1) Children need to be able to fall asleep on their own. Infants and toddlers who are always rocked to sleep, or breastfed or bottle fed to sleep, learn to depend upon others for falling asleep and do not develop their own falling asleep mechanism. This can cause much distress for parents who go through the nightly nightmare of trying to get their infant or toddler to sleep. Instead of always picking up and rocking a crying little one, which only reinforces the childs dependency on you putting him or her to sleep, try patting the child and then leaving for a few minutes. If you keep coming in, patting your child and reassuring him or her that you are here, eventually your child will stop depending upon you to rock, hold or feed him or her to sleep.

2) Children need to learn very young to play by themselves and amuse themselves. It is not healthy for children to be constantly dependent upon others, or upon the TV, to amuse them. I work with many adults who never learned to play by themselves. These adults feel lost when they are alone, having no idea what to do with themselves. Instead of turning to creative or learning opportunities, they may participate in addictions such as eating, drinking, drugs, TV, work, spending, and so on. When children learn to play by themselves at a young age, they tend to be more self-sufficient and creative as adult.

3) Children need to learn how to self-nurture. This means that they need to learn how to take some responsibility for their own feelings. Infants often self-soothe with their blanket, thumb, or pacifier. But as they grow older, they need to learn other ways of self-nurturing because they will not be taking their blanket or pacifier to school.

Even children as young as 2 1/2 years old can learn to attend to their own feelings. You can help your young children start to take responsibility for their feelings by giving them a doll or stuffed animal that represents their emotions. You can tell them that the doll or stuffed animal is the baby inside them that has a lot of different emotions. When they are feeling sad or angry, they can learn to talk to the baby inside and find out what that baby needs from them or from you. As they get older, they can learn to connect their thoughts with their feelings. They can learn that if they judge themselves by telling themselves that they are bad or stupid or ugly, they will feel very badly.

It is vitally important for all of us to connect our thoughts with our feelings. Most of us grew up believing that others caused all our good and painful feelings. If someone yelled at us or told us we were bad or stupid or ugly, we certainly felt badly, and if someone approved of us, we felt good. So we learned to believe that all our feelings are being caused by others. It is important for children to learn that their feelings are also affected by what they tell themselves and how they treat themselves. For example, if an older brother tells his younger brother that he is stupid, the younger child might start to tell himself he is stupid, without realizing that he is causing himself to feel very badly. By talking with his baby, he might realize he is treating himself in a way that is hurting him.
He also might also be able to understand that his brother is not telling him the truth. The way he can learn to realize this is by learning to access his Source of Love and Truth.

Small children can easily learn to open to a powerful Source of Love and Truth. You can ask them to imagine a wonderful friend, a guardian angel, or a fairy godmother. It is very easy for most children to imagine a wonderful being who is here to love them and guide them. They can be encouraged to ask questions of this loving being, such as Is it true that I am stupid? They can learn to bring through true and loving statements to themselves when they open to learning with their spiritual Guidance.

These skills, learned early in life, will do much to foster personal responsibility in our children.

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I am all for attachment parenting and do believe that we have too much equipment for babies these days. Entire households seem to be focused on items that allow a parent to get away with little or no physical contact with their little ones. But, at the other end of the spectrum, we have parents (especially Mothers) who are so tired they are ready to drop. There has to be a happy middle path between the two.

One mother stated things very well:

When my second baby came along, I was totally enthralled with attachment parenting. I would carry her around myself and she even slept with us. By the time she was 6 months old, she had made up her mind to be carried around ALL day. And she was such an alert baby that she hardly slept at all. So, much as I hated having to use a piece of equipment to take care of my long-awaited baby, I succumbed due to sheer, bone-deep exhaustion.

I selected a vibrating chair after a lot of research. I had read a whole lot of reviews – some chairs were too bouncy, and many were battery-hogs. I finally went for a beautiful, blue vibrating chair that also converts to a toddler chair. And it was a surprise: the moment I turned it on and adjusted the position, her eyes sort of half-closed, and in a moment, she was sleeping quietly and peacefully! Because she was getting bigger, I was finding it difficult to carry her around, especially when I had to cook, and do my laundry. I could now safely leave her in her vibrating chair while I carried on with my work. I selected a type of chair that has a strap in the front, much like car seats do. This keeps her safe and I dont have to worry about her opening the buckle, or wriggling out. I think what makes this product useful is that its a rocker, a sleeper, and an extra hand – all rolled into one.

The main reason why babies like vibrating chairs is that it gives them an indescribable feeling of safety and familiarity. Babies like movement. This is mostly because they have been moving about in a swimming pool until they came out into the world- a very noisy swimming pool at that! Everything that the mother says and does creates a vibration; such as the sound of her voice, her heartbeat, even her breathing. When the baby comes out, he or she enters a silent, stationary world where things are not very familiar. Recreating that familiar world by moving, rocking or vibrating, calms the baby.

The biggest downside to a vibrating chair is the number of batteries it uses especially if youre using the chair every day. Consider using rechargeable batteries. Theyll cost you less money and are a better choice for the environment.

A vibrating baby chair can never take the place of the love and warmth of a babys parents, but it can help on those days nothing else seems to calm or soothe your baby or when Mom needs some time to cook a meal or take a well deserved break.

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Children’s feet change rapidly as they age, so it may be necessary to revisit the shoe store every few months. The American Podiatric Medical Association provides the following tips for parents to ensure the shoes they buy make the grade:

* It’s important to measure a child’s foot before buying; feet are seldom the exact same size, and ill-fitting shoes can be aggravating. Be sure to buy for the larger foot.

* Shop in the afternoon. Feet tend to swell later in the day, so it’s best to be fitted during this time to accommodate slight changes in foot size.

* Select shoes that are comfortable immediately. Don’t buy shoes that require a “break-in” period.

* Look for a stiff heel. Press on both sides of the shoe’s heel; it shouldn’t collapse.

* Check the shoe’s toe flexibility. The shoe should bend with your child’s toes. It shouldn’t be too stiff or bend too much.

* Choose a shoe that is rigid in the middle. It should never twist.

* Have your children try on shoes with the socks or tights they plan to wear with them.

The APMA advises parents not to hand down footwear from an older sibling. A shoe that fits one child comfortably may not fit another the same way. Sharing shoes can also present a health hazard by spreading infections such as athlete’s foot and nail fungus.

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For those restless nights, a rocking chair is a must have. This is generally placed next to the bassinet or crib and is for one of the parents to spend time rocking their child back and forth, either to relax them or to help them fall asleep. This is an essential piece of baby furniture and must be well constructed in order to avoid any mishaps. If the chair is assembled upon purchase, double check its stability prior to use.

Another important piece of baby furniture is a changing table. This is commonly used for changing diapers, cleaning up after the baby and even dressing the child. It is important to keep the babys clothes in one of the changing tables compartments or right next to the unit in a drawer. The reason that this is so important is so that your hand never leaves the child while on the table, so all clothes must be within reach so that you can safely reach for them while holding onto the child.

A baby bathtub is another essential piece of baby furniture and is designed especially for the little ones comfort. These are found at any baby specialty store or in the newborn department at a local retail store.

Not necessarily classified as baby furniture, but necessary nonetheless is a baby stroller for taking your newborn for a short walk. In addition, a diaper bag with diapers and an extra change of clothes (for both you and the baby) should be taken along.

When selecting baby furniture, it is important to consider quality above all else. This is the furniture that stands between your child and the floor, so make sure that it is sturdy and secure. In addition, pay close attention to recalls on any baby furniture or accessories. From time to time, certain types of baby furniture may be involved in a recall by the manufacturer. If this is the case, the manufacturer typically offers to either provide a repair, replacement or refund for the baby furniture in question.

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Your newborn should just get sponge baths for the first couple of weeks at home or until the umbilical cord heals. Since your baby doesnt need a bath every day, you can give sponge baths twice a week or as often as you feel is necessary. It is important to go ahead and gather everything you will need before you start. And here is the equipment you will need to bath a newborn:

* 1. thick towels or a sponge-type bath cushion
* 2. soft washcloths
* 3. bath seat for basin or sink
* 4. cotton balls
* 5. baby shampoo and baby soap (non-irritating)
* 6. hooded baby towel
* 7. clean diaper and clothing

Make sure the room you are using is warm (around 75 degrees F). Place a non-skid cushion or towel at the bottom of the seat/tub so your baby will not slide around (little ones are very slippery). Run warm water (between 90 to 100 degrees or warm to the inside of your wrist) into the sink/tub. Gently undress your baby while talking in a soothing voice, explaining what you are doing. Place the baby in the water slowly.

Start with the face with just a little bit of baby soap. Next, wash the head, and continue moving downwards. When bathing your baby, make sure to clean the following areas (and creases) thoroughly: neck, ears, buttocks and groin area. Try not to get the umbilical cord area wet; gently clean with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. And if your son is circumcised, try not to move the foreskin back when cleaning the groin area. Once you have the front clean, then finish with the back side.

Dry your baby thoroughly and then dress them. Make sure the head is completely dry. The first time may take a little bit of time because they will squirm and they are very slippery. But never take your hands off your baby. Once you both get used to this routine, it will be extremely easy. Have fun!

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Gone are the days when anxious moms start their little ones on cereal somewhere between six and twelve weeks. To be honest, these moms did this for their own convenience, rather than the babys health. Starting a baby on cereal early can help them sleep through the night sooner, which, I know, sounds heavenly. But heres why its not a good idea. Your babys tummy is just not developed enough to properly digest solids, even watered down cereal, just yet. If you force the issue, you are inviting a tummy ache, or worse, a true gastric disorder. So, when those older ladies give you this advice, smile and ignore it. But dont fault them too much. About 30 years ago, this was considered the thing to do, and even pediatricians endorsed it.

Today, most pediatricians will recommend that you wait until your baby is five to six months old to start solids. In addition to using this age as a guideline, there are some signs you can look for that indicates that your child is really ready. If you wait until you see some signs of readiness in your child, you will likely have much better success than if you just pick a day and start.

First, is your baby interested in what you are eating for dinner? At four and a half months, my daughter was literally grabbing for my plate when she sat with us at the table. Since she was clearly interested, we started her just a bit before she turned five months.

Another good indicator is that your child can sit fairly well, with only a little support. Its much easier to feed them solids when they are somewhat able to support themselves. You will probably still have to support them with pillows or rolled up towels for a while, especially if you put them straight into the high chair. There are some great feeding chairs for younger children that can work better than a high chair in the early days.

If you think your baby is ready for solids, check out my article on the best starter foods. You can find it in Mommy to Mommy The Truth about Taking Care of Baby at http://www.educatedmother.com.

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Because of this, I hope to share some of my misconceptions and solutions with others, in hope of enlightening them to truly examine their parenting options and methods, and ask themselves if they believe they are as close to their little ones as they believe they should be. I am here to tell you that raising a baby can truly be a beautiful experience.

My son right now is sleeping. He is sick, poor little man. Its just a cold, nothing too serious, but my heart aches to make it better, to bend over backward to provide him some relief. My old instincts with my daughter were; run to the store; buy medicine, and give her dose after dose to make the symptoms better. Its not good for little ones to have the sniffles, right?

I was 22 when my daughter was born; I thought I knew it all. I had read the books, performed research online, taken Lamaze classes for childbirth, and completed both a new parents class and a breastfeeding class. I was totally prepared to have my daughter; or so I thought.

Things were tough with her. I knew I wanted to breastfeed, but she had a hard time latching on. The class I took did me little to no good. All the strategies I was taught, I had forgotten. The methods that worked with the baby doll in class were in no way effective with a moving, screaming newborn. The Lactation consultant at the hospital said, youre fine, doing it fine, just keep it up, youll get it. So, I trusted this person knew what she was talking about. And I listened. I didnt seek more help; I didnt even realize more help was actually available.

She could not latch. It got to the point where I was hysterical. I was crying, basically praying to God that He not let my baby wake up, because feeding her had become such a traumatic experience. It was truly a sad situation; one that I will never forget.

Well, I know now, the reason behind the difficulties was simple. Not only was I uncomfortable, I was scared. Breastfeeding was foreign to me. I had not seen it done, I personally was not breastfed, nor was my husband at the time. Having the baby there freaked me out, and having her sucking on me was almost worse.

I did know that breast milk was best, so I bought an electric Breast Pump. I then started pumping every two hours, in order to feed her the best food through a bottle. Though I had no idea how MUCH to pump, so I got more milk than my baby could ever drink. To give you an idea of approximately how much I pumped, after Aubrey was fed breast milk the entire first year of her life, I was still able to ship over 50 pounds of breast milk to Mothers Milk Bank in Austin Texas. (http://www.mmbaustin.org/) The Mothers Milk Bank is a great facility. Their mission: The Mothers’ Milk Bank at Austin is a non-profit organization whose mission is to accept, pasteurize and dispense donor human milk by physician prescription primarily to premature and ill infants. (Provided by http://www.mmbaustin.org)

Other things I just knew before I had her, included babies should be laid down as much as possible, they need to become independent. Babies need to sleep on their own from the beginning and at 6 months they need to learn to fall asleep themselves.

Aubrey was as a baby, I am ashamed to say, Furberized (Dr. Furbers method of parenting and getting kids to sleep is letting them Cry It Out). She was laid on the floor or placed in a swing or car seat a lot. She wasnt connected to me at all. There were times I felt more like her nanny than her mother. Part of the reason for all of this was my now ex-husbands belief that Aubrey needed a schedule and structure, and she needed to be in her own bed; the fact that I had read all of those books contributed to the confusion as well. I wanted to be the best parent ever, so I thought reading the books was the way to make that happen.

Frankly, I never once listened to my body, my heart or her cries. Dont get me wrong, I was not abusive, but we did let her cry, especially after 6 months when we Furberized her to get her to learn how to sleep. I did not listen to the chemical changes in my body when my daughter cried; I did not learn her cues, and we struggled on a day-to-day basis. (When your baby cries there is an actual chemical reaction in your body, prolactin the mothering hormone is releised and your body physically gets ready to breastfeed. Statement provided by: http://www.consciouschoice.com/1999/cc1210/parenting1210.html)

Then through a series of events that are not relevant, Aubreys father and I divorced. I started easing up a bit; I did still believe what all the books said, but I also started thinking maybe I should listen to what Aubrey was trying to say, and my heart as well.

Four years later, at 26, after being a mother for several years, I got pregnant with my son. I had always wanted to be a Mother, but I struggled with the idea of keeping my son. I was opposed to an abortion; but I was not working at the time, and I had a 4-year-old daughter to support. I did more thinking and crying in the first couple months of that pregnancy than I think I have in my entire life.

Unfortunately, within a week of knowing I was pregnant, Zacharys father decided that he did not want to be a part of Zacharys life, and signed away his rights to him. So it was all up to me. It was not easy, but in the end I decided to listen to my heart, trust myself and my faith in God, and know that God would never give me more than I could handle. I decided to keep him. It was one of the most frightening and difficult decisions I have ever made not because I did not want or love Zachary, but because I wanted the absolute best for Zachary!

With that decision behind me, then came the thoughts of how I would parent him. I knew that there had to be better methods than those I used with my daughter. She had been so detached from me. Again, I turned to my heart, listened, and tried to trust myself. Over time, Ive gradually learned that trusting my own judgment is a major accomplishment.

I was determined to breastfeed. Come hell or high water, I would breastfeed. So I started looking for help before my son was born, joining my local La Leche League (http://www.lalecheleague.org/) The La Leche League International mission is: To help mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother. The League has wonderful support groups, and great leaders, that really CARE about your breastfeeding success!!

I wrote up a plan, and on that plan I pledged that Zachary was not to have any bottles at all after birth, and I stuck to it. Again, breastfeeding wasnt easy. Zachary had a hard time latching. I had a lot of extra milk and over active let down. We struggled hard in those first few days and weeks.

However, despite the difficulties, instead of crying and hoping my son would never wake up, I spent many nights just staring at the wonder of him. I would stroke his hair and breathe his new baby smell, soaking in every detail of who he was. I am sitting here crying as I think of this time; what an amazing experience that was.

After we left the hospital the fun began. And this time it really was fun. Though many in my family and those around me felt that Zachary was more work than Aubrey, for me, it was far less.

I held Zachary all the time

Did you know that its physically impossible to hold a baby too much? I nursed him on demand, and did not let him cry. If he cried, it was with in the loving wrap of my arms. Everyone told me I would spoil him, but even science says: Attachment studies have spoiled the spoiling theory. Researchers Drs. Bell and Ainsworth at John Hopkins University studied two sets of parents and their children. Group A were attachment-parented babies. These babies were securely attached, the products of responsive parenting. Group B babies were parented in a more restrained way, with a set schedule and given a less intuitive and nurturing response to their cues. All these babies were tracked for at least a year. Which group do you think eventually turned out to be the most independent? Group A, the securely attached babies. Researchers who have studied the affects of parenting styles on children’s later outcome have concluded, to put it simply, that the spoiling theory is utter nonsense.

Not only does science support my new way of parenting, so did my heart. And, it ended up being FAR less work than the way I had tried to parent before. I utilized new tools, that I had no knowledge of after my first pregnancy, like baby carriers. Traditional things like swings and bouncers did not work for Zachary; he wanted to be with me. So I took to slinging him daily, constantly just about, and it was far more effective as other tools we tried.

Think about it, whats the ONE thing they tell new parents, that babies like best, learn from best and want around most? You and your face. Babies learn from the face and actually like looking at it better than anything else in the world. Why do you think a baby can see best within 6-8 inches of their face? Thats the traditional distance between their nursing face and your face! They like to look at you and love the natural sway of your body.

Attachment parenting is not something I knew about before I had my son or my daughter. My finding the phrase for it was by pure accident, though I am so glad I did. It so helps to know other moms like me, and know I am not alone.

For me attachment parenting is not about following a set of rules, although there are guidelines that reinforce the theory of attachment parenting. Attachment parenting can include things like Emotional Responsiveness, Breastfeeding, Baby wearing, Shared Sleep, Avoiding Prolonged Separation, Positive Discipline and maintaining a balance in your family life.

If for one reason or another sharing sleep, for example, is not for you, rest assured that would not at all imply that youre not an attached parent or that youre bad in some way. All aspects of attachment parenting are not for everyone. Being an attached parent is more or less just a general term, for loving and becoming in-tune to, and more responsive with your own baby.

All parents love their children, but many dont know their children. One cry sounds like every other; one gesture is just like the rest. An attached parent is much more likely to know and understand their babys wants and needs and do something about them. Knowing the difference between a cry of hunger from a cry from fear would be a good example.

Babies dont do things to manipulate us; they do things because thats all they can do, to get the response they need from the people that love them. Until birth, all theyve known is being in a warm, cozy place where they were never hungry or hurt. Now, all of a sudden they are thrust into the world of lights, loud noises, hunger, experiencing pain and feeling cold! How scary it must be for them. Attachment Parenting is about realizing that, and allowing ourselves to be nurturing.

In closing, be true to yourself, your marriage (or relationship), and to your baby and/or children. Trust that in the end no matter what kind of parent you are, your children are blessed to have you in their lives. There are many different ways to parent, I hope that you will open your mind to the different possibilities out there, look outside the mainstream line of things, and more to the natural side of things. There are many places to get awesome attachment parenting products to help you in your quest, as well as websites with a lot more information. I suggest Attachment Parenting International (http://www.attachmentparenting.org/) which has support groups, and other information, and Kelly Mom is also a great website for help with breastfeeding. (http://www.kellymom.com) to name a few.

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While most mothers have enough milk to satiate their little ones hunger, the decision to breastfeed is a deeply personal one. Breastfeeding may not be preferable to all women. For mothers who cant breastfeed or who decide not to, baby formula is a healthy alternative.

Babies should be fed with semi-solids only after the rooting or sucking instinct leaves them. This happens by the fifth or sixth month. At first feeding time will be messy, and probably frustrating, as your baby gets used to the unfamiliar taste and texture of baby food. Some babies will cry because they cannot get food fast enough, while others will spit out the alien texture of semi-solid food. Lots of patience is needed until your baby develops a taste and appetite for the new kinds of food you are introducing into his or her diet.

Its a good idea to keep the use of store-bought jarred or tinned foods to the minimum. Many of them have additives, extra starch and high levels of sugar. If you decide to make your own baby food, hygiene should be your first concern, followed by nutrition.

- Rinse all equipment with hot water.
- Boil utensils such as spoons, knives and mashers.
- Do not store cooked food in the refrigerator for prolonged periods.
- Discard any leftover baby food, as bacteria forms quickly in unfinished meals.
- Make sure that you introduce new items slowly and in small doses.
- Start with baby cereal; then introduce vegetables and fruits; and then start introducing meats.

When you start introducing semi-solid foods to your baby, he or she should be reasonably hungry by mealtime, but not overly hungry. The first semi solid food all my children started with was iron-fortified infant rice cereal mixed with breast milk or formula. After that I started introducing vegetables; then fruits; then meats.

At the beginning, babies should have finely pureed foods, as they get a little older and have both upper and lower teeth for chewing, introduce foods that are a little chunkier. As your baby grows, introduce a wider variety of food. If he rejects something, replace it with something else. You can introduce the rejected item after a few weeks or a month.

Although the baby food you make yourself at home is best, not all parents have the time to make homemade baby food. There are some good commercial choices on the market today. Baby food manufacturers understand parents want wholesome baby food for their parents. There are several all natural and organic baby food choices now available to parents foods that are a safe and healthy alternative to homemade.

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Most work at home moms start home based businesses because they want to be home with their little ones. And I was no different: I left a great corporate job to be around my two children.

But then, you put a lot of work in your business, and it works! Yes, you are getting orders, and making some money, but the flip side is that you dont have as much time for your little ones. How do you then balance your time? Do you still put your children first? Or do you go for the “just a minute honey!” line and hope they can’t tell time?

It happened to me: one day, during my first Christmas season in business, I was busy with an order for 150 gift baskets. It was hard work, and stress was running high. The deadline was approaching, and I had no time to stop to even straighten the room.

There were boxes with product everywhere, there were empty boxes, and there was gourmet food everywhere: a true disaster area! And just then, my 4 year old daughter (now 11) came to me with her big brown eyes in tears: “Mommy, I am bored and I am lonely… Can we play a little?” What could I do? I was alone at home with her, and if I stopped to play, there was no way I could finish my order in time.

So, I thought quickly, on my feet, of how I could play with her and work at the same time. And I came up with the idea of building her an office right next to mine out of used/damages boxes. She was ecstatic! And SHE did all the work! I told her where to go and get the boxes, and made room for her by me desk. She built a desk, improvised a chair, and even had items to sell in her store.

With that in place, I was able to continue my work uninterrupted most of the time. She loved watching and copying me: when I picked up the phone to talk to a customer, she picked up her imaginary phone. When I needed to make a basket, she made one of her own. When I calculated the price for my baskets, she picked up a pencil and calculated her own prices.

In time, her office evolved: the old, damaged boxes were replaced with actual wooden drawers. Inventory I wasn’t able to sell became her store’s inventory. She even got an adding machine, and a couch. Now, her office is her favorite spot to play. And it’s not just an office anymore: it’s an entire building with different shops. She has a restaurant, a bath and body store, a book store, and a toy store.

The store has helped her in many ways:

- she learned about maintaining and ordering inventory
- she learned about phone etiquette
- she learned addition and subtraction
- she learned organization skills
- she learned to be creative (little bits and pieces of ribbon, irregular baskets, empty containers have become great assets to her business)

Could YOU be using your business to teach your kids business basics while having fun? I am sure you could. Just take some time and think how your situation can be used to plant some business seeds in your child.

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• Show them you like to read. Point out articles of interest to kids in this publication or others you may have. Let them see you read books for pleasure.

• Read aloud to your children long before they understand what you’re saying. Point to the words on the page as you say them. Follow the sentence with your finger so that children begin to recognize how words appear on the page. When they can read a little themselves, read together. Begin by reading in unison. Then, read alternate pages or paragraphs.

• When shopping, cooking or riding in the car, show them how useful reading can be. Let them read lists or recipes or road signs to you.

• It may come as a surprise to some, but parents could encourage their youngsters to read more if they sat down with them and watched more DVDs.

Not just any DVDs, though. Start with those that are not only based on popular and classic children’s books, but that engage the youngster’s interest and perhaps teach a few useful life lessons along the way.

One DVD in the increasingly trendy genre of children’s fantasy involves an unlikely band of friends in the adventure of a lifetime. Called “The Thief Lord,” this modern-day fairy tale in the spellbinding tradition of the Harry Potter series brings to life the beloved characters from the acclaimed novel by The New York Times best-selling author Cornelia Funke (”Dragon Rider,” “Inkspell”). It features a remarkable cast including academy award-winner Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Carter, Caroline Goodall and a talented young cast of newcomers.

This fun-filled family adventure tells the story of two boys who escape from a mean aunt to the city of Venice where they encounter The Thief Lord and his gang of ragamuffin child runaways, leading to an adventure that will leave them all changed forever. Children who watch it can further develop their own sense of empowerment and independence.

Funke’s book was honored with the Book Sense Book of the Year Award from the American Booksellers Association among several other prizes. An internationally renowned children’s author, Funke has written over 40 books.

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