Parents who follow the concepts explained in From Diapers to Diplomas - A Common Sense Approach to Raising Well-adjusted Children, will not need Dr. Phil. While the author, an award-winning teacher at one of the most successful public schools in the nation, acknowledges that the children of today have more problems than previous generations, human nature has not changed. From this perspective, the children of the 21st century are no different than the children of the past. What has changed is the growing number of parents who have drifted away from the proactive and common-sense philosophy of raising children. This has led to more and more kids growing up with a lack of values, discipline, and direction. To confront the challenge of guiding children in the right direction, From Diapers to Diplomas provides readers with universal concepts: . the purpose of discipline is not to punish, rather to correct . parents must make their expectations clear and ensure that their children live up to them . children must be held accountable for their actions . kids need to develop a sense of ownership toward their education so they become self-motivated instead of parent-motivated . pick the right battles - part of wisdom lies in knowing what to overlook . participate in extra-curricular activities for the reward, not the award. The author's expertise in this arena stems from thirty years in the educational trenches at North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was named the 2001-02 Teacher of the Year. This has convinced him that the majority of problems with today's children originate from the home. His hands-on research as a parent, teacher, and coach has helped him develop the practical advice in this 270-page book. The author knows from talking with students, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, school