Description:
Developing a cohesive, dynamic team requires a coach to commit his or her own time and talents "one hundred percent," as the saying goes. But when the team is a group of family members--and two coaches are in charge--a whole new level of commitment is required. Husband and wife psychologists Darlene Powell Hopson, Ph.D., and Derek S. Hopson, Ph.D., explore the principles of creating strong family relationships in this concise, logical, and heartfelt guide for parents. Their goal to help married, single, and divorced moms and dads come together as a coaching duo involves a few critical first steps: make peace with the past, make peace with your parenting partner, and communicate compassionately. The authors help readers uncover stale emotional issues, replace self-defeating messages, and become positive role models for their children. Once parents have taken time to explore their current parenting styles and incorporate the Hopsons' many valuable suggestions for synching these styles, they can better face the next level of work: gaining support from outside the immediate family, directing their children's behavior, nurturing the sibling bond, and coping with peer pressure. The eighth principle discusses the role of spirituality (defined here as any joyous response to the beauty and challenges of life, with special tribute to God) in maintaining tight family bonds. Each chapter offers surveys, discussion questions, stories shared by the Hopsons' clients, and handfuls of workable ideas for fostering a loving, cooperative spirit among family members--at any stage of the game. --Liane Thomas
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