Author urges parents to embrace their difficult child.
Instead of viewing such black sheep as a thorn of parenthood, Arnold suggested that difficult children be seen as providing the opportunity to fully realize the sacrifice, joy and rewards that come with being a mother or father. It was sponsored by the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children as well as other organizations. With images of yet another school shooting still fresh in people s minds, Arnold was not in town to deliver a message of depair, but to encourage parents and teachers that they can make a difference in even the most difficult children s lives. Arnold the father of eight grown children and grandfather of 25 said he speaks from his own experiences when it comes to black sheep. He and his wife, Verena, raised two of them, one now a teacher and the other a physician s assistant, and he himself was a black sheep who brought home poor grades as a child.