Over the last 18 months, we fully revised and updated the Preparation for Parenting series, with its emphasis on birth to six months; created a new, four-part Babyhood Transitions series—Parenting Your 5 to 12 Month Old; and updated the Preparation for the Toddler Years series, Parenting Your 12 to 18 Month Old. We also edited and published two GFI parenting classics, Creative Family Times, by the Hadidians and Wilsons, and What Every Child Should Know along the Way, by Gail Martin.

Another major undertaking was the rewriting and expanded On Becoming Babywise and Babywise II. Those new editions just arrived at the GFI warehouse. Along with the updated Babywise comes a new frontier for us—a Babywise Nap App.

The new Nap App will work as an analysis tool that can help parents isolate the underlying causes of nap disruptions and sleep disturbances for infants between 2 and 12 months of age. When the user responds to four basic questions, the App reduces the hundreds of nap-disturbance variables down to the most likely sources. It then generates a short list of the most likely reasons, explains each specific challenge, and offers recommendations to solve the challenge. The Babywise Nap App will be available in March of 2012.

In March of 2012, we will be releasing the new Blending by the Book, by Lance and Susan St. Clair, a supplemental workbook for blended-family households taking Growing Kids God’s Way. Each chapter of the book parallels the lessons from the Growing Kids series, bringing special application to the often-complex relationships found in blended-family homes.

We also invested a significant amount of attention to the development of our new GFI website. This site should be up and running in April 2012, along with a new Video Website, which will host a library of parenting topics presented in two-five minute video segments. We are currently in the final phase of both websites.

Behind the scenes, however, our major focus continues to be the development and production of the long-awaited Gift series. This project, which includes hundreds of adults and children in a variety of settings, special effects and weather-dependent scenes, is designed to take parent education to a whole new level. The Gift series meets the unique needs of the millennial generation. Regarding a release date for this project, the only thing we can say to the “faithful” is that “we’re working on it diligently”! We know it will be released in 2012, but since we cannot control all the filming variables, we cannot promise a date yet. Please keep us in your prayers.

Finally, our shared ministry to families has always been thrilling, inspiring and, yes, challenging. At the same time, we recognize how privileged and blessed we are to be part of this great, unfolding, heavenly drama and to be participating in it with so many couples whom we are honored to call friends.

In September of 2010,Growing Families introduced the new and expanded PFP DVD series containing five visits that tracks two newborns and their families from birth to six months of age. To compliment the new DVD presentation we also revised and updated the student workbooks. The changes are significant! Please take note of the contrast between the previous 2006 edition and the latest 2010 edition.

Content Changes

There is usually only one reason an author changes a book and that is to make the content clearer. That was our goal with the latest 2010 release of Preparation for Parenting. While there are significant revisions in every chapter, the major changes are found in Chapters Five, Six, Seven and the appendixes.

Chapter Five, Taking Care of Mom and Baby, is completely new and speaks to the ‘normal’ characteristics of a newborn that health care professionals will use to evaluate growth & development from birth onward. The second section discusses many of the physical and emotional postpartum challenges a mother might possibly face while caring for herself and her baby.

Chapter Six: Managing Your Baby’s Day replaces the 2007 version of Establishing Your Baby Routine. This is not simply a title change for the chapter, but a completely different way of approaching how to manage a baby’s routine and how to recognize the five major feed-wake-sleep transitions of the first year.

Chapter Seven: Waketimes and Naps use to be the shortest chapter in the book, now it is one of the longest. The chapter not only addresses the various waketime and nap transitions, but provides an expanded discussion of the thirty-two possible reasons why a baby might wake early from his naps and how his mother can recognize the cause and make the appropriate naptime corrections.

Appendix 1-8: The appendices contain charts, worksheets, week by week growth summaries and expanded discussions relating to infant care and growth transitions.

Margin Notes: Similar to the Growing Kid’s God’s Way workbook, the latest edition of Preparation for Parenting contains margin comments on every page. These comments are expanded notes on specific points in the general reading or related thoughts not directly discussed in the text but pertinent to the topic.

Leader’s Note:

As a reminder to those leaders who ran Preparation for Parenting classes between September & November 2010, using the new DVD series but with the 5th edition workbooks: Please remember to call GFI customer service (800) 474-6264 to obtain the replacement sixth edition workbooks at the special rate of $3.00 per book (plus shipping). GFI will only match the quantity of books shipped in the original order and only until January 31st.

Regarding the DVD series: Introductory Price: $39.00

Whether a seasoned Preparation for Parenting leader, or a first time purchaser the introductory price for the new series makes it very affordable to upgrade to the sixth edition. This introductory pricing expires on October 30, 2010. (Student workbooks are not included in the price.)

Regarding the updated 6^th edition Preparation for Parenting workbook:

While the newly revised Preparation for Parenting workbook were fully revised and expanded, the book will not be available until late October (2010). However, we have a workable alternative for those starting fall classes using the new sixth edition DVDs.

Regarding starting classes with New DVD series without the updated workbook:

For Prep classes starting this September or October, we suggest leaders provide each family a fifth edition Preparation for Parenting workbook and then replace it when the new sixth edition workbook becomes available. GFI will help underwrite this expense by offering the fifth edition workbook for $3.00 and the replacement sixth edition book for $3.00. Together, the total cost of the two books with shipping will be less then a standard order under normal circumstances.

As a Prep Leader, please note that class participants will not be utilizing the outlines found in the fifth edition workbook, but the weekly reading assignments will follow the sixth edition DVD presentation. Once the new books arrive in our warehouse upgrades will be available by calling the GFI customer care center. Specific upgrade instructions will be included with your order.

Regarding the content of the 6^th edition DVD presentation.

Motivated by the single goal of helping a new generation of expectant parents navigate the unfamiliar territory of nurturing a newborn, the sixth edition Preparation for Parenting series is immensely practical and understandable. The series contains five visits, tracking two newborns and their families from birth to six months of age. Fast moving, engaging and filled with visual examples, the new Preparation for Parenting appeals to the contemporary learning styles of the present generation while delivering the timeless message; that parenting in the mind of God is a Kingdom issue that has social implications.

Drop by the Potty Training 1-2-3 page to read an awesome testimony.  You will find links to the online version of the full-length Potty Training 1-2-3 video and a link to GFI.org where you can order a copy of the new video on DVD.