Kids make lots of mistakes. And they can usually count on parents to remind them when they're not measuring up. But sometimes, the only thing that isn't measuring up is Mom or Dad's notion of the way their child ought to be. In this podcast I talk with Joan Ryan, author of "The Water Giver – The story of a mother, a son, and their second chance" (Simon and Schuster 2009). Joan's book is the gripping story of her son's near-fatal accident and an examination of how the tragic event gave her a new start as the nurturing, accepting mother she always wanted to be. About Joan Ryan Joan Ryan is an award-winning journalist and author. Her newspaper work spans 25 years. A pioneer in sports journalism, Joan was one of the first female sports columnists in the country. Her sports columns and features earned 13 Associated Press Sports Editors Awards, among other honors. Her first book, "Little Girls in Pretty Boxes: The Making and Breaking of Elite Gymnasts and Figure Skaters", was a controversial, ground-breaking expose that Sports Illustrated named one of the Top 100 Sports Books of All Time. Joan is a founding board member of Team-Up for Youth, a non-profit organization that taps into the power of sports to help low-income youth learn and grow. She is a frequent commentator and speaker on, among other topics, children's and family issues, girls' and women's sports, juvenile justice and education. More info at: JoanRyanInk.com Subscribe to Family Confidential on iTunes: http://bit.ly/famconf Copyright © 2009-2018 Annie Fox and Electric Eggplant. All Rights Reserved.