never is. But the proof is in the results:

• Nine year-old Elienne woke up from an illness deaf. She wanted to learn languages and because she refused to fail, she learned 7 of them by the time she graduated college
  

• An unemployed mother of three with a broken collarbone, a mountain of medical debt, and no prospects convinced an attorney to hire her as a file clerk - nobody worked harder than Erin Brockovich

• A foster mom took in Charlotte - an angry and resentful foster teen - and gave her a firm-but-loving code of rules she had to live by. Charlotte developed the discipline it took to become Miss Teen USA 1993 and later an advocate for foster kids

• Michael, a successful artist who has Downs Syndrome, gives back using his art in a surprising and unique way to support animal rescue groups

The parents of these fine adults aren't celebrities, nor do they have unlimited amounts of money. Nothing was handed to these parents or to their children. Yet they managed to raise successful adults by teaching their children success values - the same values you'll find in the What Kids Need To Succeed book.

Consistency is key to learning. Repeat and reinforce the basic principles and values and you raise an adult with those same principles and values. But consistency doesn’t discriminate. That’s why in the book we pointed out the 4 Deadly Parenting Sins, because the wrong principles consistently applied even by well-intentioned parents can lead to a future adult who is dependent upon others – not himself – for his success.

And Tracie is right about something else -  I get asked for more stories all the time.    

So I’ve done something about it…

I’ve gathered not just more stories but tools you can immediately start using to put some of the fun back into the serious job of parenting. I’ve hand-picked some very special people, people who were raised according to the Four Foundations and who raise their children likewise, and asked them to contribute to this special Parenting ToolKit. And they responded - in spades!

• Mom-turned-overnight-entrepreneur Lori Mackey was just trying to find a way to teach her two children about money when she came up with the idea of the Money Mama. Lori’s financial lessons for children have been featured on Good Morning America and Fox News as well as several local stations and in parenting magazines. These time-tested techniques are teaching a whole new generation how to save and stay out of debt. Given the role our debt played in the housing meltdown, teaching your children and grandchildren how to save is a wonderful lifetime gift. Your Parenting ToolKit includes a video of Lori explaining the 10-10-10-70 principle of financial management live on a morning talk show. All of Money Mama’s tools are designed for children (but parents often report learning a thing or two themselves). So you learn a valuable way to teach your kids about spending, saving, investing, and giving – all for free.
  
  Like we did with the 4 Deadly Parenting Sins, Lori noted "8 Common Mistakes Parents Make With Kids and Money" are holding our kids back from financial freedom. I'm betting when you were growing up, your parents didn't talk much about money or if they did it was to tell you there wasn't enough of it. Turns out that these are the top two mistakes parents make. Don't repeat the cycle - get the ToolKit and read this FREE article right away.
  
  Then, ask your kids a simple question, "Do you want to be wealthy or poor?" When they answer "Wealthy!" take advantage of the Money Mama’s Big Mama Discount Bundle. Basically, this is every thing Lori offers:
       - the exclusive Money Mama piggy bank (it's really
            4 piggy banks in one)
       - a companion book and CD narrated by kids for kids
       - the can’t-get-this-anywhere-else Design Your Child’s
            Financial Future spiral-bound workbook
       - an e-book version of the Design book so you can print
            as many forms as you like
       - her unique It’s-Only-A-Dollar-Until-You-Add-To-It
            colorful allowance chart
       - an allowance e-book with chore chart
       - and her latest "Power of Earning" e-book
       - PLUS a link to ING offering a special savings account
           opportunity
  I've done the math. If you bought everything here separately it would cost you $117.65. But you don't pay half that. Money Mama is giving you everything for only $57.95. You save $60. No wonder she calls it the Money Mama BIG Mama Discount! Listen, you may have tried to teach your kids about allowance and money management before and met with little to no success. That will change when you take advantage of the Money Mama Big Mama Discount bundle. Fifty seven dollars for a lifetime of sound financial management skills – they’ll be set for life!
  

• Today Show featured best-selling kids cookbook author and mom Barbara Beery shows you how to have fun cooking with your kids. Her Parenting ToolKit contribution includes 4 fun free recipes. You know those ugly damp and rainy days when your munchkins are stuck indoors, sigh heavily and flop on the couch complaining “I’m bo-ooo-r-ud?” Invite them into the kitchen for a little ‘experiment’ and together you can whip up Groovy Grasshopper Dip, Mini Meatball Pops, Power Up Fruit Cups, or even A Skillet Full of Cookies. As a result you get an instant mood change, something fun to do together, and something good to eat as a result – a parenting trifecta!
  
  And when your kids get hooked on cooking (note: boys enjoy this as much as girls), go to kidscookingshop.com, enter a special code included in your ToolKit and save 20% off of everything you buy for a year, including kid-sized kitchen tools and aprons - EVEN the exclusive Pink Princess Cookbooks. I don’t know anyone else who would extend a discount on every purchase for a whole year. And not just on purchases for your kids but think of the gifts you could buy for your nieces and nephews – all at a 20% discount. You could save hundreds!

• Make sure to record your cooking adventure in your Way To Go! Family Learning Journal developed by educator, child literacy advocate, and down-to-earth grandma Esther Jantzen. If you’re like me you’ve got photo albums and keepsake boxes with your kids’ lock of hair, first pulled tooth, and of course the baby shoes. But how do you track your adventures with your kids? Maybe you get in a car and go somewhere new or read a story together about a curious little monkey who gets himself into all kinds of scrapes and manages to get himself out as well. Esther has created a colorful and permanent place to bring memories and learning together. Her Parenting ToolKit contribution starts with her FREE list of 40 Great Books for Kids to get you and your child started on reading adventures. And if you’ve ever wished you had an idea book on how to turn everyday events like walking around the block into fun learning adventures now you have it. Plus It!, a 99-page paperback of pure genius shows you step-by-step how to take everyday activities and turn them into fun teachable moments. We've included 2 PlusIt! ideas FREE so you can try them out for yourselves. But we warn you - once you put one of these ideas into practice, don’t be surprised if your kids ask, “Can we do that again?” Together the Way To Go Family Learning Journal and the Plus It! book provide a harried parent with a powerhouse of ideas and a place to record your time together. Esther has included a couple of free Plus It! activities to get your started. With a special coupon code you’ll find on the Parenting ToolKit CD you can buy both the Way to Go Journal and Plus It. Actually, you can buy them separately, but why would you want to? When you buy them together you get $58 worth of parenting adventure tools for $27.95 which includes shipping and handling. That’s $30 that stays in your pocket.
  
  As a single parent herself, Esther realizes dads play a big role in their children’s upbringing, so the Parenting ToolKit also includes sage advice to dads. Sometimes dads find it difficult to know what to say when. That’s why Esther wrote “Five Powerful Things Kids Need to Hear from Their Father” and “How Fathers Can Help Their Kids Succeed in School: Two Easy Ways That Won’t Cost a Cent.” Esther gives you the words to say, so all you have to do is open your mouth, say them sincerely, and watch your child respond positively. (Pssst... moms, grandparents, aunts, uncles and anyone who routinely cares for a child...you can use these too!) Value – priceless.

• Tom Tuohy is the founder of Dreams for Kids which sponsors the annual Holiday for Hope event, the largest event of its kind on the planet, touching the lives of children in 30 countries whose holiday might otherwise be just another day. Tom authored an eye-opener of a book entitled Kiss of a Dolphin, a true story of how one person in one moment can make a difference which lasts a lifetime and expands across the globe. He calls such people dolphin people. If The Art of Racing in the Rain brought tears to your eyes, then buy stock in a tissue company before you read Kiss of a Dolphin. Are you a dolphin person? I think you might be. So, Tom added the first two chapters -- free -- in your Parenting ToolKit. If you decide you like it and want to purchase the paperback, your Parenting ToolKit includes a special link and code for you. Regularly selling for $14.95, Tom is honoring the Fourth Foundation of Giving Back by extending a 50% discount saving you $7.48. Your cost for the book is merely $7.47 every cent of which Tom will donate to the non-profit Dreams for Kids organization.
  
  In addition, Tom knows the difference kids can make in other kids’ lives. That’s why the non-profit Dreams for Kids organization hosts Dream Leaders Conferences throughout the year. Kids in Grades 6 – 12 learn leadership, team, communication, and change creation skills. Parents are urged to attend as well and there’s a separate program for them. It’s a powerful few days, days where your kid learns he can make a difference in the world. Participation is only $50 and through this special promotion only $40, saving you another ten bucks.

• And last but not least Tim Vandehey, who recognizes the economy may have forced you to start your own business and work from home. As a professional freelance writer, published author and frequently requested ghost writer, Tim has been working from home most of his career. And as a dad working from home, he wouldn’t be as successful as he is without perfecting the art of working from home with little darlings under foot. That’s why he’s included a completely free e-book entitled Working From Home Without Selling Your Children, with 21 practical and witty tips on how to stay sane while working from home with little guys who want to  "help." All free as part of the Parenting ToolKit. My favorite tip is “Embrace Your Inner Monkey.”  Your savings? Your sanity!
  
  But Tim doesn’t stop there. He’s convinced fellow author and Certified Veterinary Chiropractitioner and Animal Behavior Specialist Annie Greer to co-author “The Vet Said…10 Questions You Wish You’d Remember to Ask Your Animal Doctor.” Pets are important members of many families and, in her work with her husband in their veterinary practice,  Annie has worked with domestic pets, farm animals, and exotic animals. She’s birthed calves, trained wolves, raised tiger cubs in her home, rehabilitated chickens and turkeys and heaven only knows what else. In “The Vet Said…” she tells you why your dog may be fat even though you don’t overfeed him, why your dog chews at his feet all the time, and how your indoor cat could get ringworm without ever going outside. Thanks to Tim and Annie’s generosity, the answers to these questions and more are completely free to you as part of your new Parenting ToolKit. You could save your favorite pet...

And those additional stories I was telling you about earlier? They’re in the ToolKit too. I’m sending you the Raising Good Grown-ups e-book with 30 more articles and stories. In this new book you’ll get ideas and stories on how to take chores from a roll-their-eyes-and-sigh struggle to fun and engaging; how losing is really winning; how one school successfully dealt with bullying (and it will surprise you!); and six ways even young kids can start giving. All 30 are included in the Parenting ToolKit. Valued at $9.95, it's yours free as my gift.

Lastly, I've included one of my personal favorites - a charming little slideshow entitled “10 Lessons from a Marching Band” – because ‘lessons’ aren't always ‘hard’ and ‘serious.’ I originally developed the slideshow for workshop groups I facilitate. Up until this very minute, signing up for one of these workshops was the only way you could see the show. But somehow it didn't feel right leaving it out of the Parenting ToolKit. After all, there are days when we all need an extra smile and this is guaranteed to deliver. Feel free to share with family and friends – after all smiling is not only contagious but priceless as well.

The Parenting ToolKit comes on a CD, so all you have to do is put the CD in your computer. No spending hours downloading everything. All of the tools come in one nice neat package and are well-labeled so you can go right to the ones you want. There's even a table of contents.

It's been a rough couple of years for everyone. If anything good is coming out of the economic climate it’s this – parents are finding that less "stuff" combined with more time together is bringing the family closer. As a result, their kids are more likely to respond to the positive values and principles their parents want to reinforce.

And they’re learning the value of a dollar. Many of the successful adults profiled in What Kids Need to Succeed grew up poor. And here’s the thing – they consider the lack of financial means a huge advantage in creating their own success. What Kids Need to Succeed shows you how they did it.

Think about the next $26 you'll spend on your child. How would you best use it - on a new toy which will only break or get discarded, OR a lifetime of strong values, confidence and independence? Which is the better deal?

When you buy the book with the free Parenting ToolKit, you can rest assured you've made a sound investment in raising a successful adult. After all, isn't that the true goal of parenting?

Buy the book for $26 (including shipping and handling!) and get the Parenting ToolKit CD for free.

Happy parenting,

Andrea

Andrea Patten
Author, What Kids Need to Succeed: the Four Foundations of Adult Achievement
Speaker and Workshop Leader

P.S. As parents we sometimes sit around and complain to each other how hard parenting is. We wonder if we’re doing the right thing. We worry about giving our kids enough time, love, and stuff. Well, thanks to Tracie, I have just one question for you:

       Why wail when you can refuse to fail?

You may feel alone, but you’re not. You have the What Kids Need To Succeed parenting community on your side. And now you have a Parenting ToolKit with the most amazing free products you can use and still more you can purchase at half off or more. (If you were to purchase each of the toolkit components separately – which you really can’t because some of them are only offered here – you’d lose the opportunity to save hundreds of dollars of your hard-earned money. And as Money Mama would say, “That’s just crazy talk!”)

P.P.S. Forward this to anyone you know who might benefit – friends, family, even teachers – but snag your copies first because Esther just told me she only has 147 of the Way To Go Family Learning Journals left and these go quickly. So hurry before you miss out on this opportunity to create a lifetime of memories with your child.

P.P.P.S. As with everything I do, you're covered by my 100-100-100 guarantee. If you're not 100% satisfied with the book and Parenting ToolKit simply return both in saleable condition within 100 days and I'll refund 100% of your $26 - no questions asked.  

Buy the book for $26 and get the Parenting ToolKit CD for free.

Choose your quantity here

1 book with toolkit $26.00 2 books with toolkits $52.00 3 books with toolkits $78.00 4 books with toolkits $104.00 5 books with toolkits $130.00

If you need your book right away, the link below will get you expedited shipping (typically overnight to the East Coast and two days to the West Coast) and will add $25 to your entire order at checkout.

Choose your quantity here

1 book with toolkit $26.00 2 books with toolkits $52.00 3 books with toolkits $78.00 4 books with toolkits $104.00 5 books with toolkits $130.00