Description:
Be it spring, summer, fall, or winter, the start of a new season marks a time of change and growth. In 8 Seasons of Parenthood, co-authors Barbara C. Unell, founder of Twins magazine, and family psychologist Jerry Wyckoff, M.D., explore the very predictable cycles of parenthood, showing how each waxing and waning season shapes individuals and families. Beginning with pregnancy (a time when moms-to-be are the "celebrities" and their husbands are the "roadies"), the authors use familiar examples to describe the physical and psychological changes adults encounter throughout parenthood--be it the new mom who laments her lost waistline and freedom; the father of a teen who suddenly needs to revisit his bygone youth; or the lonely couple who can't face eating at the family dinner table once their children are off to college. Wykoff and Unell succeed in providing a thorough guide for parents in any stage of the child-rearing game, taking care to share a diversity of circumstances from various socioeconomic sectors as well as the experiences of special-needs families in which a child's developmental disabilities prevent parents from reaching the final seasons. A final, thought-provoking chapter is dedicated to parents who find themselves in need of being "parented" by their own children. --Liane Thomas
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