PHS grad releases new book on parenting [The Daily Sentinel, Pomeroy, Ohio]

Oct. 08--In Coach Bob Springer's newly released book "Go Ahead and Break Your Child's Heart," the author takes readers on a personal journey of his career as a football coach and shares the lessons he learned over the years about the lifelong effect of relationships between children and their parents.

He talks about the need for consistency in discipline, an issue many times not addressed by parents because they reason there is no need to "upset my child who, after all, is only young once," an attitude which Springer contends can lead to disaster -- hence the book's title.

In the book, he relates his experience of witnessing a reversal of control between parents and their children and seeing the adverse effect it can have on a child's development and ability not only to cope in adverse situations in life but also in his or her relationship with other people.

Springer's premise in the book is that too many parents today are "managed" by their son or daughter, and too many permit what he describes as "politically active and aggressive parents of other children" to run everyone's life.

He relates his experience of witnessing the results of this reversal of control between parents and their children and the negative result, and he calls on parents to step up to their responsibility of managing their children's lives, unpopular as it may be. Thus the title of the book "Go Ahead and Break Your Child's Heart."

Thirteen pages in the book are devoted to a section called "Leadership Considerations." It is a program covering facets of bringing up children for parents to work through.

The book includes a delightful fiction story called "Back Home." It's written in "coach talk" and is the story of of going back home to a 30th class reunion, and the happenings of that weekend to which many of us can relate.

Springer is a 1960 graduate of Pomeroy High School. He played football and then after graduation went to Marietta to attend college. He coached six years before joining Allstate Insurance Co. worked there for 26 years, retired, and then decided to return to coaching which he did in 1996 and continued until 2011.

He and his wife, the former Janice Zirkle of Middleport, in June celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

The couple resides in Marietta but return frequently to visit former classmates and friends in Meigs County.

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