Table of Contents .... Sort of ......

The emails are flying in on a daily basis ... filled with questions about when the book will be available ..... what will be in the book ..... where can you get the book ...... why is the book not yet ready ...... how can you make sure you get the book ..... and the question I like best ..... who am I writing about? Well, I am not going to answer all of the questions now, but I will give you a teaser. The e Book will be available in 2009.

What will be in the book ... well, some of the things in the book are about understanding the nature of children, adolescents and young adults - ADD in children - Choosing a program that best fit's your child's needs - Effective parenting for the 21st century child - Evaluating residential, wilderness, aftercare and transport services - Help for single parents and step-parents - How residential therapeutic and wilderness programs are beneficial - Living with a teenager - Making the difficult choice when your family is in crisis to get outside help - Building self-confidence in children, teens and young adults - The delicate art of letting go when your child needs treatment- The parents work when their child is in treatment - Transporting your teen to a program - What happens when it is time for your child to come home from their program. Does that help answer your questions?

The E book will be available on the website at OneSizeDoesNotFitAll.info. The book is not ready yet because I took some time off from interviewing and traveling and will be starting again after the New Year. It never was scheduled to come out in 2008. I am not sure who started that rumor. To make sure you know what is happening, just come back here and check. The reason I started this blog was because of all the calls and emails I was receiving. As far as who I am writing the book about .... the intention of the book is about this industry, not any one person or any one place in particular. No one from the industry has sponsored the book, though I have had some inquiries. Those discussions are incomplete as of this writing. So, sorry to be so vague, but that is what happens when you are writing a book. At least that is what I have learned. One person even called for an interview and I said I was not ready. They were shocked. I am just not the kind of person that needs or wants all the hype.

I would rather concentrate on writing and making it be the best it can be. Thank you everyone for all your support. This is a goal worth waiting for as far as I am concerned. Some people will like the book, other's won't. That is fine with me. I look forward to all the comments, as you well know!

Dore E. Frances, M.A.

Have a Question? Get an Answer!

The book is not out yet ..... but do you need to Ask a Question now?

Do you need the answer or solution to a one-time question or problem, such as:

• How do I choose a program that best fits my child's needs?
• Does my child need a program or is this normal adolescent behavior?
  
• How can an educational consultant help me and do I need one?
  
• How to I go about getting my teen to their program?
• Are all residential treatment centers the same?
• What happens after my child comes home from wilderness or residential treatment?
• What is parent coaching and how is it difference than therapy?
  

Email me your question - add "Advice Needed" in the subject line - dore@dorefrances.com

You may choose from several options below on the PayPal drop down list.

A simple answer to a basic question, maybe something about boarding schools programs in general, or perhaps a more specific answer is needed, or a very detailed answer that may need research and references or even a 15 minute call to answer some questions on the phone.

Make your payment via PayPal and you will receive your answer in a short period of time or I will contact you regarding setting up a phone time.

Oftentimes this can be within the hour.

All answers will be complete and thorough.

"I have been teaching middle school for thirty years and I get asked so many questions by parents all the time that I just do not have the time to research. Also, things change so much I just cannot keep up. I started referring parents to Dore and they have said it has been a great time saver for them in finding out some basic information and getting help on where to go for things like psychological testing. This is a well needed and very inexpensive service!" ~ Jon Aslan, Arizona

"I was feeling very apprehensive about the residential therapy program I choose for my daughter. I needed to know that I had made a safe choice. I asked Dore to help me specifically research this school to make sure they had no complaints against them. Just getting her genuine feedback gave me peace of mind. I have a feeling I will be using her again." ~ Rob Beare, California

I needed to locate an advocate and attorney in my state that would be able to assist me with my son and his IEP. I had been on the Internet and found all kinds of sites but did not know whom I could trust. I gave Dore the specific information and she emailed me a thorough list with names, addresses, contact numbers and their websites. I felt much better knowing these were people who would be able to assist me with my son's specific needs. I have already referred this low cost service to another parent. " ~ Robbi R., Washington

Okay, I admit it. I was freaking out. As a single parent I had a situation going on at home, it was evening time, and I just needed some quick advice. Having a 15 minute call with Dore (she actually gave me 25), was just the shot in the arm I needed to get through the little mini crisis. I think my child and I could have ended up in a big fight had I not had this time out time with Dore. She helped me get calm, centered and really see what was happening. It is great to know she is there if I ever need her again." ~ David B., Bend, Oregon

Dore E. Frances, M.A.
One Size Does Not Fit All - Who Knew!

Why eBook First?

In one sense, everyone's website is an eBook, and the Web is one huge library of interlocking eBooks.

I know, I have been reading a lot during my research. Basically, this eBook is was a way of presenting the collection of information electronically, with the added power of linking documents and collections of documents through hypertext links.

The liberating power of the Web is that documents can be viewed across a whole range of computer platforms, from mainframes to mobile phones.

The disadvantage of the Web is that to view the documents you have to be "online".

Benefits of eBook - One Size Does Not Fit All -

• Once downloaded (from the Web or a CD ROM), eBooks can be viewed whilst offline (although some of the external links I have embedded will only work when you are online).
• Unlike websites, it can be easily distributed to other users
• Unlike standalone documents, such as a Word or Excel file, this eBooks contains a variety of documents and files, all conveniently packaged in a single file.
• Unlike paper-based books, this eBooks can be easily updated. And believe me, with daily changes
• in the industry, this is one of the main reasons the eBook is coming out first. This eBook will even have a link to a website which contains the latest downloadable version of the book. Again, another reason the eBook is coming out first, as updates are happening weekly in the industry.
  
• The production cost of eBooks is minimal, a big benefit for you.
  
• Because I have been advise to have security, parts of the eBooks may be compiled so as to disable printing unless paid for. It may also be password protected which will prevent individual files from being copied (although no-one has found a way of preventing anything from being re-typed!)

Just keeping you updated, as I said I would let you know what was decided before the end of the year.

Dore E. Frances, M.A.

Choosing a Program for Your Child Involves Research

As I sit here today and do more research for the book, I have to give thanks that I am no longer in the position of needing to decide on a program for my child. Choosing a program for your child involves some important research.

Because the experience will have significant impact on your child's life, it’s important for parents to learn to choose wisely. Many parents can benefit from guidance in this area. For example, some parents may send a child to a program without considering the child's needs and desires. School is an important part of a child's life. Most students spend the entire day in class and develop lifetime interests, friends, and social skills based on their experiences on campus.

Finding the right school can be nerve-racking for parents, especially if your child has special needs like ADHD, Asperger's syndrome, autism, or a learning disorder. Although the law guarantees a free public education to every child, mainstream schools often aren't equipped to meet the unique needs of these children. What if you need to consider a wilderness program? Parents often struggle with the decision to send their child to a wilderness program, especially in the winter.

You are not alone in this feeling.

Hike a mountain, kayak through white water rapids, bike cross country, backpack through a National Park, snowboard, or cook over an open fire. Some adventure wilderness programs offer this, other basic wilderness programs do not. What if you need a wilderness adventure program for a youth with learning disabilities? How much therapy does your child need?

What is that your child is suffering with - anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol dependence, eating disorders, grief issues, low self-esteem, oppositional defiance, post-traumatic stress disorder?

Will an Outward Bound course help your child or do they need something more?

Do wilderness programs work?

Do you need an Educational Consultant?

When you visit the thousands of sites on the Internet, are these all different programs, programs owned by the same corporation with multiple (dozens and dozens) of websites, or a telemarketing company hired by a group of programs to sell your child to them for commission? I am now seeing websites by residential programs that do not have wilderness programs asking you to contact them for wilderness program help.

When did they go out and visit all the wilderness programs? What programs are they recommending?

Where did they get their expertise in this area? Why are they even doing this when they focus is on residential? Are they getting kick-backs from wilderness programs they are recommending and will the wilderness program then recommend the child to them for residential placement? My head is spinning!

Quickly as I get back to my writing - Be very cautious of any websites that advertise troubled teen help that do not have a staff page listing key staff members along with their education and qualifications. Be very cautious of any website that does not list the name of the program and a physical address. All of the telemarketing websites will only list a toll free number as they represent several programs and schools that pay them to answer those phones and sell kids to their programs for a commission check. Ask a lot of questions and get a second opinion. Have someone else call them as well. You are not in this alone!

One Size Does Not Fit All
‘Who knew!’

Dore E. Frances, M.A.