When Parents Disagree and What You Can Do About It

by Taffel, Ron; Israeloff, Roberta

• ISBN13: 9781572307964
• ISBN10: 157230796X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-05
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

This rewarding guide helps men and women understand the different perspectives each brings to parenting, resolve conflicts more effectively, and discover the joys of raising kids together as a team. Dr. Ron Taffel brings his rare blend of astute insight and common sense to illuminate the gender issues that underlie typical parental battles. Engaging examples and vignettes bring to life the recurring conflicts that many Moms and Dads experience around making rules and setting limits; managing mealtimes and bedtimes; spending quality time with kids; providing emotional support and nurturance; and handling the juggling act of school, playdates, and extracurricular activities. Parents learn proven ways to redistribute responsibilities more equally; avoid undermining each other's authority; and grow closer and more accepting both as parents and partners.

Author Biography

Ron Taffel, PhD, is one of the country's most sought-after speakers for both professional and parent audiences. He is the author of the bestselling parenting guides [i]Parenting by Heart[/i], [i]Nurturing Good Children Now[/i], and [i]The Second Family[/i], as well as the acclaimed professional book [i]Getting Through to Difficult Kids and Parents[/i]. A longtime contributing editor at [i]Parents[/i] magazine, Dr. Taffel lives in New York City.

Table of Contents

Introduction	15	(234)
PART I THE ENDLESS LIST
Unbalanced Participation	23	(9)
The Fundamental Cause of Parental Disagreement
Six Steps Toward Shortening Mom's Endless List	32	(20)
Increasing Dad's Participation on the Parenting Team	52	(21)
PART II HOT SPOTS FOR WOMEN AND MEN
Discipline	73	(19)
The Pragmatist Versus the Idealist
Father Knows Best?	92	(11)
A Strict Dad and Lenient Mom
One Woman and Three Babies	103	(13)
A Strict Mom and Lenient Dad
Everything You Need to Know About Discipline	116	(12)
Practical Consequences by Age
How Women and Men Communicate Differently with Kids	128	(26)
What We Can Learn from Each Other
Networking	154	(17)
The Last Bastion of Women's Work
Letting Go	171	(16)
How to Survive Life Transitions Together
PART III BEYOND GENDER . . . ALMOST
Help! How to Stop ``Losing It'' with Each Other	187	(16)
Time-out for Parents
Tactics and Temperament	203	(17)
How Children Create Parental Conflict and What You Can Do About It
Sibling Rivalry and the Parenting Team	220	(10)
Nourishing Each Other	230	(19)
The Parenting Team Can't Live Without It
Index	249	(7)
About the Authors	256