Parenting Life Now

by Kelly J. Welch, Victor W. Harris

Overview

With its conversational tone and blend of theory and application, Parenting Life Now offers an informative and practical introduction to the study of parenting, rearing, and educating children. Authors Kelly J. Welch and Victor William Harris illustrate the ways in which parents, and professionals who work with parents—from teachers and healthcare providers, to therapists, sociologists and childcare providers—can implement best practices to provide effective, quality education and care.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781071816950
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	06/01/2023
Pages:	640
Product dimensions:	7.38(w) x 9.12(h) x (d)

About the Author

Kelly J. Welch, PhD, CFLE, has vast experience as a human development and family science professor, author, program developer, and practitioner. Dr. Welch's primary areas of research, writing, and practice include lifespan development, the formation and maintenance of interpersonal relationships, family processes across the lifespan, family crisis and change, and human sexuality across the life course. She has developed programming for individuals and families who are navigating medical crises, as well as programming for sexual and reproductive health, and spends her summers working with HIV+ mothers and their babies in the Caribbean. After twenty years at Kansas State University as an Associate Professor of Teaching in Human Development and Family Science, Dr. Welch recently transitioned to teaching Early Childhood Education courses in impoverished, diverse, at-risk public schools in Kansas. Through creative, innovative programming, she has established a sustainable education model where high school students earn Child Development Associate (CDA) certifications through hands-on experiences in early childhood education centers, giving high school graduates a solid footing to earn livable wages, breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

Victor William Harris, PhD, CFLE, is Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at the University of Florida in the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences. He has authored and co-authored over 300 books, publications, and creative works for youth and adults reaching readers in more than 100 countries. His research interests include close relationships with a focus on healthy communication, conflict resolution, couple and parenting education, and balancing work and family. Dr. Harris directs the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood SMART Couples Project, designed to help youth, singles, couples, parents, and co-parents better understand how to form and maintain strong, healthy, long-lasting relationships. To date, more than 7,500 youth and adults have successfully completed SMART Couples programming.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Parenting Life Now
Childbearing Trends: Who’s Having Babies?
Emergent Parenting Types
Having Children: Now, Later, or Never?
Adoption: By Circumstance or Choice
Change Over Time: Parenting Is a Process
Parent Education: The Study of Parenting Through an Applied Lens
Parenting Life Education: Fostering Healthy Family Formation
Chapter 2: The Varied Experiences of Parenting
Parenting in Cultural Contexts
What Is Family?
Contemporary Families
How Do Children Learn About Their Racial/Ethnic Identities?
Culturally Specific Influences That Affect Family Life
Parenting Life Education: Embracing Differences and Ending Division
Chapter 3: Understanding Parenting Through Theory
Parenting and the Communication Process
Parenting Communication and Conflict
Understanding Parenting Through Theory
Family Interactions
Policies Supporting Parents and Children
Parenting Life Education: Influencing Parents and Parent Education From Contemporary and Historical Perspectives
Chapter 4: Becoming Parents: Choices and Challenges
Being Pregnant
Pregnancy and Birth
Labor and Birth
Partner Relationships During Pregnancy
From Partners to Parents
Unexpected Outcomes
Giving Birth: Types of Birth Settings
Pregnancy Loss
Parenting Life Education: Discussing Childbirth and Pregnancy From a Values-Respective Position
Chapter 5: The Changing Nature of Parenting: Infancy and Early Childhood
Parenting Infants and Toddlers
Trust, Attachment, and Reciprocity
Brain Development and Infant Stimulation
Parents as Protectors
Parents Are Nurturers
Building Self-Concept, Initiative, and Learning
Parenting Life Education: Addressing Family Needs and Achieving Family Goals
Chapter 6: The Changing Nature of Parenting: Middle Childhood
Child Brain Maturation and the Environment
Child Sexual Development
Middle Childhood: Fostering Social and Emotional Growth
Middle Childhood: Developing Industry
Middle Childhood: Exit Parents, Enter Friends
‘Tweens: Contemporary Challenges for Preadolescents
Programs for School-Age Children
Parenting Life Education: Fostering Roots and Nurturing Wings
Chapter 7: The Changing Nature of Parenting: Adolescence
Adolescent Development
Establishing Identity and Autonomy
Adolescent Relationships
Adolescent Sexuality
Contemporary Adolescent Difficulties
Positive Adolescent Development
Parenting Life Education: Promoting Identity and Self-Governing While Providing a Safe Place to Fall
Chapter 8: The Changing Nature of Parenting Life: Family Life and Aging
Aging and the Aged
Parents and Their Adult Children
Intergenerational Ties
Family Changes Toward the End of Life
Parenting Life Education: Removing Barriers and Assisting in Transitions
Chapter 9: Parenting in Single-Parent Families and Stepfamilies
The Aftermath of Divorce: Transitions
How Divorce Affects Children and Adolescents
Challenges for Single Parents
Transitions to Repartnering
Parenting Life Education: Protecting Children’s and Adults’ Well-Being
Chapter 10: Family Life and Work: A Balancing Act
Working Families: The Transformation of American Homes
Couples and Work: Just Trying to Make Ends Meet
The Balancing Act: Juggling Family Life and Work
Relationships and Money
Parenting Life Education: Helping Families to Help Themselves
Chapter 11: Parenting in Times of Crisis
Family Crisis
Family Coping and Resilience
The Crisis of Family Violence
Homeless Families
Parenting Life Education: #TEAMGRIT
Chapter 12: Parenting Disabled Children
Historical Narratives About Disabilities
Critical Disability Theory
Supporting Disabled Children and Their Families
The Lived Experiences of Families
Best Practices for Parents of Disabled Children
Parenting Life Education: Affirming Identities, Advocating for Rights and Services, and Promoting Developmental Outcomes
Appendices
Glossary
References