keithpattinson

 It’s hard for me to believe it’s been just 3 months since my book  What Every Kid Needs— and  Money Can’t  Buy came off the presses. The response has been overwhelming and a second print run has replenished the supply so there is a copy waiting for you!. Responses from readers has been heartwarming and in a way humbling. A reminder for all of us I guess that developing, maintaining and sometimes recapturing significant relationships with our kids is way ahead of whatever is in second place in life’s priorities.

Here’s one reader’s response. It came from a professional who leads Parent Support groups who invited to me to share ideas from the book with them.

Keith….You are such a special person in so many ways, and I so appreciate you giving your time to us these past two nights.  The way you live what you speak has been so inspirational to me to continue doing what I do, and do more.  It can be as simple as stopping at a lemonade stand or saying hello to the elderly neighbor, and yet, so significant.  I think people left feeling empowered as I did that we can make a difference.  As I went through your book again, and as I heard you speak, I was so excited about all the ways we can contribute and enrich life with our children and teens.  Your book is such a refreshing ‘voice’ for strengths, building assets, finding positives – a voice I would way rather hear than the negative, punitive voice that dominates our culture currently. Parents feel so much happier hearing that voice too and getting support to parent from this place!

Thank You .. Thank you .. Thank You… Mary Anne C.

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One Response

edit this on December 11, 2012 at 2:17 pm | Reply Flora Sanchez

Dear Keith–such a compelling story. Many moons ago I worked as a school counselor at an inner city school where youth gangs were very present and came to learn that indeed gangs thrived because in gangs because they experienced support, respect, esteem, and felt safe–all things missing in too many of their personal and school lives.

When things exploded in the school, after a drive-by shooting nearly killing one of our students, I initiated a very successful intervention, a mediation, between rival gangs and the school administration that proved the point. I actually wrote an article published Principal Magazine describing that intervention. At the time I remember describing the amazing results of that intervention as almost “magical”. After learning about the SI’s work I now understand we were intuitively providing what the gang members needed most. The impact was felt school-wide. Incredible experience–one I’ll never forget.

I am really looking forward to the release of your book.

Flora M. S�nchez

Senior Trainer/Consultant Search Institute & Vision Training Assoc. 5838 Isleta Blvd SW Albuquerque, NM 87105 h 505-873-3913 c 505 280-5572 sanchez.village47@gmail.com Skype: flora.m.sanchez1

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Excerpt from Preface to .. What Every Kid Needs— and money can’t buy

Many years ago, I attended a gang prevention conference in
Atlanta, Georgia. Organizers had invited four of the city’s most
renowned gang recruiters to talk of their successes. These kids
ranged in age from fourteen to nineteen.

At the conclusion of their compelling description of gang life and recruiting methods, they opened the floor for questions. A man who described himself as the CEO of a major youth organization asked the question that was on many minds that day. “What is it that you know and do that seems to make you so much more successful at attracting
teen members than many of us?”

The youngest recruiter, a fourteen-year-old boy, gave the
answer that to this day strikes fear in my heart. “Mister, we’ve
learned how to respect ’em, involve ’em, and love ’em better than
you do!”

This book is about how you and I can respect, involve, and
love young people better than gangs do! At the risk of being
overly dramatic, I believe the future of our kids and maybe our
society depends on our willingness and capacity to respond to
this challenge. Together, we can and will assure our young people
the future they deserve and that humankind so desperately needs.

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WHAT EVERY KID NEEDS… and money can’t buy

Faithful blog followers; thanks for so many encouraging responses along with some thoughtful questions.
•Publication date; Looks like mid-January.. that’s 2013, for those of you familiar my deadline challenges.

•Where to buy? I’ll start with http://www.keithpattinson.com with PayPal options.
•Does it include your stories? It does indeed. Interwoven into the theme of many chapters the stories give evidence this stuff is doable, often fun and life changing.
•Will it eventually be available in ebook? That’s the plan once we’ve tested the water through soft cover distribution.

Next Week’s Blog will feature the beginning of a series of brief samplings from the book’s content.

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Whoever wrote: “the difficult we do immediately… the impossible takes a little longer”, must have had writing a book in mind, at least that’s been my personal experience.
I’ve also come to appreciate F. Scott Fitzgerald’s caution…“You don’t write a book because you want to say something. You write because you have something to say.”
I hope Scott Fitzgerald was right, because I’ve spent the past two years finding what I want to say, with humor and passion, about kids, families and communities. I want to share practical ideas that will resonate with those who wish to become increasingly significant in the lives of young people.
It all began when I read an advertisement “How you can write and publish a book in forty days”. I kid you not! That’s the promotion that led me to a writer’s course three years ago. You already see the problem. I’ve missed the deadline big time! And so my long suffering colleagues and friends, I’ve decided to break the news first to you, my loyal Website and email respondents. The book will be published in early 2013 and it is called:

WHAT EVERY KID NEEDS —and money can’t buy
IDEAS & STORIES TO HELP YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE

It’s taken me the last three long years to compile the ideas and stories many of you have told me hold the potential to help you make a positive difference in the lives of children and young people who are, or could be, within your influence. Over the next few weeks, I’ll update my website, Facebook, and Twitter to offer you snippets of subjects and content contained in my book.
I invite you to subscribe to http://www.keithpattinson.com today to receive these updates. I also hope you’ll share this information with others who you believe might be interested in a book which focuses on catching our kids’ doing something right, and on each of us becoming more significant influences in their lives. Please take the time to share my information through Facebook and Twitter on how folks can access information that will be forthcoming over the next couple of months. It’s my wish many of you will find the book confirms your values, dedication, and passion for mentoring young people, and that the stories accurately portray your lifelong commitment towards giving kids what they need to succeed in life.

http://www.keithpattinson.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/keith.pattinson.5 Twitter: https://twitter.com/talkaboutkids

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Blog… Feb 2012..

Okay..okay I’ll do it! Write a book about kids and the important adults in their lives.
And I’m going to do it with enthusiasm. In fact I’m already well on my way to writing that book so many of you have been asking for over the years. It’s a book about children, young people and the family networks, neighborhoods, schools, agencies and communities so important in giving them what they need to succeed in life.
I’ve included the importance of relationships stuff, the magic of significant people in kid’s lives and yes! I’ve tossed in a few, maybe many, of the stories you’ve probably heard too many times already but have asked me to include.
Now it’s your turn. Before the book goes for final edit in a month’s time, I need to hear from you. It’s a work in progress and I’m committed to including ideas, information and answers important to you. If you had a wish list of things you’d recommend for inclusion in a book important to folks who care about kid’s… what would you want to read about.
The book’s tentatively scheduled for publishing in the fall of this year. Your ideas could form a part of it but you’ll have to get them to me by the end of February 2012. Thanks in anticipation of any contribution you choose to make towards expanding our collective knowledge and will so that together can intentionally help our kids achieve their potential.

Thanks for caring about kids!…. Keith

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Think about it!  I’ve heard it said  children learn 20% by listening to what we say……they learn 80% by watching our  behaviour.  Be a mime, a positive role model everyday in the lives of children and youth who are or could be within your influence. In raising healthy children, as in life itself……it’s not so much about how we earn our living.. but how we live our lives that matters.

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