A wise, warm, and witty ebook for new (and gently used) parents seeking to raise positive, thoughtful children, this alphabet book brims with the advice only those who've been there can give. From "D is for Dog" (get one) to "P is for Praise" (do it often but appropriately) to "R is for Romance" (keep it alive after the kids come), each mini essay is coupled with a smart, letter-appropriate full-color photograph in these delightfully grown-up ABCs.

In this unusual but exciting look at a complex topic, family scholars offer a vast array of insights into the multiple consequences, concerns, and characteristics of parenthood. The transition to parenthood--the most critical step in individual and family life cycles--is thoroughly examined from a social psychological perspective. Cultural and ethnic factors are considered as major influences in the transition to parenthood, as are changing patterns in the work force, the consequences of the gender revolution, and altered patterns of marriage and divorce--all of which have shattered the traditional ways of parenting. Family theorists, practitioners, and parents are strongly encouraged to further research and discuss the necessary elements and available options involved in facing the changes brought on by parenthood.

This book debates the high impact modern societies have on the way we raise children. Although problems such as family dysfunction, work–family imbalance, and migration due to war, violence, and poverty are not new, their consequences for children’s well-being and mental health are aggravated by the lack of effective social support networks affecting many children and families living in contemporaneous urban areas. The proverb 'It takes a village to raise a child” is as valid now as it was in the early history of less complex communities. However, extended families and the social environment of villages have been substituted by a system of welfare and childcare institutions that, in many cases, fail to provide the appropriate care, education, and support the children need. Job-demanding competitive societies, where career achievement and wealth become the definition of success, force parents to the duality of choosing between family and career and depending on others to parent their children. Likewise, social inequality compels many parents to work in never-ending shifts that add to the hours they spend commuting to their workplaces. Sometimes, parents are forced to migrate, leaving their children behind. Children learn to survive in the absence of their parents and to deal with small or inexistent parental emotional investment. The parent-child relationship and attachment necessities are impacted in ways that will affect children for the rest of their lives. Alternatively, migrant children accompanying their parents to a new host country may feel the shock of a normative society with cultural values different from the ones they left behind. Parenting behaviour and style may then be considered inappropriate, challenging parents’ ability to educate and pass their values to the offspring. This book is an academic reflection on these controversies.

Dr. Witham, President, American Family Institute, gives insight and inspiration to the caregivers whose love is craved most.

Reality-Based Parenting: How Parents of African Descent Can Cultivate Loving Relationships With their Children is a thoughtful, inspirational, sensitive and culturally-driven how-to manual designed for parents in the African diaspora who long to know themselves. The cumulative effect of self-discovery (development of self-awareness and acquisition of self-knowledge) is the transmission of cultural and spiritual heritage to the next generation. As a developmental and transformational process, Reality-Based Parenting is culturally specific, not universal. This is based on the multi-cultural premise of fullness before overflow. That is to say a group must recognize and affirm itself before it is able to share and appreciate the differences of others. Cultural competency then is the distinguishing characteristic of reality-based parenting. Through this book, parents are enabled to use what they have their cultural strengths to obtain what they want: a tested plan for nurturing children, a formula for instilling disciplining in the young, a model for psycho-social recovery. Conscientious readers are inspired to apply the books content to activities of daily living so that our sons may flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants; and our daughters may be like cornerstones, polished after the similitude of a palace (Psalms 144: 12-14).

Table of Contents Introduction Why This Tradition of Courtship? A Man’s View about Relationships Simple Little Words Suitability of Your Partner Telltale Hands Conclusion Honesty Author Bio Publisher Introduction This book is going to tell you all about the historical background and psychological background of relationships all over the world, and how they have progressed. Naturally, down the ages, ideas and conventions changed and so did traditions, but the natural instinct for a human being to find a partner most suitable for him is instinctive. And that is why you are going to know more about the cultural, traditional, psychological, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of human relationships, including the idea of dating. Most of us are familiar with the concept of dating. This is a relatively modern social concept, gaining prevalence in the 20th century, after World War II. Historically speaking, the concept of dating with the idea of boy meeting girl all alone as a part of the human courtship process was definitely not encouraged up to the 19th century, in many countries of the West and in many parts of the world, if a boy and a girl were found alone together, they were immediately married off, so that the girl’s reputation could be protected!

Get the parenting results you want without stepping into the battle zone. Popular blogger, professor, and TV panelist Julie K. Nelson combines her professional expertise with her personal experience as a mom of five in this book. Humorous, insightful, and authentic, this must-read will help you enforce rules without manipulation or coercion, so you can be the parent you’ve always wanted to be.

Launched in 1977 by the Christian Broadcasting Service (originally associated with Pat Robertson), the ABC Family/Freeform network has gone through a number of changes in name and ownership. Over the past decade, the network--now owned by Disney--has redefined "family programming" for its targeted 14- to 34-year-old demographic, addressing topics like lesbian and gay parenting, postfeminism and changing perceptions of women, the issue of race in the U.S., and the status of disability in American culture. This collection of new essays examines the network from a variety of perspectives, with a focus on inclusive programming that has created a space for underrepresented communities like transgender youth, overweight teens, and the deaf.