Book Review by Susan Woodward

One of our favorite reading choices for parents wanting to raise empowered children is Keepers of the Children by Laura M. Ramirez. It is a well-written, inspirational and educational journey through the development of children, as well as parents. Ramirez describes a conscious parent as a “keeper,” a “caretaker of something rare.” It’s the job of a parent, she says, to “keep your child’s heart, mind, spirit, body, future, trust, ideals, values, beliefs and self-perceptions… until he’s ready to become the custodian of his own life.”

This book provides one of the most in-depth discussions on the role of conscious parents. It is beautifully flavored with a splattering of Native American spirituality that makes the book an interesting read for anyone, including the option of reading
many of the parts aloud to our children. The book starts with a Native American story written by Ramirez, Spirit-Boy and the Gift of Turquoise, and uses the story as a connection throughout the chapters on integrity, discipline, responsibility, identity, honor, and conflict resolution.

“The quest for human identity is the journey of a lifetime. Some people lead their lives without ever truly knowing themselves, while others take an entire lifetime to catch a glimmer of who they are. Those who fail to know their nature lead a life of self-confusion, self-destruction, rage and desperation. Although they have never known their nature, they feel the tragedy of its loss.”

“Like an adult, a child’s emotional and spiritual needs are met by discovering who he is and how he can contribute to his family and the world. A child who knows himself and heeds his inner voice will grow up to find his purpose. Purposeful living creates meaning and fulfillment.”

Ramirez presents a well-rounded foundation for helping families connect on all levels and issues of everyday life. The author offers tools to help us discover, connect, experience and express love in family interactions, including discipline. “Remember that discipline is not about exercising power over your child. It’s about empowering your child by teaching him how to make increasingly better choices.”

This is a conscious parenting book, written in a beautiful manner, that encourages us to discover ourselves in each chapter while helping our children do the same.

About the Author:
Laura Ramirez lives in the foothills of Nevada with her husband Larry, and her two sons, Dakotah and Colt. She combines her parenting skills with a mix of child development and Native American philosophy. You can find her book, Keepers of the Children (and more information), at www.walk-in-peace.com, on our website, or on Amazon.

June 2007