Families

COMPASSIONATE, WISE ADVICE ON THE TOUGHEST PROBLEMS FACING PARENTS TODAY. In this invaluable source of information and inspiration, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton shares the insight, strength, and sheer love of children that have made him a national treasure. Families today are in transition and the parents of young children can no longer simply look to the experiences of their own parents for guidance in our rapidly changing world. Drawing on the experiences of five of the real families who appeared on his cable television series What Every Baby Knows, Dr. Brazelton now tackles such contemporary issues and crises as divorce and stepparenting, the involved father, parental rivalry, grandparenting, infertility, loss of a parent, adoption, and illness in the family. Dr. Brazelton illustrates each issue dramatically, giving us an intimate look at the lives and hearts of the families involved. After drawing deft, vivid profiles of the parents, children, and grandparents, Brazelton shows how each crisis upsets the stability of the family, how each member copes with the problem, and, most importantly, how the family as a whole eventually regains its balance and continues to grow. In the concluding chapter, When to Seek Help, Brazelton offers his advice on when, why, and how an overwhelmed family can reach out for professional assistance in crisis-solving. In analyzing these crises and pointing to solutions, Brazelton writes with the warm reassurance and candor that have made him a trusted guide for parents and physicians alike. Wise and instructive.-Publishers Weekly Brazelton's suggestions on communication, time management, and family life are genuinely helpful.-Booklist