Friends for Life: Enriching the Bond Between Mothers and Their Adult Daughters - Softcover

Jonas, Susan; Nissenson, Marilyn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061138193 ISBN 13: 9780061138195

Publisher: Harper Paperbacks, 2007

Synopsis

The mother–daughter relationship is one of the most rewarding––and baffling––relationship a woman may ever have. Books abound on the parenting of children, but little has been published on mothers' connections with their grown daughters. That complex maternal relationship is explored here, in Friends for Life, a much–needed resource written by mothers for mothers.

Drawing on the guidance of psychology professionals, New York moms Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson interviewed over one hundred other women, asking them about their role as mothers, about their communication with their daughters, about their own needs, and about issues of independence and support. The result is a wonderfully rich, intensely personal, and nonjudgmental study of mother–daughter relations, one that reveals ways for mothers to build lifelong friendships with their daughters.

About this title

Review

There is an abundance of books designed to aid parents in guiding their children through adolescence, but few are aimed at those whose kids are no longer kids. Since the role of parent is never outgrown (as desirable as the idea may sound at times), a new communication approach is necessary for parents to foster a close bond with their adult children. With daughters in their 20s, Susan Jonas and Marilyn Nissenson are familiar with the unique mother-daughter dynamic and the inherent paradox in bridging the gap between friendship and mothering. Friends for Life is their attempt to assuage the confusion by sharing the wisdom gathered by various women. To help answer their questions, the authors enlisted some experts in the field, interviewing more than 100 mothers from across the U.S. about the joys, frustrations, and complexities of simultaneously reaching out and letting go. The compilation of experience, warnings, and words of wisdom is both instructive and endearing, and the anecdotes are sure to elicit nods of recognition. Touchy subjects such as selecting a partner, choosing a career, and lifestyle choices are discussed honestly and fairly, accounting for generational differences and malleable societal norms. There is a razor-fine line between dispensing advice and nagging, between expectations and unconditional support, and the authors argue that recognizing these boundaries is essential to a healthy and loving relationship with a daughter. As with most good advice, the real value is in spreading it around.

About the Author

Susan Jonas, a writer and book editor, has been a picture editor at Time-Life Books, deputy picture editor of Time magazine, and picture editor of Discover. She is also the editor of numerous books, including Ellis Island: Echoes of a Nations Past and Forced Out: The Agony of the Refugee in Our Time. Together with Marilyn Nissenson, she authored Snake Charm, Going, Going, Gone: Vanishing Americana, Cuff Links, and The Ubiquitous. Jonas lives in New York City.

Marilyn Nissenson has been a writer and a producer for CBS, NBC, and PBS. Together with Susan Jonas she authored Snake Charm, Going, Going, Gone: Vanishing Americana, Cuff Links, and The Ubiquitous. She lives in New York City.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0061138193
• ISBN 13: 9780061138195
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 384