The Ties That Bind : Timeless Values for African American Families

Rating:
Summary: A superbly written, thought-provoking and seminal volume
Review: "I just don't understand..." is the lament I've heard muttered over and over by the family and friends of many middle-class youth who have gotten into serious trouble in school, with the law, with drugs or who just seem to flounder hopelessly without any sense of direction. Whether this comment is uttered in reference to someone who is in his or her early teens or who is a young adult, a common thread exists. Invariably, the youth are bright and have parents who have gone to great effort and considerable expense to provide every social, cultural and economic advantage they could afford for their offspring.

In The Ties That Bind, Joyce Ladner has bored right to the core of the problem. She has identified the critical mistakes that we have made in our drive to provide our children with everything. What we have not always provided, though, are those "timeless values" that our parents drilled into us. In this dynamic book, Dr. Ladner doesn't just point out the problem - drawing on her own experiences, she has been able to supply concrete examples and explicit directions for raising self-assured and fully functioning youth. This is a must-read book for every parent!

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!
Review: "The Ties That Bind" is an exemplary book. It is filled with rewarding guidelines that should be used daily. "The Ties That Bind" is a drawing force to what once was an accepted way of life and guidance in our families.

Dr. Ladner has touched upon some important aspects in the rearing of our children. As Proverbs 22:6 notes, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

For those who read "The Ties That Binds," you will understand that indeed there are values in life and we should want to instill these worthwhile values in not just our children's lives, but we should make sure they are embedded in our own lives.

"The Ties That Bind" is a rewarding book. It is a book worth reading. A book worth sharing with our friends and loved ones. "The Ties That Bind" is extraordinary!

Rating:
Summary: A superbly written, thought-provoking and seminal volume
Review: "I just don't understand..." is the lament I've heard muttered over and over by the family and friends of many middle-class youth who have gotten into serious trouble in school, with the law, with drugs or who just seem to flounder hopelessly without any sense of direction. Whether this comment is uttered in reference to someone who is in his or her early teens or who is a young adult, a common thread exists. Invariably, the youth are bright and have parents who have gone to great effort and considerable expense to provide every social, cultural and economic advantage they could afford for their offspring.

In The Ties That Bind, Joyce Ladner has bored right to the core of the problem. She has identified the critical mistakes that we have made in our drive to provide our children with everything. What we have not always provided, though, are those "timeless values" that our parents drilled into us. In this dynamic book, Dr. Ladner doesn't just point out the problem - drawing on her own experiences, she has been able to supply concrete examples and explicit directions for raising self-assured and fully functioning youth. This is a must-read book for every parent!

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!
Review: "The Ties That Bind" is an exemplary book. It is filled with rewarding guidelines that should be used daily. "The Ties That Bind" is a drawing force to what once was an accepted way of life and guidance in our families.

Dr. Ladner has touched upon some important aspects in the rearing of our children. As Proverbs 22:6 notes, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

For those who read "The Ties That Binds," you will understand that indeed there are values in life and we should want to instill these worthwhile values in not just our children's lives, but we should make sure they are embedded in our own lives.

"The Ties That Bind" is a rewarding book. It is a book worth reading. A book worth sharing with our friends and loved ones. "The Ties That Bind" is extraordinary!

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!
Review: "The Ties That Bind" is an exemplary book. It is filled with rewarding guidelines that should be used daily. "The Ties That Bind" is a drawing force to what once was an accepted way of life and guidance in our families.

Dr. Ladner has touched upon some important aspects in the rearing of our children. As Proverbs 22:6 notes, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

For those who read "The Ties That Binds," you will understand that indeed there are values in life and we should want to instill these worthwhile values in not just our children's lives, but we should make sure they are embedded in our own lives.

"The Ties That Bind" is a rewarding book. It is a book worth reading. A book worth sharing with our friends and loved ones. "The Ties That Bind" is extraordinary!

Rating:
Summary: Dr. Joyce Ladner's book is a must read for all parents.
Review: Dr. Ladner's book is an excellent presentation of ways to keep the family together. The traditional values that families imparted many years ago are essential today and must be called upon to deal with the negative impact of environment. This scholarly written book is inspirational and compelling. Dr. Ladner has effectively outlined strategies to help all parents deal with the difficult task of being a parent. I would encourage all parents to purchase this book and share the many lessons with family members and children.

Rating:
Summary: An instructive guide on how to give children strong values
Review: Reclaiming traditional family values has become an urgent theme in the African American community. In this affirming and instructive guide, a leading African-American sociologist and nationally recognized commentator distills the wisdom of past generations into compelling lessons for contemporary families. Drawing on her own family stories from a tradition-rich Mississippi childhood, she brings profound insight to the challenge of raising strong children in ambivalent times.

Rating:
Summary: How to raise children with strong values
Review: The author, Joyce A. Ladner [e-mail] I set out to write this book because of my concern with the erosion of the valuable lessons each generation of parents taught their children on how to cope and adapt in the society. As a sociologist who has written extensively on the family, child welfare and race relations, I was deeply concerned about the view held by some that our children have "no values." While I write a great deal about black families, my book is relevant for all parents who are raising children under difficult societal pressures. Therefore, this book grew out of a discussion I had with a group of friends about what is different about coming of age on the eve of the 21st century from the experiences we "baby boomers" had at the same time in our lives. I use my own upbringing in a values-rich family and community to illustrate how important our values were in molding us to become solid citizens and caring people. I also offer concrete prescriptions on how parents today -- across the racial and class divide -- can reach back and bring forth those virtues that molded us and pass them on to our offspring. While the society has changed considerably, the values have not-- values such as having a strong sense of one's self worth, the importance of being family-centered, taking personal responsibility (and rejecting victimization), of being resilienct, resourceful, and having self-respect, integrity, of believing in the power of education and hard work, of having faith in a higher power, as well as building strong interdependent communities, etc. I believe that the alienation that many of our young people experience can be countered by grounding them in the values and traditions that bound countless generations together throughout history. My message is one of hope, affirmation of all that is good and within our grasp, and that tries to seek ways to help parents in particular, in citizens in general to refocus on what works to make for a better society, and for more wholesome children and families. I have written chapters on how I used these values at some of the most difficult times in my personal and professional lives -- as a divorced single mother and a sociologist, college president. By sharing my personal triumphs and misfortunes, I hope the reader can identify with strategies that one can use to get through the difficult times and to rejoice in those parts of our better selves that keep us whole.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful thought provoking read
Review: The Ties That Bind is a timeless book that couldn't have picked a better time to be published. If one is looking for a title that deals with tangible yet spiritualy based bits of wisdom, lessons for family bonding and other ways to combat the growing feelings of isolation and moral decay in our world, this title is a must read that will be cherished and handed down from generation to generation. If you are black, white, male, female, married or not, The Ties That Bind will have a message for you in its pages.