When Hyrum and Gail Smith brought their first baby home from the hospital, they were full of dreams for her. They wanted little Glenna— along with all her brothers and sisters to follow— to reach her highest potential as an individual. Instilling competence, confidence, and compassion in each of their six children became their goal.
But in a modern world filled with conveniences and quick fixes, how could they teach the values that Gail had learned as a child in Utah's Dixie? Many of the learning experiences that sprang naturally from life on a farm would have to be created consciously for the next generation.
Shadowfall: Reflections on Nurturing Family Values tells of the Smith family's quest to stake a claim on family time as best time. Weaving storytelling with practical advice, it shows how families can effectively transmit treasured values from generation to generation, like a mature tree casts a sheltering shadow. It urges parents and other family members not to neglect the things that matter most: finding satisfaction in work well done, forging caring human relationships, taking responsibility for one's actions, gaining a good education, and nurturing life's spiritual side.
"This book is not a how-to parenting book, although it contains many how-to suggestions," writes Gail. "It's not about household and time management, although our life and family needs have required both.
"This book is about family relationships, about discipline and miracles and the deep roots of loving and living by principles and values. It's about the magical years of childhood and the long shadowfall of parental influence."
