Empty Nest: What's Next? by Michele Howe

Empty Nest: What's Next? by Michele Howe

The purpose of Empty Nest, What s Next? is to help parents adjust to their changing roles as parents of adult children. Unlike the first eighteen years of parenting, moms and dads now take on more of an advisory role and step out of the daily hands-on instructional role. In theory, this stepping to the sidelines parenting style should lead to a simpler, less stress-free life for the parents. However, real-life parenting young adults is often much more challenging than all the earlier years put together. Combine young adult immaturity with a dangerous world, and parents frequently find themselves beset with worry, fear, and anxiety. Intellectually letting go is one thing; emotionally letting go is much more difficult, especially when the consequences are adult sized.

This resource will offer parents true stories of other moms and dads who are facing the very same challenges. Parents will discover a biblical model of faith-inspiring exercises that enable them to not simply cope with the demands of parenting their young adult children, but also to find peace, freedom, and joy in the process. Empty Nest, What s Next? will offer encouragement, practical suggestions, and lots of comical asides to the always-evolving role of parenting.

Michele Howe is a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, FaithfulReader.com, Aspiring Retail, Foreword Magazine, TeenReads.com, KidsRead.com, among many others national and international publications. She has published over 1000 reviews/articles and has been featured on numerous radio shows across the country speaking on topics such as parenting and a diverse range of women's health issues. Her work has been published in MORE, FIRST for Women, Good Housekeeping, Christianity Today, Discipleship Journal, Midwest Living, Parentlife, Fullfill, Christian Single, Single Parent Family, Focus on the Family, and Connections. She also does copywriting and manuscript reviewing for several publishing houses including New Growth Press.

Michele is the author of ten books for women. Her book, Going It Alone: Meeting the Challenges of Being a Single Mom (Hendrickson Publishers), provided hope and practical helps for single moms new to parenting solo. She has also authored Pilgrim Prayers for Single Mothers (Pilgrim Press) and a third book of helps for single mothers titled, Successful Single Moms (Pilgrim Press.) In addition to these resources for single mothers, Michele wrote four separate titles combining real life stories with inspirational prayer retreats. These titles published by (Jossey-Bass) include: Prayers for Homeschooling Moms, Prayers to Nourish a Woman'''s Heart, Prayers of Comfort and Strength and Prayers for New and Expecting Moms.

Her newest books include a follow-up resource to Going it Alone titled, Still Going It Alone: Mothering with Faith and Finesse Once the Children Have Grown (Hendrickson Publishers) and Burdens Do a Body Good: Meeting Life's Challenges with Strength and Soul co-authored with orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Christopher A. Foetisch (Hendrickson Publishers).

In addition to her article and books writing, Michele writes a weekly women's lifestyle and single parenting column at www.bizymoms.com. Read Michele's column at: http: //www.bizymoms.com/experts/michele-howe/index.html In line with her passion for working with single parents, Michele'''s resources offer encouragement to women of all ages by challenging them to exercise their combination of strengths, skills, and life wisdom in pursuit of a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle. Recognizing that life is often difficult, women can learn how to recognize (and find solace in) significant life-markers and by so doing, acquire the strength to embrace their daily challenges.