Families Apart: Ten Keys to Successful Co-Parenting - Softcover

Melinda Blau

Softcover

ISBN 10: 039952150X ISBN 13: 9780399521508

Publisher: Perigee Trade, 1995

Synopsis

A guide to raising children in the wake of a divorce shows readers how to communicate effectively and offers insights into the attitudes necessary to sidestep the inevitable pitfalls

About this title

From Publishers Weekly:

Today, up to an estimated 50% of children of divorce suffer lingering depression, difficulty forming healthy relationships and other psychological sequelae. But according to Blau ( Parenting by Heart ) this need not be so. Divorce does not end a family, argues the author, who prefers the term "family apart" over the more common (and more negative) "broken home." Based on questionnaires and interviews with 112 adults and 34 children, this study suggests how families can successfully cope with divorce and create a new environment in which children can develop "normally"--and even thrive--by following these 10 commandments of co-parenting: heal yourself; act maturely; listen to your children; respect your ex as a parent; divide parenting time; acknowledge your differences; communicate; step out of gender roles; recognize and accept change; and know that co-parenting "is forever." The case histories of "families apart" will show readers that life after divorce need not be marked by continuing trauma. Author tour.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

Families Apart deals with the difficult relationships between divorced spouses, their children, and their extended families. Because these relationships last a lifetime and are critical to the well-being of the children, Blau feels that much can be done to create harmonious (or at least civil) patterns for continued contact between ex-spouses. She promotes one solution: co-parenting, which "involves both parents' unremitting dedication to their children's care . . . regardless of legal documents, living arrangements, or allocation of time." To make co-parenting effective, divorced spouses must put aside their personal acrimony and work together for the good of the children. The models presented, while certainly worthy ideals to strive toward, require extensive cooperation and good will, which may in reality be difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, many families should find this useful. For public library collections.
- Kay Brodie, Chesa peake Coll., Wye Mills, Md.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Perigee Trade
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 039952150X
• ISBN 13: 9780399521508
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352