Becoming sun spouses prepares us for becoming sun parents. Since parenting is the first and foremost responsibility adults have in life, all other responsibilities are appendages to it. Those experiences are among the most transformative experiences in our lives, both for children and for their parents. So, it is important that we learn what our options are if we are to become sun parents.

There are four parenting styles to choose from: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and disengaged. Shine Brighter explains what each of those styles looks like and how they impact the lives of children and their parents. Only one of those styles embraces sun principles and produces sun outcomes, and that style is embodied in what I refer to as the Prime Directive of Parenting. It is a galactically-tested method for creating sun families and producing sun children.

If you remember the old TV series Star Trek, you may remember the Prime Directive. As the starship Enterprise explored the galaxies, Captain James T. Kirk and his associates would often come across emerging civilizations that were struggling to get along and were often on the brink of self-destruction. But the Enterprise crew could not just beam down and take over leadership of those civilizations to prevent them from destroying themselves. Instead, they would work behind the scenes to prevent catastrophes from happening and then leave, returning on occasion to see how that civilization was doing.  Their job was to keep these emerging civilizations safe, and help prepare them for a successful future as a member of the Federation of Planets. The Prime Directive of Parenting is similar. Our job as sun parents is to: (1) keep our children safe physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and (2) prepare them for a successful adulthood. Shine Brighter gives many examples of what sun parenting looks like and specific strategies to help produce the best outcomes for our children.

Shine Brighter highlights the life of one historical figure whose life reflects many of the qualities of sun parents, qualities I encourage all sun parents to emulate. Sun parents embrace the motto of several universities in the way they teach and train their children: “enter to learn, go forth to serve.” 

There are several family designs that exist in the world today. Shine Brighter examines them all and how sun people function in each of them. One of those family designs is clearly preferred over the others because it offers the best opportunities for keeping children safe and preparing them for sun adulthood. Designing this kind of family is compared to shipbuilding.

The challenge for shipbuilders throughout history has been to find the balance between building a ship where the joints that hold it together are strong enough to provide strength and safety, but flexible enough to allow the ship to adjust to rough waters. One family design is especially good at that. Using the analogy of shipbuilding, parents will learn how to create a family that is both strong and flexible and prepared to deal with the rough seas of life in the turbulent waters of the 21^st century.

And using a football metaphor, parents will learn how to successfully manage their adjustment from quarterback to coach to cheerleader to spectator/consultant in their children’s lives as they grow and develop.  If parenting is a game, the prime Directive provides the rules. And the result is a sun family now, and in the future, as sun parents pass on a legacy of sun principles and practices to future generations. It’s the best thing parents can do for their children!