By Anne R. Pierce, PhD
I can't imagine there's a parent who doesn't want to raise a happy, healthy, productive child. Yet, this thought provoking book raises questions.
Pierce challenges current child rearing trends. According to her research, we are raising a generation of children who lack deep-seated values, who are stressed-out and overly materialistic and who have lost purpose and meaning. Parents are so afraid their children will have too much free time on their hands and get involved with the "wrong kind of kids" or start taking drugs that they increase the amount of time the child spends doing "stuff" like organized sports and other structured after-school activities. Teens are even encouraged to "build their resumes" so they will be considered more seriously by "the right" colleges. The research presented in the book is at least food for thought.
Take heart, there are also solutions presented in the book to put the joy back into childhood and parenting. Sometimes the simple answers are the best answers.
I found this book fascinating, challenging and controversial. I had never looked at parenting from this angle. It both frightened me and gave me hope. What do you think?
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Received the book for Christmas. This type of in depth study of a problem and proposals for solutions is something we as a country are desperately in need of in 2010. It started me as a parent thinking then doing as I went into the new year.
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