Product Description

The Process of Parenting is a comprehensive introduction to parenting that describes the many ways parents and caregivers can translate their love and concern for children into effective parenting behavior. With a strong emphasis on the developmental process and in the changing nature of parent-children relationships over time, the book presents a wide range of theories and research with a focus on real-life applications. Two basic tasks of parenting are emphasized as ultimate ends: creating close emotional relationships with children and supporting the development of children’s full potential.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92978 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 613 pages

About the Author
Jane Brooks earned her doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley. She worked as a researcher at the University’s Institute of Human Development, interviewing, testing, and carrying out research on three generations of representative families studied at the Institute. Her publications include articles relating experiences in childhood to psychological health and social maturity in adulthood. She also worked on a research project in the Department of Public Health that resulted in an article describing the behavior problems of six-thousand children including children from four major ethnic groups varying in age from nine to eleven. She has been a lecturer in the department of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, most recently teaching developmental psychology in 2006. She also served for a number of years on the Clinical Faculty in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. Her primary work, however, has been children and families seeking help with the psychological difficulties of everyday life. She has taught many classes for parents, teachers, and pediatricians to improve children’s well being and functioning. Her background as researcher, teacher, and clinician, as well as mother, enables her to present a wide-ranging and detailed look at the experiences of parenting and ways to help children grow and achieve their potential in life.

Customer Reviews

A decent overview but some inaccuracies and biases
I've only read about half the book so far for my parenting class I'm taking. Overall it seems to be a fairly decent overview of what research and professionals are saying now, although I have spotted some inaccuracies in the book and it definitely shows some biases in certain areas. For example the book talks about the growing problem that there are more and more older people compared to younger people. Brooks says this is due to the lifespan increasing. The human lifespan is actually not increasing it remains around 120 years, it is life expectancy that is increasing not lifespan. She goes on to quote stats of life expectancy, I don't know if it was a mistake or is she doesn't know the difference between the two. Also it bothered me the way she described the 50's nuclear family as focusing on the emotional well being of all family members. This was far from the truth in many families which focused on the power of the male not on how everyone (particularly the wife and kids) was feeling. This seemed to reflect personal beliefs of the author or maybe she never really researched that particular area and just made assumptions. I'm a family development major and the "Lead it to Beaver" family was more of a myth than the norm in the 50's.

I don't really like the layout of the summaries at the end of the chapters either. They are a bit too brief and don't necessarily hit on all the main points.

Other than that it is a fairly easy read, it's organized fairly well, and has some good information and advice in it. Although I may sound like I don't like the book, it's not all that bad. It would be a mistake to "through the baby out with the bath water."