Synopses & Reviews
The result of more than twenty years' collaborative work focusing on the heart of successful parenting, the acclaimed five disciplines program developed by Drs. Robert L. Johnson and Paulette Stanford has helped thousands of African-American children and their parents cope with the myriad of social challenges they confront each day. Now making this special prescription available to all parents,
Strength for Their Journey offers insight into five interconnected areas:
• Traditional Discipline: The Strength to Embrace Parental Boundaries
• Racial Discipline: The Strength to Negotiate the Realities of Being a Racial Minority
• Emotional Discipline: The Strength to Resist Negative Peer Pressure and Temptation
• Practical Discipline: The Strength to Excel in School, Career, and Financial Pursuits
• Mind-Body Discipline: The Strength to Maintain Positive Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health
In a culture that often grants fewer safety nets to nonwhite children, Strength for Their Journey is a crucial book that African-American parents can turn to again and again, paving a path of confidence and joy for future generations.
Synopsis
The result of more than twenty years' collaborative work focusing on the heart of successful parenting, the acclaimed five disciplines program developed by Drs. Robert L. Johnson and Paulette Stanford has helped thousands of African-American children and their parents cope with the myriad of social challenges they confront each day. Now making this special prescription available to all parents,
Strength for Their Journey offers insight into five interconnected areas:
• Traditional Discipline: The Strength to Embrace Parental Boundaries
• Racial Discipline: The Strength to Negotiate the Realities of Being a Racial Minority
• Emotional Discipline: The Strength to Resist Negative Peer Pressure and Temptation
• Practical Discipline: The Strength to Excel in School, Career, and Financial Pursuits
• Mind-Body Discipline: The Strength to Maintain Positive Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health
In a culture that often grants fewer safety nets to nonwhite children, Strength for Their Journey is a crucial book that African-American parents can turn to again and again, paving a path of confidence and joy for future generations.
About the Author
ROBERT L. JOHNSON, M.D., is a nationally recognized authority on African American youth and has been featured on numerous news shows, from "20/20" to "The O'Reilly Factor." He is also a member of the planning board for the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Youth Violence, serves as medical and cultural advisor for "ER," and lectures extensively throughout the country. Also a frequent guest speaker in the media and at workshops, PAULETTE STANFORD, M.D., is the medical director of START, an adolescent-HIV program. She is also the principal investigator for a National Institute of Health research and study on high-risk adolescent behavior. Both authors live in New Jersey, and are professors at the Universiity of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ).
Reading Group Guide
All children need parents who provide love and discipline. However, its important to never underestimate the extraordinary challenges black youngsters face. There are certain realities that come with being a racial minority, and theres no way to avoid them completely, no matter how wealthy or accomplished one becomes. You can help your child develop the strength and resilience he or she needs to succeed by reflecting on the following questions.
1. What would you list as the most critical skills and attributes a young African American needs to succeed, both in society and as a person?
2. What steps should African-American parents take to help children feel good about themselves and their heritage?
3. Do you believe its necessary to set a positive example in your actions, or do you think its enough just to talk to your child about doing whats right?
4. What do you think is the most effective approach to disciplining children: strict, lenient, or balanced?
5. Do you think its important for African-American parents to talk to children about racial prejudice and offer guidance about how to deal with it?
6. Given the choice, would you prefer to raise your family in a mostly white, primarily black, or racially mixed neighborhood?
7. If your teen started to date someone of a different race, would you allow things to run their course or take steps to put an end to the relationship?
8. Are you aware of the added pressures black students often face in achieving academic success—and what parents can do about them?
9. Do you feel that a higher education is more or less important for African Americans?
10. Do you feel that a historically black college is a better choice for most African Americans than an institution in which most of the students are white?
11. Do you believe parents should shoulder the primary responsibility for educating young people about the dangers of substance abuse and unsafe sex?
12. If you thought your child was either being bullied or bullying others, what steps would you take to correct the problem?
13. Do you think parents should make an effort to connect children with mentors and other positive role models, especially in areas where they themselves are weak or limited?
14. If your child was having a problem you couldnt handle on your own, where would you turn for help?
15. Do you agree that its most important for young African Americans to develop a strong spiritual center and sense of place?