What Makes Kids KICK!

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What Makes Kids KICK

This series of books is a collection of ideas, research, thoughts and perceptions about kids today. What inspires and motivates them to do what they do. In other words – what makes them tick and KICK.

They are not meant to be the definitive study on kids. Just one person's perspective after spending two decades traveling across the country talking with kids and the people who work with them. Toss in a boatload of research, offer opinions of highly respected experts from various fields, provide a number of references for follow up, and you'll soon get a clearer picture as to What Makes Kids KICK.

Research-based with real world relevance, this series brings together the best of the best in substantive work on today's postmodern generation of kids. As an eclectic blend of thought from generational influences, psychology, education, motivational theory, parenting, and managing, this series of books attempts to bring you a perspective that's broad and deep.

(The table of contents, preface, and an excerpt from each chapter)

What Makes Kids KICK:
Inspiring the Millennial Generation to KICK IT IN®

by Fran Kick

Consider this first book an overview or a compass of thought for reaching today's kids. Providing an overall framework through which to view kids, the book explores the many influences and inspirational factors that are in play with kids today collectively as a generation.

Fran Kick has combined a comprehensive collection of studies, surveys, research articles and news stories with his own anecdotes, gathered over two decades of traveling across the United States talking and working with kids and the adults in their lives.

Chapters include:

Every reference in the series has been professional cited and the reader is provided with over 300 web sites to visit for further information. What Makes Kids KICK will get you looking at and thinking about this generation of kids in a whole new way. It will help you raise, teach, manage, lead and mentor a more self-motivated generation of kids who will have the attitude and skills necessary to KICK IT IN & TAKE THE LEAD!

Available in the following formats:
Book (Paperback) ISBN: 978-1-59199-014-7
E-book (PDF read-only) ISBN: 978-1-59199-015-4
Audiobook (MP3) Coming Soon!

The remaining books in this series build on the overall framework and detail what inspires kids specifically at home, at school, and at work.

(The table of contents, an excerpt from each chapter and resource list)

What Makes Kids KICK @ HOME:
Inspiring the Millennial Generation to KICK IT IN®

by Fran Kick

This second book in the series builds on the overall framework presented in What Makes Kids KICK and details what inspires kids specifically at home, while at the same time maps out pragmatic steps you can take to reach them, teach them, and lead them.

Chapters include:

While every generation faces a changing world, What Makes Kids KICK @ HOME takes into account the specific challenges this newest generation faces in the home and the speed at which they face them. As these challenges are vastly different from what previous generations experienced, Fran Kick asserts that current motivational strategies and tactics need to be vastly different as well.

The goal is to help kids become self-motivated adults who have an internal, every-present, self-inspiring motive to make things happen so they can become the next generation of leaders who KICK IT IN & TAKE THE LEAD!

Available in the following formats:
Book (Paperback) ISBN: 978-1-59199-016-1
E-book (PDF read-only) ISBN: 978-1-59199-017-8
Audiobook (MP3) Coming Soon!

Every chapter from each book in this series is also available separately as a print-disabled portable document format (PDF read-only) downloadable file. With so many resources cited and web sites provided, a PDF file enables you to quickly point-and-click your way much easier than typing in a URL.

Plus, with the latest version of Adobe's Acrobat® Reader® you can find and search for terms, people and references even faster than looking them up in the printed index. These PDF Chapters are the perfect computer companion to have at your fingertips for finding what's in the book and what's on the web.

What others are saying about this series of books:

“Fran's broadly generational approach to today's kids is very nicely executed. While he's familiar with youth up close and has a voracious appetite for interesting facts, he also sees the big picture. I learned a lot. There are things in here that I didn't know and I make a living doing this!”

– Neil Howe, co-author of Generations and Millennials Rising

“Fran Kick presents a thoughtful and research informed approach to engaging youth, packaged in a lively and vital way. His work recognizes not only that getting kids involved is beneficial, but that making it fun and meaningful is essential to making it happen. What Makes Kids KICK is filled with good advice for coaches, educators, parents and anyone else who works with kids.”

– Richard Ryan, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry &
Motivation at the University of Rochester, NY and co-editor of the
Handbook of Self-Determination Research

“What fantastic books!!! I gave my sister, who is a high school counselor in Scottsdale, the What Makes Kids KICK @ HOME one. Your graphics are always so stunning and they are on this book as well. I really enjoyed What Makes Kids KICK. Positive, well thought-out and researched, lots of good ideas, fun to read, plus great resources. Covers all the ground of Millennials Rising and more, but in a more accessible way. I like the size and shape. It's a home run!”

– Claire Raines, author of Connecting Generations
and co-author of Generations at Work

“Fran Kick knows kids inside out, and he gives real-world practical ideas for those seeking to parent and teach them. This book provides a wealth of amazing resources and usable tools to KICK IT IN with kids of all ages!”

– Eric Chester, Founder & President of Generation Why, Inc.
and author of Getting Them to Give a Damn:
How to Get Your Front Line to Care About Your Bottom Line

“I constantly hear kids voice two complaints about the adults in their life – ‘they don't listen’ and ‘they don't understand.’ By helping us listen and understand, Fran Kick opens doors for
positive communication with the kids we know, love, and long to lead into healthy adulthood.”

– Walt Mueller, President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding

“Fran Kick has given us a tried-and-true blueprint-of-success to positively focus the efforts and energies of our youth. What Makes Kids KICK is a compilation of cutting edge research closely linked with real world experiences. You and your students will be the benefactors of Fran's insightful writing and keen awareness of what makes young people tick and KICK. In the world of adolescent behavior patterns, Fran Kick stands as one of the select professional leaders who continues to open new realms of possibilities for our students, our schools, our communities, and ultimately our future. Satisfaction guaranteed and even more!”

– Tim Lautzenheiser, Attitude Concepts for Today, Inc.
and Director of Education for Conn-Selmer, Inc.

“Fran Kick addresses the many factors that influence children today, which in turn makes students today unique. I have brought Fran into the Diocese of Buffalo for many years and his presentations with students, teachers, and parents always get rave reviews. I feel after reading this book, Fran has researched the material for the book as much as he has for his presentations. This book puts together in an entertaining manner, the research and the practical observations that he has seen while making his presentations across the country. It includes many references to books and web sites to give further information to the reader. What Makes Kids KICK is a ‘must read’ for all parents and educators.”

– Tom Peters, Assistant Superintendent
Department of Catholic Education Diocese of Buffalo, NY

“What Makes Kids KICK is a wonderful book. Based on the latest scientific knowledge and clearly written, it will benefit parents, educators, and everyone interested in children's emotional growth. I commend Fran for producing this up-beat and encouraging work.”

– Edward Hoffman, Ph.D., author of Future Visions:
The Unpublished Papers of Abraham Maslow

“Fran Kick is a genius. He can relate to an entire generation like no other. In What Makes Kids KICK, Fran's take on motivation is so right on the button. Motivating today's kids is a mystery to most. Read this book to unlock the mystery.”

– Jim Canterucci, author of Personal Brilliance

“Fran Kick not only knows what makes kids kick, he understands what kids today need to be the kind of self-motivated, self-reliant everyday heroes the world will soon need them to be. Helping today's generation of children to think for themselves demands a new adult-child level of communication that's positive, unambiguous, and constructive. This book offers parents, teachers, and anyone else who works with today's youth a clearer perspective of the strategies and skills most helpful in diminishing an over-dependence on the approval-driven choices of others. Guiding a more internally directed generation of kids who won't fall victim to an externally manipulative world, What Makes Kids KICK can serve as your resource of resources.”

– Elisa Medhus, M.D. Author of Hearing is Believing:
How Words Can Make or Break Our Kids

About the author:

FRAN KICK knows What Makes Kids KICK! He's been speaking to them, working with them, counseling them, teaching them and reaching them since 1986. During this time his unique perspective on what it takes to teach people to motivate themselves has been shared with thousands of students, teachers, parents and organizations.

Fran presents over one hundred programs every year across the U.S. to thousands of college/university, high school, junior high and middle school students, plus the many people who work with them. In addition, he works with association, convention and corporate organizations who are actively engaged in teaching and reaching kids. Fran speaks at many state, regional and national conferences and has consulted with numerous schools, companies and organizations.

If you're interested in finding out more about these types of presentations, simply follow the links or click on the "MORE INFO" icon below. Tell us who you are, where you are, what you do and we'll send you all of the details about what it takes for a program to really KICK IT IN – how to bring a program to your organization as well as a complete speaking and presentation fee schedule.