What Children Learn from Their Parents' Marriage

by Siegel, Judith P.

• ISBN13: 9780060191887
• ISBN10: 0060191880
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-01-06
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publications

Summary

In this provocative new look at family dynamics, recognized marriage and family therapist Judith P. Siegel asserts that the key to a child's healthy development is not simply the relationship he has with each parent but the perception he has of the relationship between his parents. It may be your marriage, says Siegel, but it is your child's blueprint for the intimate relationships he will form as an adult. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Judith P. Siegel, Ph.D., C.S.W., is an associate professor at the New York University Ehrenkranz School of Social Work and a marriage and family therapist in private practice.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction: Your Marriage---Your Child's Blueprint for Intimacy	xiii
How Children Learn from the Marriage
``I Wonder What You Will Remember When You Are Grown Up''	1	(17)
Establishing the Priority of the Marriage
``Dad and I Are the Most Important People in Each Other's Lives''	18	(26)
Teaching the Value of Interdependence
``Mom and I Are Always There for Each Other''	44	(23)
Instilling the Importance of Mutual Respect
``Marrying Your Mom/Dad Was the Best Thing I Ever Did''	67	(17)
Maintaining Trust in Word and Deed
``Partners in a Marriage Try Not to Let Each Other Down''	84	(31)
Negotiating Differences Constructively
``Sometimes We Disagree, but We Always Stick with It and Work It Out''	115	(24)
Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Conflict
``I'll Never Forget the Looks on Their Faces When We Fought''	139	(26)
Emphasizing the Positives
``Laughing Together and Enjoying Each Other Are Part of Who We Are''	165	(15)
Building a Better Marriage
``It Is Never Too Late to Try''	180	(19)
Notes	199	(12)
Bibliography	211	(14)
Index	225