Raising their children into mature, successful, well-adjusted adults is the goal of all good parents. We don't all succeed. Stacked against us are low societal expectations, destructive peer pressure, financial constraints, and yes, the childrearing foibles we inherit from our own parents. Demarre McGill and his wife overcame all these obstacles. Sons Demarre and Anthony grew into responsible and successful young men, two of the few African Americans to forge world-class careers in classical music. Demarre is the Principal Flutist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Anthony is the Principal Clarinetist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Raising African American sons on the South Side of Chicago isn't easy, but McGill's set of parenting rules served the family well. The McGills based their parenting decisions on a set of rules and guidelines they refer to as "McGill's twenty-five principles." These principles, applied consistently from birth, provide a stable, nurturing environment where children can develop and explore their world. Applied from a child's first breath, McGill's twenty-five principles have only one goal: to carefully guide children on their journey to adulthood. The McGill system sets clear boundaries for children with high expectations, while simultaneously demanding parents make the commitment to help children achieve academic and personal goals. "A Father's Triumphant Story" lays out these principles, drawing real-life examples from McGill's own parenting experience. In a subject area dominated by female authors, McGill brings a male perspective to the subject of childrearing other fathers will appreciate. His thoughtful analysis of parenting should be required reading for anyone considering starting a family, as well as parents who sense they need to do more for their child. Raising a child is the most challenging and important task you'll ever undertake. Simply getting a child from infancy to adulthood isn't enough. A good parent guides the child, fostering confidence and teaching the skills needed to produce a capable, successful adult. Lacking clear instructions, many parents unintentionally fall short of this goal. The world doesn't exactly help, either. While friends, relatives, teachers, and mentors can be wonderful resources for parents and children alike, the negative effects of bullying, prejudice, peer pressure, and low societal expectations threaten the results of even the most dedicated parent. A clear set of positive child-rearing guidelines would make life much easier. Demarre McGill has developed just such guidelines, and put them into practice while rearing his own sons. Raising two intelligent, creative African American men on the South Side of Chicago wasn't always easy, but McGill and his wife were committed parents with clear expectations of both their sons and their own responsibilities as parents. "A Father's Triumphant Story" offers what parents have dreamed of for centuries: an instruction manual for childrearing.
About the Author: I earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration and served as Chicago's Deputy Fire Commissioner before retiring in 2007, but my role as a father is my life's greatest achievement.