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The long career of Dr. Donald Draayer in public education includes teaching at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. He also served as principal at all three levels and served as school superintendent for a twenty-four-year period. He taught graduate classes at the University of Illinois and University of Minnesota. Most recently, he has been an educational consultant in his own company, Experience PLUS, Inc. He has spoken to hundreds of audiences on behalf of the Search Institute of Minneapolis regarding developmental assets of children. His work and speaking have taken him throughout the United States, Japan, and China. In 1990, Dr. Draayer was named National Superintendent of the Year and in 1998 was given the Distinguished Service Award by the American Association of School Administrators. The North Central Association presented him with the John Vaughan Excellence in Education Award in 1993; and in his home community, he was named Person of the Year, Senior Fellow at the University of Minnesota, and Minnesota Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Draayer’s wife, Mary Anne, is a retired educator. They have two grown children, three grandchildren, twins are on the way, and live in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a western suburb of Minneapolis, where they continue to be active in school, community, and church life. The inspiration for this book came from the hundreds of educators across America who enriched his professional and personal life and have shared their retirement journeys with him.

Parent impact is greatest in childhood.
Parent potential continues throughout life.

Each life stage builds upon the previous one.
Early childhood home experiences are foundational.

Every adult is a unique mentor and role model.
Two parent(s) double the messages to offsping.

Body, mind, emotion, and spirit interact.
Internal and external forces affect all humans.

Child rearing works on probability theory.
Positive outcomes increase when brought up right.

Each generation sets the course for the next one.
This ongoing cycle bridges past to present and to future.

“The Power of the Mark You Leave in Your Children’s Life

Pre-school children imitate what their parent(s) say, do, and affirm. This nurturing in the first five years of life profoundly impacts the internal structure of the child’s brain – cognitively and emotionally – a crucial foundation that impacts the rest of life.

As the child enters and progresses through the K-12 system, the parent(s)’ job is to assist him or her in adjusting to this fresh, vast, and constantly evolving learning atmosphere, a broader range of community contacts, and dealing with the youth’s growing physical and emotional body, including the desire for more freedom.

The parent(s) watch as their obedient, caring children grow into adolescents, then teenagers, and finally high school graduates, ready for work or further education. In these changing time zones of existence, parents must make numerous personal changes. Even if the son or daughter does not live in the same house after high school, there are important bonds (degrees of bonding) that can and should be maintained in the decades ahead.

Donald Draayer’s book, “Powerful Potential of Parent(s): A Child’s First, Best, and Only Lifelong Teacher,” is a Handbook, in its 2nd Edition, aimed at encouraging and assisting parents in maintaining positive family relations during life’s transitions.

Dr. Draayer has worked as a teacher, principal, superintendent, adjunct professor, national educational leader, and consultant around the country. He knows that although a school system is powerful, it can only play a secondary role in shaping a child’s life.

Every parent (and soon-to-be parent) will be able to participate in and better contribute to their child’s growth at all stages of life with the help of this handbook. Draayer’s word choice also helps to streamline the process. Readers will find it conducive to dialogue, comprehension, and learning since it is written in standard prose.

Every parent should take control and make the most of their abilities, to successfully influence their children from generation to generation. We owe it to them, to ourselves, to our friends, and humanity as a whole.

Embrace your potential. Get a copy now!”

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