Marilyn E. Gootman is founder of Gootman Education Associates, an educational consulting company that provides workshops and seminars for parents and educators, focusing on successful strategies for raising and teaching children. She has been in the teaching profession for over 25 years, and her teaching experiences range from elementary school to the university level. She holds degrees from Simmons College and Brandeis University and a doctorate from the University of Georgia. She is the author of The Loving Parents' Guide to Discipline and When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens about Grieving and Healing.nbsp;