Confidential surveys reveal that 20 percent of American parents say they have a child at home who is so difficult it is nearly impossible to lead a normal life. Noting that to regain control, parents must first see clearly the many forces at work both around their families and within themselves, this book advises parents how to become better…

Questions whether parents are allowing economic demands to dictate the development of children by demanding a level of maturity from them that they are physically, emotionally, and intellectually incapable of delivering. The changing economic and cultural context of families suggests a shift from child-oriented toward adult-oriented lifestyles for…

Weighs the risks and opportunities of latchkey children, who must supervise themselves after school because their parent or parents work. Suggests some school/community alternatives for supervising these children and/or teaching them self-care skills. Condensed from "Vital Issues," v30, n3, p1-4. (SJL)

According to Fordham University's 1996 "Index of Social Health," our society's overall well-being is decreasing significantly. Today's children are not sufficiently shielded from adult economic, political, and sexual forces. Children's social world has become poisonous, due to escalating violence, the potentially lethal consequences of…

The mere act of living in today's society is dangerous to the health and well-being of children and adolescents. The concept of the socially toxic environment is offered as a parallel to the environmental movement's analysis of physical toxicity. Social life is more risky than it was just 40 years ago, and the level of social and cultural poison…

Examines current social issues and the challenge of raising children under such conditions. Discusses elements of a socially toxic environment such as violence, poverty, disruption of family relationships, trauma, and alienation, and their effects on child development. Encourages a commitment to improve the quality of the social environment to…

This paper examines the ability and inclination of contemporary American family systems to allocate resources on a child-centered rather than an adult-centered basis. Specifically, the discussion considers whether the changing economic context of family life results in placing inappropriate demands for maturity upon children--albeit differently…

War and violence are part of day-to-day life for many of the world's children. This book explores the lives of the children of Cambodia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and inner-city Chicago. Through research on the psychological and developmental effects of trauma in early life and interviews with children in war zones…