COMING APRIL 1, 2008 Keith Hudson, a father of three daughters and an electrical contractor by trade, has authored two highly-intuitive and interactive parenting books, A Letter to My Daughters and From Boys to Men. Each book focuses on fostering open and honest communication between parents and their youth.

“Single parents, long distance parents and parents struggling to get in-line and in-touch with their youth will benefit from using these instructive and interactive tools” Hudson says. There are two components to each book; the book itself has probing and hard-hitting discussion topics that cover some of the issues that are challenging our youth today. The second component is the diary, which is a non-invasive, non-threatening communication tool for parents and their youth to journal their reactions, thoughts, questions, concerns, and ideas about each topic in the book. The diaries are then exchanged for the other to read and then discuss together.

Hudson believes it takes a village to raise a child and suggests that long distance parents should not be excluded from the privilege of supporting and shaping the lives of their youth.  “I conducted hundreds of hours of interviews and surveys of over 4,000 people from varying walks of life, professions, socio-economic levels and demographics. And in a perfect world, we would all be raised in families that are intact and functional.” But Hudson says, that’s not the norm. “For whatever reason, serving overseas in the military, business travel that takes a parent out of the home for weeks on end, divorce or prison, a non-primary parent can use these books and diaries to stay connected and involved.”

Hudson addresses this issue by providing a safe and secure forum on his website that facilitates on-line diary exchange for long distance parents and their youth. Private e-mail accounts are assigned and can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The website also provides an interactive Q&A forum for parents and youth who want feedback, input or advice directly from Keith.