I was sitting in a waiting room and looked for something to read. There were a couple of children’s books and that was it. I thumbed through them – same books sixty years ago.

I thought I needed to do a children’s book. – A parent could interact with. So, I came up with “Hard Facts.”

It’s compiled of things that mom and dad would tell you not to do, and like most children, it went in one ear and out the other. It was never retained in the brain. So, when your mom and dad weren’t around, you did it.

I talked to the ER nurses, and they gave me actual situations that happened over the years by children that did not listen.

I found an artist and we came up with “Diputs” and reacted out each possible rule ending in possible death.

I showed the book to teachers, police, doctors, and firefighters and got great reviews. Around 80% of “mothers” said it was too graphic for their children.

I went back to the drawing board and tamed it down. Now, about 50% of mothers said to tame it down more. So, it went back to the artist one more time and we decided that it was enough.

It’s not a perfect world and you can’t wrap your children in bubble wrap. Nobody can watch their children 24-7. Kids will be kids, but with “Hard Facts,” you can go page by page with your child and this time it won’t go in one ear and out the other.