1st Edition

Transitions to Parenthood

    In this unusual but exciting look at a complex topic, family scholars offer a vast array of insights into the multiple consequences, concerns, and characteristics of parenthood. The transition to parenthood--the most critical step in individual and family life cycles--is thoroughly examined from a social psychological perspective. Cultural and ethnic factors are considered as major influences in the transition to parenthood, as are changing patterns in the work force, the consequences of the gender revolution, and altered patterns of marriage and divorce--all of which have shattered the traditional ways of parenting. Family theorists, practitioners, and parents are strongly encouraged to further research and discuss the necessary elements and available options involved in facing the changes brought on by parenthood.

    Contents Trials and Triumphs in the Transition to Parenthood
    • Another Perspective on the Trials and Triumphs in the Transition to Parenthood
    • The Value of Children and the Transition to Parenthood
    • Childbirth in Cross-Cultural Perspective
    • Dietary Habits in Transition to Parenthood: Dietary Habits Before Pregnancy, During Pregnancy, and in Young Families
    • Strain in the Transition to Parenthood
    • Who Does What When Partners Become Parents: Implications for Men, Women, and Marriage
    • Marital Change Across the Transition to Parenthood
    • Changes in Parent-Child Relationships With the Birth of the Second Child
    • Changes in Attitudes, Beliefs, and Expectations Associated With the Transition to Parenthood
    • The Influence of Kin on the Transition to Parenthood
    • Disappointment: When Things Go Wrong in the Transition to Parenthood
    • Transition to Adoptive Parenthood
    • Normal Parents: Institutions and the Transition to Parenthood
    • Parenthood and Adult Development
    • Family Transition to Parenthood: Emerging Concepts for Sexual Health
    • The Challenge of Working With New Fathers: Implications for Support Providers
    • “And Baby Makes Three”: An Examination and Application of Georg Simmel’s “Socialization of the Spirit” Theory

    Biography

    Palkovitz, Robin J; Sussman, Marvin B