Ties That Stress: The New Family Imbalance

by David Elkind

Book Overview

What has happened to the American family in the last few decades? And what are these changes doing to our children? David Elkind, renowned child psychologist and author of The Hurried Child, has devoted his career to these urgent questions. This eloquent book puts together all the puzzling facts and conflicting accounts to show us as never before what the American family has become.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674891503
• ISBN13: 9780674891500
• Release Date: July 1998
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.7" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

A Fine Analysis and A Lot to Ponder

I grew up in the 50s but raised my children in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. My feeling is that Elkind has analyzed the changes in American families very accurately. He has NOT said that everything was wonderful before nor that everything is dreadful now. But I do believe he is correct when he says that the imbalance in the 50s was in favor of the child and the imbalance now is in favor of the parents.I don't consider myself any sort of fanatic, but I was a stay at home mom myself and our children seem to have turned out very well. I agree with the reviewer who said that it is not always necessary to have two incomes to support a family. It IS however necessary to make intelligent choices about what a family wants and needs. There is a lot that makes life worth living that doesn't have to be paid for with money. Maybe having a mother at home is the greatest luxury a family can choose as far as impact on life style and living. Kids don't need multiple after school classes and sports events to be well developed or happy. That doesn't mean they shouldn't have any. But people can choose and plan and have a wonderful life without two incomes.This book will give you many different ways of thinking about what a family is, what a family can be, what individual development can mean. If you are serious about making the best choices for your family, Elkind's books deserve special attention....