The Scream of the Butterfly

Title: The Scream of the Butterfly (The Challenge of "Substitute" Parenting)

Author: Gary C. Barnett

Publisher: Deeds Publishing

Publication Date: October 2, 2012

Pages: 240

How I got it: Deeds Publishing

Kids may not come with owner's manuals but Gary C. Barnett provides the closest thing with his book The Scream of the Butterfly (The Challenge of "Substitute" Parenting.) Families have changed. Grandparents raising their grandchildren, foster parenting and step parenting "are now the norm, not the exception." Some children adjust to these situations with ease, while other are what Barnett calls "screaming butterflies--beautiful on the outside but hurting on the inside." These children require special attention and  Barnett provides a wonderful resource for adults stepping into the role of caregiver. With chapters focusing on effective discipline, discussing emotional issues and dealing with the child's "real family," Barnett supplies examples and suggestions as well as gives personal insight. After forty years of experience working with children, Barnett has seen what does and doesn't work. While every situation is indeed unique, most of these relationships have the same core issues. 

This book is not written in an elevated language with a bunch of psycho babble. It is accessible, informative and broken into easy to navigate chapters and sections. It is a book that will be referenced time after time by any "substitute" parents who have it on their bookshelf. I only wish that I was lucky enough to have read it when we blended our family ten years ago. I will be recommending this to every struggling "substitute" parent I know!