Kelly Rippon, mother of Clarks Summit Olympian Adam Rippon, writes parenting book, ‘Parent Up’
From a press release:
“How do you raise a champion?”
After her oldest son Adam Rippon won the bronze medal for figure skating in the 2018 Winter Olympics, single mom Kelly Rippon found herself being asked this question all the time. The Clarks Summit native has six children – what did she do to inspire their achievements and how did she raise confident, self-driven, emotionally intelligent children?
She realized that her unique parenting ideas shared the same leadership influence model she presents to audiences across the country as a motivational and professional development speaker, which led her to write a book on parenting and child development, “Parent Up: Inspire Your Child to Be Their Best Self,” that was published on Dec. 8 by Sourcebooks.
Her philosophy is simple: a parent has the greatest opportunity to be the most significant influence in a child’s life. Rippon shares 10 key types of influence, from optimism to accountability, that will inspire kids and build their own sense of purpose and self-worth. Illustrating her influencer philosophy with relatable anecdotes from her own life and raising gifted children, she invites readers into their own journey of self-discovery.
“No matter the challenges, you can improve your life and empower your children when you ‘Parent Up!'” the tagline reads. “Raise your kids through positive parenting, understanding, and leadership… and be the ultimate influencer in their lives.”
Adam Rippon, who had his own book, “Beautiful on the Outside: A Memoir,” published in 2019, wrote the foreword.
Following an appearance together on ABC’s “Good Morning America” yesterday, both Kelly and Adam will speak about “Parent Up” in a virtual event this Saturday, Dec. 12 at 3 p.m. on Zoom. They will be sharing stories and never-before-seen photos exclusive to this book launch tour.
Tickets, which include signed copies of the book, are on sale now via Eventbrite.
Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi praised “Parent Up,” saying, “Kelly shares relatable personal experiences in ‘Parent Up’ that show us sometimes the difficult path leads to the best parenting. Not always protecting our kids, but allowing them to own the consequences of their actions, helps them learn to be confident, empathetic, accountable, and ultimately empowered to live their best lives. It’s no wonder her oldest son, Adam, achieved his Olympic dream and is a beloved sports figure.”
Fellow parenting authors also lauded the book.
“‘Parent Up’ is exactly the book parents need in our rapidly changing world. It reminds today’s teachers, parents, and caregivers that leadership requires empathy, and the better we understand others, the better we understand ourselves,” said Michele Borba, author of “Unselfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World.”
“This book is a total joy! Kelly Rippon is a remarkable mother of six remarkable children whose achievements are only surpassed by their integrity and goodness of heart. Her book offers a wealth of advice for raising successful and compassionate children. Warm, witty, and wise, Kelly Rippon is a gift to all parents!” added Priscilla Gilman, author of “The Anti-Romantic Child: A Story of Unexpected Joy.”
Rippon started her consulting company, Authentic Change, Inc., in 2006 with the mission of “Changing the world one conversation at a time.” She has traveled extensively across Asia, Europe, and throughout the United States speaking to and interviewing hundreds of people about how the influences they met had shaped their perspectives. Those conversations, combined with her work as a college instructor, corporate trainer, and single mother of six children, prompted her to write “Parent Up” about developing an effective leadership perspective while building resiliency, empathy, and optimism.
While Rippon wrote her book through the eyes of a parent, she adapted the concepts to meet the needs of the audience and notes that living each day as an effective leader elevates personal competency and can be a gateway to the next level of success. She shares stories that offer a fresh outlook that link the reader to their positive influential power and also offers actions and behaviors that increase credibility and grow positive habits while helping readers recognize the need to discard the negative influences that work against us.
Rippon fills her dynamic presentations with authentic charm, influential motivation, and breaks down complex issues into understandable pieces. Whether she is speaking at a college parent orientation, sports coaching conference, or corporate leadership convention, her expertise from the boardroom to the classroom makes a positive impact, activates cooperative thinking, and brings out the best in people, leaving listeners motivated with heightened awareness and feeling better about themselves.
