Making a Positive Difference One Song & One Story at a Time!

I used to think I was raised as a 'normal' kid. I went to work for my Dad after school, cause if you want a bike, you're gonna need money for that.  So I worked hard for the 50 or 75 cents an hour hoping for any word that I could interpret as praise... from Papa... but the closest I got was to be told I made a dollar an hour tonight. 

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The best moments at work happened at lunch cause my job

was to get to the radio and turn on the Paul Harvey Show that always started right at noon with the best stories of the day. Mom might have written a note on our napkin she packed with our lunches  and we'd listen together to Paul telling us "The News" and later, "The rest of the story." 

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Maybe it was the shared learning of new things together... Maybe it was seeing him actually laugh at a story... it must have happened at some point... sharing these few moments over sandwiches, and maybe an orange crush from the old pull out coke machine, just a pause before getting back to work, was about as close as I ever remember feeling to my dad. No matter how I tried to find it anywhere else.

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I'd gotten used to feeling like I didn't belong in my family; like I would never measure up to my Dad's high expectations and if I ever did, I would be always be left waiting for the praise that would never come. According to my dad, "if there wasn't anything wrong, then nothing needed said."

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I remember taking trips in the summers to my grandparent's house in Idaho. The new smells and tastes from Grandma's kitchen, and the new places we went were a welcome break from the routines at home.

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I got a sense of how my parents were raised and where they got some of their values. Although I was glad to make other connections in "my family," getting to know the people who raised my parents did little to help me feel like I really belonged.

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I am grateful to have had that chance to know a little about who my Grandparents were, because, too soon... those relationships are gone.  

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Aside from the saved birthday cards and pictures, the memories I have are all that remains of the times we had together.

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I would love to have had more time with them, and I realize I was lucky to have what I did.

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It's so sad to think about how many kids and grandparents today are having to stay away from each other to stay safe.

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Kids need the wisdom of their elders now more than ever, not just for the stories of family history or playing games together, but to be around a life built on time-tested values like gratitude, compassion, empathy, and the shared experience of being loved that it seems grandparents know how to do so well.

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I believe that when kids have a deeper sense of where they come from, they're more likely to feel grateful for life and family, and are able to create deeper relationships that stay strong for the rest of their life.

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One of my desires is to give grandparents and kids greater connection to each other by creating ways to interact that can still be done safely...  

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Mom, Dad, Grandparent or Guardian... YOU 

are designing the future of humanity one child at a time!

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With today's challenges... no other job is more important. Period.

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So for everything you do to inspire your kids to grow into well-balanced adults, capable leaders, and caretakers of the earth...

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Thank you!

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As a way of showing my appreciation, I'd like to try to help make your all-important job a little easier and more enjoyable!  I'll send you - at no charge - my collection of 12 of original, family-friendly, guitar/harmonica based, "John Denver" style songs infused with supportive messages to help every family member through these current 'turbulent' times.  I consider this “Star Child” CD, a soundtrack to the "journey an awakening spirit.” Please accept it as my gift, share it with your family and let me know your favorites!

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Over my years as a traveling musician, I've stayed with families from many different cultures.  Regardless of the part of the world, parents everywhere struggle with very similar concerns like:

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• Spending enough quality time and energy with their kids,

• Finding support in effectively teaching healthy values, 

• Staying positive and receptive in spite of an uncertain future...

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Add to that the "competition" with devices these days and it's a wonder parents manage to keep any influence at all over how kids are growing up.

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While you're doing your best, so much is changing so quickly that fear and frustration are all too often playing a part of your day. Sometimes struggling to deal with your own emotions gets in the way of helping kids move through theirs.

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Children pick up on your stress and can unconsciously reflect it with tantrums and tears. Older children may become depressed facing the uncertainty and very real fears around them.

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While you not only have these emotions to manage, you may be facing the stress of much larger, life changing choices as well...

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Despite doing your best, you may be sensing a disturbing "distance" developing in your family, and not know what to do about it. There's a tendency to pass it off as just a lack of quality time together, or "something that everyone is going through..."

But even these days, with more time at home, you find yourself wishing you could find a way to connect at a deeper level consistently, easily, naturally.

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You're already aware that these moments matter, and how you use your time is as vital to the well-being of your family as it is to your own health.

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Yet, it's easy to get caught up in stress and fears, lost in concerns, and distracted from your top priorities… and without connection support, little by little, that family distance grows.

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Eventually you look around and realize something has to be done but you're at a loss about how to navigate the necessary changes while still meeting your long list of responsibilities.

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To sum it up in the 3-word under-statement of the year... 

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You are OVERWHELMED.

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You want to make up for it… to feel closer to your child and make sure you're there for them in these important times... help them feel they can always come to you with anything... help them feel safe, confident, and excited about the future again.

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But there are too many unknowns still, and no one seems to have the answers. "Normal" is gone and a clear path forward hasn't emerged yet.

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What many parents don’t realize is ...

they don't have to have all the answers in order to help their children feel safe and loved!

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When we remember our own childhoods, wasn’t it some of the briefest moments that mattered most? Mom’s quirky little ritual we looked forward to, or that time Dad shared a secret that was “just between us...” Those moments mattered. And they didn't take long...

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What’s missing today is a way for parents to nurture and celebrate the important highlights of childhood by providing a fun, quick, and easy method to consistently model how to make the most of their moments together.

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What’s missing is a real solution for parents' concerns about the distance, the fear and the uncertainty, and how to build a solid lasting bridge that bonds them with their children.

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For parents, developing the habit of getting present with your child - even if only for 5 minutes a day - can lower your own blood pressure, and help your child really feel the love that’s always there for them.

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Brene Brown’s research has shown that what a child needs most is the feeling of belonging. They need and want to know they’re loved – even if they don’t fit in, even when they make a mistake, even if they’re not perfect, even when there are no answers.

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Growing up, I remember feeling like an outsider at home even though I knew my parents loved me. I recognize now that what I felt was this craving to belong. As a result, I struggled with low self-esteem for years. In the 4th grade, I was so desperate to belong that I became an easy target for bullying, which made much of my childhood even harder.

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Brene Brown also found that children who don’t feel like they belong within their families, seek that belonging elsewhere. They are more likely to develop self-defeating, low self-esteem based habits, such as getting into drugs, hanging out with the wrong crowds, and even harming themselves or others. 

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These cries for belonging are increasing as more and more kids are reporting feeling depressed about the future, worried about the environment, and wondering if what they're learning now will even matter by time they graduate. 

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You can give your children

the sense of safety and belonging they really need in just a few minutes a day.

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When you know what to do and have the right support, there’s nothing missing. You can easily, quickly, and consistently give your kids the gift of your love, presence, and support in a way that develops that sense of belonging… even when you’re not around.  Their confidence and resiliency grows allowing them to become the happy, successful, teens and adults you envision.

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These high quality habits aren’t always easy to develop on your own, though. Sometimes wounds need healed, hurts need shared, and forgiveness given. Things we didn’t grow up with may need to be learned. It’s a journey that requires growth and patience, but...

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the precious pay-off is priceless.

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Imagine resting easy when your teenager is out at night knowing that she’ll call if she needs a ride because she knows she really can talk to you about anything.

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Imagine the joy of seeing your son step into adulthood with a clear purpose to pursue because you’ve helped him nurture the values, strength and courage he needs all along.

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What most parents need is a simple reminder. A system put in place to help them shift from a state of overwhelm to a state of presence, regardless of what’s going on.

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A tool that's fun, easy to use, and could become a habit forming ritual, effective whether the parent is at home and available to connect directly with the child, or not.

A great system would also invite the child's grandparent's participation. Whether they live on the other side of the world, or just across the street, they want to participate in their grandkids lives...

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Use of a system like this would foster strong self-esteem and confidence building habits early on for kids and at the same time reinforce those same values for the parent as well!

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Of course, there are apps and reminder functions on phones and computers these days, but those only tie users even more tightly to their device, rather than truly helping build relationships.

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I know you want the kind of peace of mind and family closeness we've been talking about...

So, the real question to ask yourself is this:

Time is going to pass. Two years from now, how will it feel to  look back knowing you kept doing what you were doing and see how the upset emotions, the depression, the distance and uncertainty have evolved...

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Or, how will looking back feel having put a system in place that creates the sense of connection, gratitude and love our child needs, consistently and effectively?

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For less than a fast food dinner for 4, this simple, portable, solution-based system includes an International Best Indie Book Award winning kids book and 6 weeks of family focused tools that will:

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• make your moments together more memorable

• train you and your child to focus on the best parts of the day

• improve self image and self-esteem with positive focus

• develop your child's resiliency and self-confidence

• provide a fun habit to encourage regular bed times

• improve your child's dreams  

• "multiply your time" by coloring pages together "infusing them" with love from each family member, allowing the child to re-experience that love with each reading

• create a life-long success habit of positive journaling

• inspire kids to successfully navigate the ups and downs of childhood and always know their highest dreams are within reach.

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Inside the book's pages you’ll find:

• A delightful story of discovery and perseverance that has something wonderful for children of all ages.

• A journey to the truth behind dreams and the secret to finding our best qualities and inner gifts…

• Coloring pages for the whole family to join in, sign and date, and create a "legacy of light"... pages that not only build inter-generational bridges but help develop hand-eye coordination and creativity as well!

• The unique and powerful Shining Moments Pages that help both parents and kids identify and focus on the moments they most want to remember, activities to repeat and the habits to develop.

• The Shining Moments Prompting Questions bring parents and kids together, reminding them of their best qualities and gifts, while developing the sense of belonging they crave.

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The best part is that, in just a few minutes each day, you're creating a loving keepsake that will carry the legacy of your love for the rest of your child’s life.

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You truly love your children and would do absolutely anything for them, right?

The problem is that today's environment is so different from the world we grew up in... the obstacles are real, and the uncertainty, fear and overwhelm is getting in the way of your child fully receiving your love and developing what they need most:  that strong sense of knowing they really do belong here now!

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There’s a choice that needs to be made, because...

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Time is passing. Two years from now, your children are going to be in a different phase of their lives.  

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Will you continue to co-create "the distance," only to wake up one day and wonder where the time went?

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Or, will you take action today to equip yourself with the support tools you need to develop the high quality habits to become more present, make the most of the moments you have, and make certain your children grow up with a strong self-esteem and sense of belonging?

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If you want your children to feel safe and loved at home every day, and to grow up confident with goals and dreams in tact, I'd like to help if I can.

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If a real solution might be of value to your family, I want to ensure you have all the best tools available in these chaotic and uncertain times, beginning with my free 12 song CD titled "Star Child." Please accept it with my complements by clicking below.

There you'll also find the link for the remainder of the tools and benefits we referred to above.

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Interested in learning more? Click here for your free CD and to get more details about the Radiant River Online Confidence Course: a 6 week, simple, self-paced, effective toolkit of support materials designed to help parents provide their children what they need most today that isn't found anywhere else.

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"The Adventures of The True Sunbeam" is included as one of the main features of the course. It won the International Best Indie Book Award because of it's unique interactive, relationship building features, as well the the original, inspiring and delightful story.

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You can learn more and continue your journey to becoming the close-knit family you dream of by clicking on the link below.

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Til Then, Stay Tuned and

Shine On!

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"Uncle Mark"

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