Sargent is the author of the hardcover book, The Power of Parent-Child Play (2003, Tyndale House Publishers) and the paperback Delight in Your Child's Design (2005, Tyndale/Focus on the Family). 

She has also contributed articles/stories to six additional books:

• Chicken Soup for the Tea-Lover's Soul (2007, HCI)
• Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul II (2006, HCI)
• Roar!: A Christian Family Guide to the Chronicles of Narnia (2005, Heather and David Kopp, Multnomah)
• Kisses of Sunshine for Women (2005, Carol Kent & Thelma Wells, Zondervan)
• The Write Start: Practical Advice for Successful Writing (2004, NCWA, PleasantWord)  
• and Christian Parenting Answers: Before Birth to Five Years (1994, Debra Evans editor, Chariot).  Christian Parenting Today also published a flip calendar including Sargent's humorous anecdotes.

For a list of magazine credits (28 publications, 100+ article sales) click here. 

AFFILIATIONS:

Sargent's writing and speaking has been influenced by:

Occupational Therapy

OT is a branch of the medical field, where therapists use creative approaches to help patients or clients overcome--or cope with--physical or mental disabilities. Sargent worked as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (C.O.T. A.) with patients with brain injuries, manic depression, and developmental delays at a major medical center (psychiatric unit) and in public schools. She often used games and other forms of play as diagnostic tools. Her education also included studies in psychology, sociology, early childhood education, and communication. 

Crisis Counseling and Community Education

Sargent volunteered (1984-1990) as a crisis counselor, parent educator, volunteer trainer, and board member for the Crisis Support Network (CSN), helping domestic violence and child abuse victims. CSN also managed the Washington State crisis hotline and a women's shelter at that time. Sargent spoke on domestic violence issues in numerous churches, educational settings and in radio public service announcements.

Parenting

When in 1986 Sargent had her first child, she realized that OT techniques with an understanding of child development applied well to parenting, and to play in particular. Since 1990 she has been a stay-at-home mother and a dedicated freelance author. She now has three children and eighteen years experience in adapting play activities to teach and connect with kids.

Extensive volunteerism over the past 20 years in children's ministries and parent support groups have also offered her insights about children. This has also offered Sargent countless opportunities to discuss with other mothers their thoughts, feelings, and needs as parents.

Homeschooling

Sargent's children have received an unusual mix of public schooling, home schooling, and international schooling. Her first two children insisted on teaching themselves to read and write, at ages three and four. That gave the author confidence to homeschool intermittently in later years, on an as-need basis. For more detail on this, you may click here.

Business

Sargent has always had a creative, entrepreneurial side as well as a therapeutic side, leading to parallel passions/careers throughout her life. At age thirteen, she began creating and selling her own off-loom weavings, and maintained that career as a professional craftswoman even when studying and working in OT.

Sargent sold her Ojo Originals at numerous art shows and wholesaled them to art galleries, eventually selling over one thousand of her works, in four U.S. states and Canada. Time between therapy work and her weaving business was fairly evenly split, until she switched paths for her parallel careers of author/writing instructor and mother.

Faith

Sargent's basic philosophy regarding parenting is that each child, and each parent-child relationship, is created uniquely by God. She believes strongly in the power of play--to help children learn and grow, and make the job of parenting more joy-filled and exciting. For more on the author's faith position, you may click here if interested.