Ocean Grove Primary School teacher Andy McNeilly never dreamed that a program he started to get families together would appear in print.
But two and a half years later, his first book ‘Connecting With Your Kids’ is there for all to see.
Initially Andy started the program as a workshop to help increase the amount of time families spend together.
He then started penning everything down and the result is a 34,000 book that outlines easy, low cost and fun activities that parents and children can do together.
“The whole premise of it is that it’s practical and easy,” Andy said.
“The activities in there are fun and simple and low cost.
“My hope is that it will have kids saying ‘come and mum and dad, let’s do more of this’.”
Andy said Connecting with Your Kids builds ‘life skills’ that kids need to thrive, through fun programs that give parents the tools they need to connect with their children.
Putting away the iPad and turning off the TV for a small amount of time each night can make an enormous impact in bringing families closer together, Andy said.
The book is broken into 48 chapters and has 10 ideas a week to get families together.
“You don’t have to do 10, you pick one a week to be connected,” he said.
“Out of the 10 there might be one that you can’t do, but nine others that you can.”
However, the book was self-published and only had a print run of 150 copies. Andy is hoping a publisher can take it on.
Initial reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.
“I’m just hoping someone can pick this up and say ‘I see a spot for this’,” he said.
“Everyone who has read it has been really positive at just how easy and accessible it is and how it’s good to stop and check in with how important family is.
“I can’t imagine lying on my death bed thinking ‘I wished I’d worked more hours’.
“It’s going to be ‘I wish I’d spent more time with my family’.”
Connecting with Your Kids is available at Bookgrove, Ocean Grove newsXpress and Beach Books Barwon Heads as well as at Amazon and Booktopia.
To find out more, see andymcneilly.com.au/.
