A Good Enough Parent: A Book on Child-Rearing

This book suggests how parents can develop their own insights into childrearing, how to comprehend the behavior of children, and how to cope with situations in ways most beneficial to the child's well-being

Bettelheim doesn't offer another "how-to" book on childrearing but explores the vast complexity and richness of the parent-child relationship. From a psychoanalytic perspective, he discusses such topics as anxiety, school performance, discipline, fantasy, and adolescent rebellion, with an extended section on play and competition. He focuses on the child's struggle toward selfhood, with its conflicting currents of love and anger. The key to being a "good enough" parent is to explore relational needs and motivations; it is more valuable to understand emotions than to be "perfect" parents of "perfect" children. While denser reading than most parenting books, this is worth the effort for parents as well as professionals who work with families.Amy Goffman, Children's Rehabilitation Ctr., Charlottesville, Va.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.