| Family & Relationships |
| Christian Education |
| Education |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| Attention Deficit Disorder (add-adhd) |
| Religion |
| Conflict Resolution |
| Children & Youth |
| Educational Policy & Reform |
Summary
Summary
There's hope for childhood. Despite a perfect storm of hostile forces that are robbing children of a healthy childhood, courageous parents and teachers who know what's best for children are turning the tide.
Johann Christoph Arnold, whose books on education, parenting, and relationships have helped more than a million readers through life's challenges, draws on the stories and voices of parents and educators on the ground, and a wealth of personal experience. He surveys the drastic changes in the lives of children, but also the groundswell of grassroots advocacy and action that he believes will lead to the triumph of common sense and time-tested wisdom.
Arnold takes on technology, standardized testing, overstimulation, academic pressure, marketing to children, over-diagnosis and much more, calling on everyone who loves children to combat these threats to childhood and find creative ways to help children flourish. Every parent, teacher, and childcare provider has the power to make a difference, by giving children time to play, access to nature, and personal attention, and most of all, by defending their right to remain children.
Author Notes
Johann Christoph Arnold was born in Great Britain on November 14, 1940 to German refugees. He spent his childhood in South America, where his parents found asylum during the war, before immigrating to the United States in 1955. He was a senior pastor of the Bruderhof, a movement of Christian communities, for forty-three years.
He was a speaker and writer on marriage, parenting, and end-of-life issues. He wrote a dozen books include Why Forgive?, Rich in Years, Their Name Is Today, Seeking Peace, Cries from the Heart, Be Not Afraid, Why Children Matter, and Sex, God and Marriage.
He and paralyzed police officer Steven McDonald started the Breaking the Cycle program, which works with students at public high schools to promote reconciliation through forgiveness. He also served as chaplain for the local sheriff's department. Arnold died from cancer on April 15, 2017 at the age of 76.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this deeply inspiring tribute to children, speaker and pastor Arnold (Why Forgive?) brings together the opinions of parents, education experts, and famed figures from various fields, as well as his own experiences, to underline his point: successful children make for a successful society, and treating each child with care and respect is our duty as adults. Particularly moving are Arnold's thoughts on the pressure that children face to be "normal." He deeply opposes diagnoses of learning disorders and prescriptions of medication for kids whose personalities are ill-suited to standardized learning methods (though Arnold is respectful when discussing cases where medication is needed). Although Arnold's love for children is unquestionable, at times he oversimplifies the situations he describes. His advice to overworked parents, for instance-to spend more time with their kids-is hardly realistic. Still, Arnold's basic message is clear, and well worth heeding: a deep reverence for children will make the world a better place. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Library Journal Review
Christian educator and speaker Arnold is a true advocate for not only children but for childhood itself. Arguing that play defines the essence of childhood, the author explores the negative effects formal education is having on children, concurring with Albert Einstein's observation that "it is a miracle that curiosity survives education." While Arnold's reverence for creativity is a beautiful call to arms, he sometimes uses language and makes inferences that feel over the top, such as agreeing that "socialization among children is becoming extinct." VERDICT Drawing on quotes and conversations with long-term educators and child advocates, Arnold's thoughtful worldview approach is inspiring, and his narrative is just what the soul needs. Anyone who works with young children will feel newly encouraged to carry on their important work with gentle, affirming words. Despite the at times alarmist language and conclusions, this title is recommended for its advocacy and graceful manner. (c) Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
