One of the greatest gifts a parent can give to a child is an Album of Hope. It’s the gift of self-assurance and a sense of belonging.  It shows children they have a stable foundation and that they are a part of something larger than themselves. It tells children that they can be strong and believe in their dreams because they have a family backing them. 
 
Nancy O’Dell, acclaimed entertainment reporter and devoted mom, knows there is one simple yet powerful way to bring families together and make children feel loved and valued:
 
Create an Album of Hope for your child.
 
In her new book, "Full of Love," Nancy shares how important albums are to kids. “I experienced it myself as a child. Whenever I needed a dose of reassurance or just a reminder of how much I was loved, I would pull out one of my mom’s albums. They became my albums of hope.”
 
Nancy O’Dell wants moms everywhere to work together to raise the next generation of confident, secure, happy kids. And she has a plan to make it happen.
 
Now, through her Album of Hope Initiative, Nancy wants to encourage all parents to create albums with words and pictures that will inspire their children for years to come. “As a mother, you have so many hopes and dreams for your children,” Nancy says. “But how will they know what those are if you don’t tell them?” Hopes and dreams expressed in these albums might be general or specific, long- or short-term:
 
It is my hope for you:
• That you always feel loved, protected and supported
• That your family will always be the most important part of your life
• That you find the love of your life
• That you live a life filled with happiness and love
• That you live a life full of adventure and travel to explore the beautiful world
• That you understand the importance of the environment
• That you master a musical instrument
• That you reach an academic goal
• That you stay healthy and enjoy exercise for yourself
• That you understand the importance of giving back and being generous
• That you make a difference in your community

Nancy knows how profound albums can be. “The albums my mother and grandmother created became part of my DNA,” she says. “They were living proof of their love for me and of all the values and traditions our family held dear. I’m doing the same for my children so they’ll have the strong foundation they need to succeed in life.”

It’s tough to raise happy, confident, secure kids these days. Work demands cut into family time. Computer games, TV and cell phone distract us from one another. Bullying and peer pressure can affect self esteem and can lead to drugs and alcohol. Kids fight obesity or, on the flip side, the pressure to be too thin. Family values are not emphasized like they used to be.