Secure Parent, Secure Child; How a Parent's Adult Attachment Shapes the Attachment of the Child by Annette Kussin

 

Secure Parent, Secure Child by Annette Kussin is an in depth exploration of the relationship between parents and their children. Based on the Theory of Attachment, this twelve chapter parenting book explores how a parent's adult attachment style influences their parenting relationship with their children and the attachment of the child.  Kussin suggests that "children who experience loving, nurturing, and predictable environments develop secure attachments" and grow to be adults who expect to be treated well by others. Children who are not afforded positive and nurturing experiences from parents and caregivers, specifically from their mothers, are at risk of developing issues of insecurity and forming beliefs about themselves that influence lifelong relationships in the form of insecure attachments. 

Throughout the book Kussin provides a comprehensive study of Attachment Theory, the three kinds of insecure attachment and the parenting approaches required to create a healthy and happy caregiving environment in which children grow and develop. The author does a superb job at helping readers to understand their own attachment style and the strengths and challenges that arise in parenting. Through easy to read language and numerous case examples, readers will come to understand the traits of Preoccupied-Anxious Attachments and how they differ from those of Dismissing/Avoidant Attachments. In some cases, people who have suffered severe trauma or significant loss in their lives may recognize patterns of Unresolved or Disorganized Attachments. 

Kussin's book aims to assist readers in becoming "effective and grounded parents" by helping them to understand their own attachment style and the challenges that arise from it.  The information is presented in a well organized format, first highlighting the personality and behaviour of each attachment style then outlining both the parenting strengths and challenges that accompany it. Through examples and stories, the author takes readers through a series of exercises and interventions in how to effectively respond to simple everyday situations that may arise. With the goal to develop Securely Attached adults, Kussin believes that adults can learn to be kinder to themselves and to their children by gaining perspective on themselves and their parenting struggles.

Secure Parent, Secure Child; How a Parent's Adult Attachment Shapes the Attachment of the Child by Annette Kussin is a work emanating from decades of lived experience as a social worker and psychotherapist working in children's mental health as well as knowledge gained from working with various researchers and clinicians in the field. Kussin's book contains a plethora of information and practical insight for all parents seeking to change unhealthy parenting practices resulting from attachment insecurities. As an educator and parent, I recognize the importance of healthy and well adjusted children. I enjoyed the compassionate, informative and easy to read delivery of the author's research as she guides parents through a journey of self-reflection.  Secure Parent, Secure Child, published by Guernica Editions,  is the author's second publication following the 2020 release of It's Attachment! A New Way of Understanding Yourself and Your Relationships. 

Rescue Me ~ Behind The Scenes of Search and Rescue by Cathalynn Labonte-Smith

 

Rescue Me ~ Behind The Scenes of Search and Rescue is an amazing behind the scenes look at the many dedicated search and rescue volunteers who risk their lives to save others. In this fascinating oral history, author Cathalynn Labonte-Smith, profiles forty dedicated Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers and some of the harrowing cases that have forever affected their lives. The men, women, dogs and horses that comprise the SAR teams across North America work in any terrain and in all conditions simply for the satisfaction in knowing they make a difference. Labonte-Smith presents seventy cases in this well researched book.  Tales of avalanche victims and those lost in caves, deserts and mountains will leave readers shaking their head while learning valuable lessons in wilderness safety and preparation. There are also heartbreaking stories of missing children, homicide victims and the casualties of plane crashes, ground searches and underwater recovery that often require the quick action, courage and dedication of SAR members. And there are the stories of the SAR members themselves; those who dedicate their entire lives to search and rescue, those who are forever changed by the experiences they have gone through and sadly those who have lost their own lives during rescue attempts. This book will leave readers with a new appreciation for the many volunteers that lend their skills and tirelessly train to step up to the plate when the call goes out that someone is in crisis.

Inspired by her husband Stephen and his SAR cohorts who had the determination to stick with their training during the pandemic, Labonte-Smith writes with great compassion and respect, bringing understanding and experience to the subject matter. Readers will initially delight in the authors own personal story of search and rescue as an impulsive toddler escaping the watchful eye of her grandmother. Such a narrative provides an excellent backdrop for the following historical and present day information of search and rescue operations in North America, highlighting the truths and debunking the myths that often surround public misperceptions. Labonte-Smith's support and commitment to search and rescue efforts is clearly evident as a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Rescue Me will be donated to SAR units that are in need or underfunded

Steve has been my personal hero for over thirty years, and now through SAR I share his heroism with strangers who are having the worst day of their lives. I know that he's with the rest of his team and they take care of each other. 

When Stephen returns from a rescue, we rejoice. When he returns from a recovery, I marvel at how he and his teammates can do what they do. 

Though Rescue Me is an easy to read book, it is important to note that readers will be exposed to stories of survival. For me, it was highly engaging, sometimes shocking, and provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my own wilderness adventures and preparedness. For others, the stories may be triggering. However, all the cases that are presented reinforce the notion that we are all susceptible to danger and in potential need of help from complete strangers whether we are outdoor enthusiasts or everyday citizens going about our business. Take for example the story of Sheila, a female black Labrador retriever who fell over a 30 meter precipice into a rugged canyon. SAR members rappelled into the canyon, harnessed the dog and ascended to safety while holding the trembling canine in their arms. Other cases are not as triumphant like that of 66 year old Geraldine Largay, an experienced hiker who became impossibly lost in dense brush after stepping off the trail to "answer the call of nature". After her husband stopped receiving text messages hundreds of SAR team members and K9 teams, helicopters and game wardens searched the area for three weeks without a single clue being found. More than two years later a forester who was working in the area discovered an abandoned camp, backpack and a sleeping bag containing the skeletal remains of Geraldine. Next to her a bottle of water and a diary detailing her last days, sealed in a waterproof bag.  To say the least, the stories are inspirational and the author does an excellent job at capturing that emotion and exposing the dangers that rescue teams face when a call is made. 

Rescue Me ~ Behind The Scenes of Search and Rescue by Cathalynn Labonte-Smith is a must-read book. The real life stories will be cause for reflection as you plan your next outdoor adventure and the tips shared by the dedicated SAR members may one day save your life. Rescue Me is a Caitlin Press publication.  

 

 

The Life of a Pilot ~ Bush Planes and Water Bombers by Glen G. Goobie

Written in a relaxed conversational style, The Life of a Pilot: Bush Planes and Water Bombers is simply one man's narrative account of living life from the cockpit. This coming of age memoir follows the life path of author Glen G. Goobie and his journey from adolescence to retirement. The memoir is detailed, thrill seeking, and adventurous and is sure to appeal to readers with similar aspirations of living their best life, on their own terms. 

At the tender age of 15, Goobie's father had suddenly passed away and the small town boy from Queen's Cove found himself thrust into apartment living with his mother in St. John's.   After graduating from high school in 1961, Goobie secured a job with the provincial Department of Highways survey team and flew to many remote Newfoundland towns in the belly of water bombers. Within a few years, Goobie found himself in the cockpit of a de Havilland Beaver bush plane working with the Churchill Falls Hydro project in Labrador. This piqued the interest of the young, twenty-something-year-old Trinity Bay native and the rest they say, is history. Goobie trained as a commercial pilot at the Moncton Flying Club in New Brunswick and then began a summer job with a Newfoundland construction company. After a summer of  logging flight hours while transporting workers and parts to job sites, it was time for Goobie to look for new employment forcing him to head west to Northern Ontario.

Goobie's two year adventure at Little Beaver Lodge was not without incident and certainly the place where Goobie cut his teeth on bush flying. Even on the best of days, every trip was an adventure, and Goobie's prowess as a flight pilot was constantly tested and challenged. From mechanical failures to unpredictable weather, interesting passengers (including one flight with the mafia) and encounters with wild animals, Goobie's courage was challenged while he problem solved, rescued and utilized great psychological maneuvering to survive the harsh environment. 

One thing is for sure, if you are a bush pilot, something will go wrong from time to time in a place where no maintenance is available, and you'll have to figure out on your own a way to improvise, and if you are lucky, you might get home that night.   

Goobie eventually returned to Newfoundland and began working with Air Transport, Gander Aviation and the province's water bombers. Though he was now an "experienced" pilot, the adventures continued. Hauling fuel through Labrador, tasked to fly 'strange but true' medevacs, and assigned to ferry a single engine aircraft, without a radio and only a "bare-bones instrument panel",  from Texas to Montreal in the middle of winter......Goobie's stories are both entertaining and nonstop! They also include tremendous detail about the planes he flew and the many interesting characters and wonderful people he met and worked with along the way. One such opportunity that turned out to be a new, unforgettable experience for Goobie was to captain a charter to do the seal patrol and an opportunity to view the large seal population from the cockpit of a Widgeon aircraft with officers from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

It was a beautiful day in March with light winds, and the visibility was so good, it looked as if one could see Ireland if you could climb high enough. My enthusiasm was not premature, because when we approached the seal herd, there were thousands of them with their newborn pups, sunning themselves on the large ice pans. Among the ice pans and calm open water, which was a vivid blue, were many icebergs, some of which towered what looked to be about a hundred feet above the surface. Without doubt it was a sight that many "southerners" would pay a lot of money to see. 

The day went by too fast, and just as the sun edged down toward the horizon, I reluctantly had to tell the officers that we would have to call it a day because we only had enough fuel to get us back to Gander. 

The Life of a Pilot is a story of great historical value. Along with pictures, poetry and a flying timeline spanning 40 years and two countries, this memoir is a sneak peak into the not so ordinary life of a rather "ordinary" outport adventurer. It reminds us that opportunities present themselves at the most inopportune time. The Life of a Pilot ~ Bush Planes and Water Bombers by Glen G. Goobie is a Flanker Press publication.

The crystal-clear sky revealed a crop of bright stars, which was another sight a city dweller doesn't often get to see. After landing back in Deer Lake, I thought it would only be fitting to drop by one of my favourite haunts , the Deer Lake Motel, for a couple of beers and a nice meal to top off my great day. I said to myself as I was sipping on my beer, "Imagine, we even get paid to do this."