Product Description

With all of the conflicting advice published on childrearing, it is difficult for parents to determine which sources of child development literature are the best to follow. Sclafani helps readers to access the appropriate research-based findings. He highlights the different approaches to childrearing and provides practical advice about which approaches work best and why. His expertise, drawn from 20 years of teaching and practicing child psychology and family therapy, make him amply qualified to tackle this important subject. This volume provides parents with understandable, straightforward information to help them be more effective and positive in their interactions with their children. Sclafani covers topics that are relevant to all effective parenting. He starts by acknowledging that the process of parenting is a unique set of behaviors based upon values rooted in ethnicity, culture, and family of origin. Next, attachment, temperament, are parenting style are explained in detail, along with the subjects of family structure and discipline. An entire chapter is devoted to exploring the role of parents in their child's education process. Divorce and re-marriage effects on children and ways for parents to minimize harmful long-term effects are reviewed. The often conflicting research on day care placement and its effects are appraised and considered. Also included is information on managing stress levels within families. Finally, there is a chapter on special topics issues including adoption and chronic illness in children.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1007782 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Review
“Sclafani weaves theory and data in this thoughtful book. Several strong chapters summarize the knowledge and specific recommendations related to common issues faced by families; for example, day care, divorce, and fatherhood. Other chapters cover topics unique to general resources on parenting: adoption, children with serious illnesses, and the loss of a treasured pet. This is not a book to be read cover to cover; rather readers should take time after each topic of discussion to process information and viewpoints presented....Crossing several disciplines--psychology, education, sociology--this is a solid resource for a broad audience. Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through graduate students; faculty; professionals; general readers.”–Choice

“Sclafani deals comprehensively with fundamental parenting issues such as development, family systems, fatherhood, parental modeling, discipline, divorce, education, day care, and stress. Retaining both content and clarity, he explains child psychology in a manner accessible to lay readers. Best of all, Sclafani shows parents how to integrate research findings with daily parenting practice. This book supplements, and may well supplant, the works of T. Berry Brazelton and Penelope Leach. Highly recommended.”–Library Journal

“Unlike most parenting books which present at best a mix of contradictory messages and conflicting advice, Sclafani offers a refreshing view with practical advice for the concerned, engaged adult concerned with parenting their child(ren) from infancy to adolescence. Grounded in an appropriate research literature of the educational and social sciences, Sclafani's 10 chapters negotiate the practical parenting territory by addressing many of the shortcomings of earlier volumes dealing with this topic (often successfully so)....[i]f I were asked right now to recommend only a single, comprehensive volume as a reference for parents setting out to equip and educate themselves with regards their planning for the 'better parenting' of their child(ren), this would be that book.”–Metapsychology

About the Author
JOSEPH D. SCLAFANI is Associate Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Tampa.

Customer Reviews

Practical, Down-to-Earth Parenting Territory
Unlike most parenting books which present at best a mix of contradictory messages and conflicting advice, Sclafani offers a refreshing view with practical advice for the concerned, engaged adult concerned with parenting their child(ren) from infancy to adolescence. Grounded in an appropriate research literature of the educational and social sciences, Sclafani's 10 chapters negotiate the practical parenting territory by addressing many of the shortcomings of earlier volumes dealing with this topic (often successfully so). Much of the earlier discussion chapters trace the etiology of modern parenting concerns, stemming from what Sclafani calls 'good enough' parenting (an observation akin to what I call the 'outsourcing' of our more traditional parenting responsibilities), but the work continues to address these concerns with scholarly seriousness, avoiding the temptation to write a "Parenting for Dummies"-like text. Although dealing in some detail with specific, separate chapters concerned with fatherhood, motherhood, daycare and special needs children (for examples), Sclafani remains consistent throughout, in his attempt to instruct/educate parents in a considerate manner, taking pains to accommodate a diversity of attitudes, socioeconomic factors and family lifestyle choices. Indeed, this volume has to be one of the best that I have read in this regard, and the author certainly cannot be accused of pushing any particular socio-political agenda in search of proposals for action. In contrast, Sclafani's posture is firmly situated in his reading of some of the most significant (albethey selective) findings of past and present socio-developmental and educational research. Perhaps one of the finest contributions of this text is its timely reminder to the reader of the role of parents as teachers. Whereas many authors try to merely advise parents how to better interact with their child(ren)'s teachers, Sclafani revisits the ways in which parents may themselves 'take back' this role for themselves -- the results of so doing thereafter giving rise to a more sustainable, active family household (of the type most of us claim to prefer, if not only rarely enjoy on a daily basis !). We read in this book not only some very plausible explanations as to how many parents have become so relatively 'disengaged', if not actually dissatisfied, with our parenting skills, but are also guided through some thought-provoking material which can lead the reader to better plan (and hopefully implement) their interactive parenting behaviour throughout their child(ren)'s formative years through to adolescence, with care and consistency. Other special topic sections included in this book will be of interest to some, but not all, readers (e.g., those dealing with relocation, divorce or step-parenting), but each is dealt with in the same erudite, informed way. If I were to raise an issue with the author, nevertheless, I remain somewhat puzzled by the latter chapters dealing with bodily impairments, illness and bereavement. These sections were rather incomplete in my view, and left the reviewer turning to the references for more guidance -- and in this sense, the volume ends rather abruptly, and without returning to the living world of parenting as a fun and exciting adventure as discussed earlier. However, if I were asked right now to recommend only a single, comprehensive volume as a reference for parents setting out to equip and educate themselves with regards their planning for the 'better parenting' of their child(ren), this would be that book.


Dr. Tony Dickinson
People Impact (International) Inc.

Good Info for Any Parent
This book covers a lot of information in an interesting way. I liked the variety of topics covered and the fact that it is not a how-to book. All parents could benefit from the information he presents since they can use it their way.