To develop the deep luster of a pearl - the nacre - an oyster is influenced by salt, environment, consistency, warmth and permanence. So also does the family provide the moral nacre needed to produce a "pearl" of a child. The author, Jane Fulford, compares the process of nurturing a pearl with the moral development of a child into a human being who is loved and who can love. As a parent and grandparent, the former elementary grade school teacher, shares the Biblical principles and scientific research she relies on. This warmly written, well-researched guide outlines the parental influence on a child's development at every stage. Beautifully illustrated oysters with pearls by Erika Joanne Frei enhance this giftable book whose wise teachings are sure to benefit all parents and parents-to-be.