". . . aphorism are seldom couched in such terms, that they should be taken as they sound precisely, or according to the widest extent of signification; but do commonly need exposition, and admit exception: otherwise frequently they would not only clash with reason and experience, but interfere, thwart, and supplant one another." ? ? ? ? Issac Barrow "The very essence of an aphorism is that slight exaggeration which makes it more biting whilst less rigidly accurate." ? ? ? ?—Leslie Stephen There are of course, girls and girls; yet at heart they are pretty much alike. In age, naturally, they differ wildly. But this is a thorny subject. Suffice it to say that all men love all girls-the maid of sweet sixteen equally with the maid of untold age. There is something exasperatingly something-or-otherish about girls. And they know it—which makes them more something-or-otherish still:—there is no other word for it. A girl is a complicated thing. It is made up of clothes, smiles, a pompadour, things of which space and prudence forbid the enumeration here. These things by themselves do not constitute a girl which is obvious; nor is any one girl without these things which is not too obvious. Where the things end and the girl begins many men have tried to find out. Many girls would like to be men—except on occasions. At least so they say, but perhaps this is just a part of their something-or-otherishness. Why they should want to be men, men cannot conceive. Men pale before them, grow hot and cold before them, run before them (and after them), swear by them (and at them), and a bit of a chit of a thing in short skirts and lisle-thread stockings will twist able-bodied males round her little finger.It is an open secret that girls are fonder of men than they are of one another—which is very lucky for the men. Girls differ; and the same girl is different at different times. When she is by herself, she is one thing. When she is with other girls she is another thing. When she is with a lot of men, she is a third sort of thing. When she is with a man. . . But this baffled even Agur the son of Jakeh.As a rule, a man prefers a girl by herself. This is natural. And yet is said that you cannot have too much of a good thing. If this were true, a bevy of girls would be the height of happiness. Yet some men would sooner face the bulls of Bashan.Some foolish men—probably poets—have sought for and asserted the existence of the ideal girl. This is sheer nonsense: there is no such thing. And if there were, she could not compare with the real girl, the girl of flesh and blood—which (as some one ought to have said) are excellent things in woman. Other men, equally foolish, have regarded girls as playthings. I wish these men had tried to play with them. They would have found that they were playing with fire and brimstone. Yet the veriest spit-fire can be wondrous sweet.Sweet? Yes. On the whole a girl is the sweetest thing known or knowable. On the 6 whole of this terrestrial sphere Nature has produced nothing more adorable than the high-spirited high-bred girl.—Of this she is quite aware—to our cost (I speak as a man). The consequence is, her price has gone up, and man has to pay high and pay all sorts of things—ices, sweets, champagne, drives, church-goings, and sometimes spot-cash.

A F?ld más tájain is élnek tépázott idegzet? és gondterhelt szül?k – err?l hajlamosak vagyunk megfeledkezni, mik?zben probléma- és pelenkahegyeken verekedjük át magunkat nap mint nap… Szül?k, akik pont ugyanannyit aggódnak és bosszankodnak, és persze ugyanolyan büszkék is szemük fényére, mint mi! Mark Woods lebilincsel?en alapos és sziporkázóan szellemes k?tete, a Szül?k bolygója világ k?rüli utazásra hív, hogy F?ldünk kül?nb?z? nevelési módszereivel, hiedelmeivel és szokásaival ismertessen meg. Mit keres a méhlepény a kambodzsai újszül?tt mellett? Mindenhol válogatósak a gyerekek, vagy csak a mienk k?pi a falra a t?kf?zeléket? Tényleg eminensebbek a skandináv és délkelet-ázsiai gyerekek? Hogyan és miért válik feleslegessé oly korán a pelenka egyes helyeken? Valóban csak dicsérettel lehet ?ntudatos és magabiztos porontyokat nevelni? ?s akkor még nem ejtettünk szót a kamaszokról: létezik szül? a F?ld bolygón, aki képes megbirkózni ezekkel a kis ?sz?rnyetegekkel”? Hipermodern tudományos módszerek és ?si rítusok, divattrendek és hagyományok ? mindenki másképp csinálja! Végs? soron mégis mindannyian ugyanazt szeretnénk: életre való és sikeres feln?tteket nevelni gyermekeinkb?l. A paletta széles és sokszín?: szemezgessünk a világ legjobb gyereknevelési módszereib?l, fogadjuk meg más népek jó tanácsait – és ismerjünk ?nmagunkra! Mark Woods újságíró, három gyermek édesapja. Els? fia születése alkalmából két k?nyvet írt az apáknak, felkészítve ?ket gyerekük születésére és a korai id?szakra. Ezt k?vet?en jelent meg a Szül?k bolygója, egy izgalmas barangolás anyák és apák számára egyaránt!

C.S. Lewis’s famous inspirational work on the nature of love. C.S. Lewis’s famous work on the nature of love divides love into four categories: Affection, Friendship, Eros and Charity. The first three are loves which come naturally to the human race. Charity, however, the Gift-love of God, is divine in its source and expression, and without the sweetening grace of this supernatural love, the natural loves become distorted and even dangerous.

15-20% of children are Highly Sensitive – and they are often labelled shy, introverted, fussy or faddy. The real story is very different though and this intelligent, practical book helps parents know what to do, when to back off, and how to ensure their child is given the right sort of treatment at school. This book is the follow up to the author’s internationally best-selling personal development guide The Highly Sensitive Person. It is the first and only book for parents of highly sensitive children. It provides parents with insights and information so they can understand High Sensitivity, and help their highly sensitive child thrive in the world. It is important for these children to be understood so they can be helped to avoid the common traps of shyness and withdrawal that many highly sensitive fall into as they develop. Contains questionnaire for parents to find out if their child has the traits common in highly sensitive children. Discusses HSC’s at different ages – infant, toddler, school-age and adolescent.…

‘Liz Fraser portrayal of family life is hilarious and so true. I loved Liz Fraser's first book, but this is even better. Every single mum and dad in the world should have a book like this in their homes!’ Amazon review Throw off your Domestic Goddess apron or Superwoman's powersuit – the new family ensemble is far more wearable. But work pressures, stroppy kids, and run-ins with the in-laws can all lead to split seams and frayed nerves, and family life isn't a simple one-size fits all. Liz Fraser, mother of three, invites you into the family home to explore the most common of domestic snags. From TV tantrums to refreshing your sex life, feeding time at the zoo to playground politics, she offers invaluable reassurance and top tips for keeping it all hanging together. A honest, hilarious must-have guide on how to survive family life.

Joe knew his mother was cruel and violent, but he trusted his beloved father to protect him from her. When a freak accident saw his father burn to death in front of him, Joe was left at the mercy of his mother. Without the love of his friend and brother, he wouldn't have survived. With them, he went on to spend his life fighting child abuse. Joe was just five years old and the horrific scene literally struck him dumb. He didn't speak for four and a half years, which meant he was unable to ask anyone for help as his life turned into a living hell. His schizophrenic mother and two of his older brothers spent the following years beating him, raping him and locking him in the cellar at the family home. Fed on scraps that he was forced to lick from the floor, he was sometimes left naked in the dark for three days without human contact. Unable to read or write, all Joe could do to communicate his suffering was draw pictures. The violence and sexual abuse grew in severity as more people, including his stepfather, were invited to use him in any way they chose. The only thing that saved Joe was the kindness of his elder brother and his only school friend, both of whom showed him that love was possible even in the darkest of situations. At fourteen he finally found the courage to run away, hiding in a hut by a railway line, fed on scraps by some local children who found him. Joe's is the ultimate insider's story, casting light into the darkest of hidden worlds, and a truly inspirational account of how one small boy found the strength to overcome almost impossible odds and become a remarkable man. Now that he has found his voice again, Joe speaks out against child abuse and helps support and protect other children whose lives have been blighted by it.

Sunday Times bestselling author Rob Bell is joined in this book by his wife of twenty years, Kristen, to present a new way to make marriage work. Marriage is complex because people are complicated. You think you’re one. But then there are moments when it’s shockingly obvious that you’re two, with two opinions – whether over politics, childrearing or what you’re going to watch on TV. So how do you stop yourself flaring up when you hit one of these relationship flashpoints and start seeing marriage as a chance for you to learn more about the person you want to know best of all? Early on in their marriage Rob and Kristen experienced the struggles and fights that come to all couples. They still do. But they quickly learned that a great marriage needs to be focused and nurtured – and that fights should be as productive as possible! In this inspiring and humorous insight into marriage, the popular husband and wife team explore communication, dealing with relatives, money, sex, petty fights, work and boundaries, as well as love, forgiveness, fidelity, faith and hope – because something special can happen when two people give themselves fully to each other. With extensive discussion points in the endnotes, this easy-to-read book is invaluable for anyone searching for a happy, fulfilling relationship.

Steve Biddulph's Raising Boys was a global phenomenon. The first book in a generation to look at boys' specific needs, parents loved its clarity and warm insights into their sons' inner world. But today, things have changed. It's girls that are in trouble. There has been a sudden and universal deterioration in girls' mental health, starting in primary school and devastating the teen years. Steve Biddulph's Raising Girls is both a guidebook and a call-to-arms for parents. The five key stages of girlhood are laid out so that you know exactly what matters at which age, and how to build strength and connectedness into your daughter from infancy onwards. Raising Girls is both fierce and tender in its mission to help girls more at every age. It's a book for parents who love their daughters deeply, whether they are newborns, teenagers, young women - or anywhere in between. Feeling secure, becoming an explorer, getting along with others, finding her soul, and becoming a woman - at last, there is a clear map of girls' minds that accepts no limitations, narrow roles or selling-out of your daughter's potential or uniqueness. All the hazards are signposted - bullying, eating disorders, body image and depression, social media harms and helps - as are concrete and simple measures for both mums and dads to help prevent their daughters from becoming victims. Parenthood is restored to an exciting journey, not one worry after another, as it's so often portrayed. Steve talks to the world's leading voices on girls' needs and makes their ideas clear and simple, adding his own humour and experience through stories that you will never forget. Even the illustrations, by Kimio Kubo, provide unique and moving glimpses into the inner lives of girls. Along with his fellow psychologists worldwide, Steve is angry at the exploitation and harm being done to girls today. With Raising Girls he strives to spark a movement to end the trashing of girlhood; equipping parents to deal with the modern wor

A family secret waiting to be discovered… from bestselling author of A Dog Called Homeless. A shared story can last forever. Hannah’s grandad loves telling stories from his past, but there’s one that he can’t remember… one that Hannah knows is important. When a whale appears off the coast, clues to Grandad’s secret begin to surface. Hannah is determined to solve the mystery but, as she gets closer to the truth, Grandad’s story is more extraordinary than she imagined. Includes beautiful inside artwork from hugely talented illustrator, Gary Blythe.

The Playful Parent offers a new solution for parents and carers looking for a calmer, happier and smarter way to parent the under-fives. This activity-led parenting guide shows how to get young children involved and learning, thinking and growing, helping and cooperating without any need for ‘the naughty step’ or punishment at all, but by making play the beating heart of family life. Julia Deering offers support and advice to busy parents, combining down-to-earth practicality with hundreds of simple activities, tips, tricks and fixes, guidance, prompts and brilliant ideas that show parents how to tap into their child's playful instincts. You can use The Playful Parent to: ? Make your little one’s good behaviour become their normal behaviour ? Remove those parent/child battle-of-will situations ? Help steer clear of the flashpoint furies and melt-down moments of the ‘terrible twos’ ? Run fuss-free errands with your toddlers in tow ? Tackle tricky transitions such as bedtimes and car journeys with ease ? Develop your child's independence and unleash their natural creativity ? Bond with a child in the first language they know: play Whether you've forgotten how to play or you're still a child at heart, The Playful Parent equips you with all the know-how you need to make play work for you and your family; transforming parenting during the early years into a more enjoyable, rewarding and memorable experience. Includes: ? A guide to the principles of play and how to use the 7 Ways to Play concept ? Advice on how to organise your home – and your life – for maximum play with minimum stress ? Over a hundred uncomplicated and irresistible activities for your 18 month – 5 year olds ? A Family Favourites chart so you can record favourite activities and start building daily and weekly planners

Steve Biddulph, the favourite number one name in parenting psychology - and bestselling author of Raising Boys - examines how different childcare options are likely to affect you and your child in this rivetting and highly topical book This topical book tackles a key issue all new parents face. Steve Biddulph looks at childcare choices and the dilemmas that so often arise: - 'I want to stay at home with my child but don't know how I can' - 'I don't know what is better: nursery, creche or childminder' - 'if other people look after my child will it affect its development and happiness?' It examines the two-income 'slaves to work' culture in the Uk and how in the past ten years, the number of babies and toddlers under three who are spending all day (8am to 6pm) in nurseries has quadrupled. Biddulph urges caution and warns that the hurried and disconnected way that families now live their lives could be damaging to a whole new generation's mental stability and development. The book is an eye-opener in terms of child development and provides useful case studies from parents who are stay-at-home and those using all-day or part-time childcare - groups sociologists have named 'slammers' and 'sliders' respectively.

This indispensable guide to multiple pregnancy, birth and beyond, comes from an expert on the subject – Emma Mahony is a twin herself as well as being the mother of twins. Humorous cartoons from the Times’ front-page cartoonist make this a lighthearted, informative guide to everything expectant mothers of twins need to know. Twins are amazing – but multiple pregnancy and birth, not to mention coping with twins once they are born, carries a set of special fears, risks and issues. Many parents-to-be find themselves overwhelmed. This guide is informative yet informal – in a similar vein to ‘Best Friends Guide To Pregnancy’. The author is uniquely experienced in this subject, being a twin and also a mother of baby twins. Contains advice from pregnancy and childcare experts as well as case studies. Illustrated inside with humorous cartoons from Jonathan Pugh, father of two and front-page cartoonist at The Times. An exploration of practical issues such as eating for three, managing breastfeeding, and the trend towards Caesareans for NHS twin births. ? Any special concerns? The unnecessary label of ‘high risk’ in pregnancy. ? Testimonies from mums who have tried different approaches. ? Interviews with medical and midwife experts. ? A step-by-step guide to the different stages of pregnancy and birth, including how to involve the father and explain twins to other siblings. ? Tips on managing once the twins have arrived.

Dr Alex Richardson, the UK's leading authority on how nutrition affects behaviour and learning, exposes the truth behind the foods we are feeding our children and offers simple, practical solutions all parents can use. An empowering, cutting-edge book that will transform the lives of children and help them reach their full potential. Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University and former school teacher, Dr Alex Richardson is the UK's leading expert on how what we do and do not feed our children impacts their learning, concentration, co-ordination and behaviour. Empowering and extremely practical, this book sorts out food fact from food myth and shows parents how to bring the best choices into their children's everyday diets. Includes simple meal plans and recipes as well as practical guidance on other lifestyle factors, such as time spent in front of TV and computer screens. A highly influential book that offers concerned parents concrete information and real solutions.

From Barbara De Angelis, author of 14 bestselling relationships titles and internationally-recognised relationship psychologist, comes the definitive book on compatibility. Are You The One For Me? is an engaging and lucid guide to creating – and sustaining – the fulfilling relationships you deserve. Are You The One For Me? is an engaging and lucid guide to creating – and sustaining – the fulfilling relationship you deserve. World-renowned relationship counsellor Barbara De Angelis reveals everything you need to know about compatibility. You’ll learn: ? Why you’ve chosen the partners you have – and how to make better choices, ? How much sexual chemistry you and your partner really have, ? The ten types of relationships that won’t work, ? How your childhood memories may be affecting your love life, ? The six essential qualities to look for in a mate, ? How to spot fatal flaws in a partner, ? Why you may be falling in love for the wrong reason. If you’re single or divorced: read this book to understand why your past choices weren’t right for you and how to get it right this time. If you’re in love: learn how to be 100% certain that this relationship is the one for you. If you’re married: discover how to understand and balance your differences so that you can live happily together every day. Repackaged and redesigned for the modern reader with an iconic new cover, Are You The One For Me? is the last word in finding the right type of companionship for you.

The bestselling, devastating account of three sisters torn apart, abused and exploited at the hands of a community that robbed them of their childhood. It reveals three lives, separate but entwined, that have experienced unspeakable horror, unrelenting loyalty and unforgettable courage. From as early as three years old, Juliana, Celeste and Kristina were treated as sexual beings by their 'guardians' in the infamous religious cult known as the Children of God. They were made to watch and mimic orgies, received love letters and sexual advances from men old enough to be their grandfather, and were forced into abusive relationships. They were denied access to formal schooling, had to wander the streets begging for money, and were mercilessly beaten for 'crimes' as unpredictable as reading an encyclopaedia. Finally, unable to live with the guilt of what had happened to her children, their mother escaped with Kristina, cutting herself off from her remaining children in a bid to save at least one child. Desperate to save her sisters, Kristina eventually returned to the place of her torture to free Celeste. Years later, Juliana found the courage to escape, knowing that the child she was carrying would be subjected to the same fate if she did not. Now the three sisters have finally come together to reveal in full and horrific detail their existence within the Children of God cult. Their stories reveal a community spread throughout the world and its legacy of anorexia, depression, drug abuse, suicide and even murder. Lives are ripped apart and painstakingly mended with a shared strength that finally enabled the sisters to free themselves from the shadows of their past.

A fabulous new guide to dating co-authored by Greg Behrendt, former writer on Sex and the City, who won women's hearts with his three million copy bestseller He's Just Not That Into You. What ever happened to dating? Used to be that a guy would ask a girl out. He'd pick her up at her house and take her out for dinner, a movie, or a cup of coffee and some conversation. Then both parties would decide if they wanted to do it again next week. There was protocol. A standard set of guidelines to follow for this age-old ritual. These days who even knows what dating is? It's Just a Date gives you tools, not rules that you can use, while also opening you up to new ideas about how to date and who might be right for you. The book shows us how things have changed on the dating scene and what we need to do to adapt, including – ? How the digital age has changed dating, from texting (the new not calling) to online dating. ? The compromise: hooking up, booty calls and quasi dates – was it or wasn't it a date? ? Exit strategies – how to pull the plug when the dating isn't working out. Dating doesn't have to be hard – in fact, if not taken so seriously, it can be seriously fun.

Stuart just wanted his father to love him, but he was made to believe he was too naughty to be loved. Finally David Howarth was sent to prison for abusing Stuart's young sisters. Nobody knew the truth about Stuart's abuse until one fateful day when his father tried it again and Stuart fought back in the only way he knew how. Stuart Howarth spent the first thirty years of his life in mental and physical hell. After years of emotional torment and despair, at the age of 32 Stuart felt an overwhelming urge to see his father (who he now knows was actually his stepfather), then living in Wales. Seeking reconciliation, Stuart was only to be met by the same old abusive man. The rage, pain and confusion boiled over in Stuart and he fought back, killing his stepfather. When Stuart's story came to light in the courtroom, it was so terrible that he received the minimum possible sentence for his crime and only served thirteen months in Strangeways prison in Manchester. But while in prison, the cruel system compounded the crimes of his evil abuser, and he suffered at the hands of the prison guards. What happened to him during those months led to him suing the Home Office and Strangeways on his release and winning his case. This is the story of a sweet-natured boy who grew into a brave young man and refused to allow himself to be a victim any longer.

Helen Dunmore was an award-winning novelist, poet and children's writer, who will be remembered for the wisdom, lyricism, compassion and immersive beauty of her writing. In her lifetime, she published eight collections of poetry, many novels for both adults and children, and two collections of short stories. She won the Orange Prize for Fiction with her novel A Spell of Winter, her novel The Siege was shortlisted for the Orange Prize and the Whitbread Prize for Fiction, and her final poetry collection Inside the Wave won the 2017 Costa Book of the Year.

I met him first in a hurricane; and though we had gone through the hurricane on the same schooner, it was not until the schooner had gone to pieces under us that I first laid eyes on him. Without doubt I had seen him with the rest of the kanaka crew on board, but I had not consciously been aware of his existence, for the Petite Jeanne was rather overcrowded. ??In addition to her eight or ten kanaka seamen, her white captain, mate, and supercargo, and her six cabin passengers, she sailed from Rangiroa with something like eighty-five deck passengers—Paumotans and Tahitians, men, women, and children each with a trade box, to say nothing of sleeping mats, blankets, and clothes bundles.??The pearling season in the Paumotus was over, and all hands were returning to Tahiti. The six of us cabin passengers were pearl buyers. Two were Americans, one was Ah Choon (the whitest Chinese I have ever known), one was a German, one was a Polish Jew, and I completed the half dozen. ?

Un loc important n miniatura vocal instrumental rahmaninovian l ocup romanele ce abordeaz tema dragostei. Ele prezint universul tririlor emoionale ale ndrgostitului, fac o subtil analiz psihologic a acestuia i exprim sentimente i triri profunde, ptimae, de la mrturisiri, la decepii i momente sentimentale generate de pierderea fiinei dragi. Strile sufleteti sunt asociate cu imagini din natur: primvara – bucuria, noaptea – dezndejdea, starea de ateptare chinuitoare, suferina, singurtatea, amurgul – stingerea speranei. Aceste romane pot fi mprite n dou categorii: cele care exprim fericirea i mplinirea prin iubire i cele care exprim suferina n dragoste din vina fiinei iubite. Lucrrile din prima categorie prezint sentimente luminoase, optimiste, nltoare, iar romanele care abordeaz tema dragostei nemprtite, a iubirii trdate sau a suferinei din dragoste au ca tem pierderea speranei, sentimente triste, dramatice, decepia, disperarea sau resemnarea. Intensitatea sentimentelor este sugerat prin sonoritile intense, sau dimpotriv, stinse, care trdeaz o puternic suferin interioar neexteriorizat, prin motive suspine, prin creterile i descreterile dinamice ce sugereaz acumularea tensiunii interioare.“ – Raluca Cimpoi-Iordachi

A crete copii este un lucru riscant, cci reuita depinde de mult trud i grij, iar nereuita ntrece orice alt durere, spunea Democrit. E trist i frustrant s-i vezi copilul nepstor sau, mai ru, dispreuitor fa de coal i nvtur, dar, orict ar prea de incredibil, nu e vina lui. Succesul su la coal i dragostea de carte depind n cea mai mare msur de educaia pe care noi, ca prini, i-o dm n primii apte ani de via, de mediul familial pe care i-l oferim i de valoarea pe care noi nine o acordm cunoaterii. Averile se cldesc i se pierd, ne nal i ne coboar, ne fac puternici i ne nimicesc. Singur, comoara minii sporete, nu e niciodat n pericol s se piard i poate fi druit zilnic, fr grija c se mpuineaz.“ – Irina Petreai tu poi fi Supernanny. Cu copilul la coal este cel de-al doilea volum al seriei inaugurate de Irina Petrea, din care face parte i cartea i tu poi fi Supernanny. Cum s-i creti bine copilul i i propune s ia n discuie principalele probleme ale copilului la coal. De asemenea, ofer sugestii utile pentru prini i pentru cei care se ocup de creterea copilului-colar.Performanele copilului n coal sunt o prioritate pentru prinii contiincioi, iar problemele legate de studiu i disciplina nu sunt nici puine, nici uoare i, mai ales, nu au ntotdeauna cauze evidente. Chiulul, temele, notele, examenele i violen n coal sunt subiectele cel mai des aduse n discuie la edinele cu prinii i la cabinetele de consiliere. Prinii ateapt soluii-miracol la problemele lor cnd, de fapt, acestea sunt problemele copiilor lor. Prinii obinuiesc s se ntrebe de ce, oare, mi face copilul meu probleme n loc s se ntrebe de ce are copilul meu problemeCopilul nu e un roboel pe care l repari dac se stric, nici o fiin ce trebuie dresat i adus la obedien total. E o persoan aflat n cretere, ce are nevoie de afeciune, ocrotire i, da, instruire pentru a se putea dezvolta normal, pentru a putea s-i valorifice ct mai bine potenialul de care dispune. Performanele sale colare nu depind numai de inteligena lui, ci i de mediul familial n care crete, precum i de coal pe care o frecventeaz, prin urmare, are nevoie ca familia i coala s coopereze i s coopereze strns.Din pcate, la noi, se ntmpl adesea exact pe dos i elevul devine o minge de fotbal n meciul dintre prini i cadre didactice. Cnd miza este dezvoltarea copilului i devenirea lui, orgoliile nu-i au rostul. Pn la urm, orice copil este investiia cea mai important a oricrei societi i cu toii avem nevoie s-l privim ca pe o responsabilitate colectiv.