From the author of A Wedding in the Family, Annette Byford continues her examination of how mothers experience life changes in family contexts and how it impacts their sense of who they are. The book picks up the theme of family transitions and moves it to the wider focus of what happens to a family when children grow up and leave home, and the particular challenges this phase brings. Becoming a mother is not just a question of learning how to bring up a child - it brings a profound change of identity. The same happens years later, when children leave home and the job is, supposedly, 'done.' The author draws on her own experiences, both personal and professional, to discuss how mothers negotiate this change. She includes material from interviews with mothers and looks at these experiences against the background of analytic psychotherapy and family therapy. Also included is an exploration of images and depictions of mothers-in-law, grandmothers etc in literature and media, along with several, illustrative short stories on the theme of mothers and their adult children. Throughout the book there are discussions about what constitutes a successful or unsuccessful transition. This title will appeal to readers, mainly mothers, who are over fifty and interested in psychological processes in families, who may well have read books on childcare when their children were young, but who find themselves unprepared for this stage of motherhood.

Written by a longtime psychiatrist who is himself gay, this unique guide will help parents deal with discovering they have a gay son, allowing them to more comfortably "come out of their closet as their son comes out of his." This is the first book to focus on the parents of gay sons and the mixed feelings they may have following a son's revelation that he is gay. On the one hand, parents want to be honest and open both about and with their son. On the other, they sometimes wish to cover up or ignore their son's sexuality-then are ashamed of themselves for feeling that way. The goal of this book is to enable parents to come to terms with such complex emotions so they can enjoy a genuine, positive relationship with a gay son. Using examples from the author's psychiatric practice and from his interactions with friends and relatives with gay sons, the first section of the book discusses the issues parents face, or think they will face, raising a gay son. The second part analyzes the causes of problems, while the third provides "therapy" devoted to helping parents manage and resolve negative or contradictory feelings and uncertainty. A bonus chapter suggests ways gay sons can help their parents parent them in a supportive, mutually beneficial way. Explores ways parents can deal with negative, often-secret thoughts about having and parenting a gay son Helps parents of gay sons see factual distortions they need to revise, misunderstandings they need to correct, and neurotic notions that need undoing Includes revealing and instructive vignettes from parents and sons who have been the author's patients, personal friends, and acquaintances Recommends steps to be taken by parents based on time-tested and proven psychological principles

Raising a child in today's world is a challenging task. Kids don't come with instruction manuals, and no test is required to parent. So, it makes sense that many of us feel unprepared and unready for the task at hand.

But, the job doesn't have to be quite so difficult. There are strategies and skills that can help the parenting process be more effective and successful for the whole family. At the center of these techniques is one simple idea - Respect Your Children.

So, what does it mean to Respect Your Children? It's about communicating with our kids, talking to them and listening to their answers. Understanding the difference between discipline and punishment. It's caring for them with love, instead of obligation or resentment. Whether it be teaching, or simply chatting on the couch, parents need to tackle every situation from a position that starts with this one overriding principle - respect.

Throughout the course of this book, you will learn a variety of tools, skills and strategies that will help you become a better role model, and a better parent.

Family is a fortress. Parental and sibling bonds are unshakable. The flourishing of loyalty and love is the desired blessing of every man and woman. But that perspective got lost somewhere. Family is trivial. Children just a consideration. They disorganize a couple's tidy life. They're messy, harmful to the environment, financially and physically exhausting. Chris and Wendy Jeub invite couples to reconsider this skewed perspective toward the blessing and heritage of children. They grapple with modern arguments like population control and the environment, but turn quickly to root hesitations like fear and family dysfunction. And they encourage you to following God's prodding to have and love another child, a most excellent calling indeed.

Turning the Hourglass: Children's Passage Through Traumas and Past Lives, is a collection of stories written from the child's point of view. It is based on the therapeutic model that Christine has developed which includes Gestalt Therapy with Children and Adolescents and Regression Therapy. Emerging through these true stories of children are poignant words that draw the reader into the child's world. Whether it is childhood trauma of abuse, difficulty with divorce and parenting variations, pre-natal, birth or past-life patterning, the stories unfold with children conquering their problems and developing into the lovely young people that they truly are. Various symptoms and behaviors ranging from issues such as a diagnosis of ADHD to severe anxiety and depression are lifted from the child as these healing stories guide the reader through each journey.

Parents who realize the benefits of alternative therapeutic techniques for their child or are searching for a method that truly works, teachers and therapists will find this book enlightening as they discover a powerful method of working with children. Awareness is raised about children, their plights and their enduring strengths inviting us all to acknowledge those who have such a small voice in our world.

Screenwriter Helmreich and Psychologist Marcus, the latter a longtime court insider who has witnessed untold trauma as an evaluator in custody disputes, present us with a book that is shocking, tragic and ultimately enlightening. The authors present in-depth understanding of the havoc that child custody disputes can wreak not only on the couple but, more importantly, on the children. Harshly detailed, we come to know through this text the personal motivations and behaviors that end up devastating lives. Here, parents can learn what to do, and what not to do, to avoid bitter tragedy in such cases. Judges, lawyers, guardians and mediators will also find this book enormously educational and useful. The ten cases in this book have been culled from years of experience as a court-appointed child custody evaluator. Commentaries at the end of each chapter offer analyses and concrete, practical information for parents in similar situations.

Compares the parenting advice of five well-known experts. Most parents lack the time, training, and other resources needed to consult the extensive research on parenting that has been produced by scientific study. Instead, many rely on advice from a few well-known authorities in popular books, newspaper columns, and other media. This work takes a critical look at the advice of five experts - Benjamin Spock, T. Berry Brazelton, James Dobson, Penelope Leach and John Rosemond - then compares that with the findings of hundreds of empirical studies on children. The focus is on major parenting problems, including persistent infant crying, toilet training, early day care, discipline, adolescent sexuality education, substance abuse, and the influence of television and other electronic media. A final chapter summarizes the accuracy of each expert's advice compared with research findings, points out the common ground between experts, and summarizes their major strategies and biases. In some cases, a substantial gap exists between expert advice and scientific research findings. and students will find this book not only helpful, but also illuminating. Rankin's meticulous analysis points out areas of agreement and dispute between some of the most quoted parenting experts in the field, and, perhaps even more revealing, areas where their widely quoted pronouncements deviate from research and clinical evidence. Makes sense of often conflicting parenting experts and how their advice can clash with scientific research Offers parents an understanding of 'best practices' as identified by research. Explains the multitude of elements (other than research and practice) that shape the advice of experts Focuses on a critical analysis of the advice of five often conflicting, but very well known, authors on parenting.

BORN TO BE DAMNED is a nostalgic trip into one man's past to examine the torment and humiliation he felt as his gay tapestry evolved into reality. Religion, environment and genetics combined to ensure he fulfilled his destiny as a gay man. Life in the 1940's, 1950's and 1960's was easy, the future predictable and America would endure forever. It was the age of innocence. However, certain social ills existed and were never discussed. Teenage pregnancy was a moral issue and girls often disappeared for nine months only to return as though nothing had happened. The shame was too great to bear, but being gay was a religious damnation punishable by everlasting death. No one discussed sexual orientation and gay people found themselves desolate, frustrated and isolated. Suicide was often the only way out. The focus of this book is to educate society about the genetic birthright of sexual orientation and to dispel many of the gay myths which permeate our society today. This exhilarating story is intended for gay or straight readers who are trying to come to terms with their own sexuality or who have painful childhood memories devastating their lives. Read, connect and find yourself in this moving story of courage and fortitude. Follow the life of a small Midwestern boy who struggles with his sexual orientation and tries to find his place in a world of hatred, prejudice and misunderstanding. Added to the misery of a confused sexual orientation, the boy's mother ruthlessly strips her son of masculinity and the father he loved so dearly. In addition, learn how the boy's name became a life-long curse he had to fight daily to preserve his sanity. You won't believe how he suffered from a choice he never made for himself. Enter the world of one tormented soul who led two lives as a means of physical and emotional survival. Let the righteous hurl the first stone to stamp out the gay beast. Judge not, lest ye be judged. Read and find the truth. The age of innocence is gone forever.

Learn to raise independent, can-do kids with a new edition of the book that started a movement In the newly revised and expanded Second Edition of Free-Range Kids, New York columnist-turned-movement leader Lenore Skenazy delivers a compelling and entertaining look at how we got so worried about everything our kids do, see, eat, read, wear, watch and lick -- and how to bid a whole lot of that anxiety goodbye. With real-world examples, advice, and a gimlet-eyed look at the way our culture forces fear down our throats, Skenazy describes how parents and educators can step back so kids step up. Positive change is faster, easier and a lot more fun than you'd believe. This is the book that has helped millions of American parents feel brave and optimistic again - and the same goes for their kids. Using research, humor, and feisty common sense, the book shows: How parents can reject the media message, "Your child is in horrible danger!" How schools can give students more independence -- and what happens when they do. (Hint: Teachers love it.) How everyone can relax and successfully navigate a judge-y world filled with way too many warnings, scolds and brand new fears Perfect for parents and guardians of children of all ages, Free-Range Kids will also earn a place in the libraries of K-12 educators who want their students to blossom with newfound confidence and cheer.

This book is written as a celebration of Shane Estorja's life. An extraordinary young man that chose to live an extraordinary life.This young life that touched so many other lives in such a positive way. I was 19 yrs. old when I had Shane. I was heading down the wrong path at a very high speed. He saved me in so many ways that it's hard to find the words to describe. Shane taught me how to love another human being and how to be loved by others. Shane took life by the horns and made the best of all types of life situations. What a worrior I an so proud to be his mother. If I had to choose one thing to be most proud of, it would be that Shane ALWAYS set high standards for himself to live by. He believed in strong family structures and friendships. Shane was, and ALWAYS will be the most selfless man I have or ever will know. HE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

The name we are given by our parents has a big impact on us. Throughout our life, from the playground to the office, other people will make instinctive and subconscious assumptions about who we are just from our name. We'll hear it spoken in anger and joy, it'll be shortened, lengthened and parodied, it will be loved and loathed. Finding a name that you like, that suits your child and that your child will be happy to carry with them for the rest of their life is not easy. The possibilities seem endless. So where do you start? Brilliant Baby Names has all the answers and will help you to take the worry out of getting your baby's name just right. More than just an alphabetical list of popular names, Brilliant Baby Names is the ultimate guide to naming your baby. Whether you're seeking advice about how to choose a name, looking for inspiration in finding the perfect name or searching for help in handling disagreements or family expectations, this book can help. As you'd expect, the book is packed with 1000s of names to review. Each is listed with details on what they mean and their origin. The lists are split into boys', girls' and neutral names to make the selection process as simple as possible. You'll re-discover traditional names that have been popular in the past; cool names where virtually anything goes; popular names that everyone's using; unusual names that perhaps you'd rather avoid; celebrity names that are on everyone's lips and famous names that the whole world will know. If you need more help or are looking for a namesake, you'll find extra inspiration in the lists of the 100 greatest names from cinema, literature, entertainment, sport and many more. As well as the name lists though, you'll find everything you need to keep in mind, and avoid, when considering a name for your child. There's also detailed information on why choosing the right name is so important and how it may affect your child's opportunities in life. There's essential help and advice in handling and resolving any disagreements with your partner and managing family expectations. You'll find out what the law requires: when and how to register your child's name, how your legal name is used and what to do if you wish to change your child's name later. So, when it comes to naming your baby, Brilliant Baby Names is the only book you'll ever need.