Synopses & Reviews
In
The Collapse of Parenting, physician, psychologist, and internationally-acclaimed author Leonard Sax presents data documenting a dramatic decline in the achievement and psychological health of American children. Sax argues that rising levels of obesity, depression, and anxiety among young peopleas well as the explosion in the prescribing of psychiatric medications for American kidscan all be traced to parents who let their kids call the shots.
Many parents are afraid of seeming too dictatorial, and end up abdicating their authority rather than taking a stand with their own children. If kids refuse to eat anything green and demand pizza instead, some parents give in, inadvertently raising children who are more likely to become obese. If children are given smartphones and allowed to spend the bulk of their free time texting, playing video games, and surfing the Internet, they become increasingly reliant on peers and the media for guidance on how to live, rather than looking to their parents. And if they wont sit still in class or listen to adults, theyre often prescribed medication, a quick fix that actually undermines their self-control. In short, Sax argues, parents are failing to prioritize the parent-child relationship above all other relationships. The result is children who have no absolute standard of right and wrong, who lack discipline, and who look to their peers and the Internet for direction, instead of looking to their parents.
But there is hope. Sax shows how parents can help their kids by reasserting their authorityby limiting time with screens, by encouraging better habits at the dinner table and at bedtime, and by teaching humility and perspective. Drawing on more than twenty-five years of experience as a family physician and psychologist, along with hundreds of interviews with children, parents, and teachers, across the United States and around the world, Sax offers a blueprint parents can use to refresh and renew their relationships with their children, to help their children thrive in an increasingly complicated world.
Review
Bill BennettThe family unit is in unprecedented decline and under assault from a wide variety of cultural forces. With years of experience and research working directly with parents and children, Dr. Leonard Sax provides an important glimpse into parenting in modern times, where its gone wrong, and how to fix it. Being a parent has never been more important and Dr. Sax explains how to avoid parenting pitfalls and raise your children well.”
Nancy Kehoe, author of Wrestling with Our Inner Angels: Faith, Mental Illness and the Journey to Wholeness
Dr. Leonard Saxs The Collapse of Parenting should be required reading for all parents when they enroll their child in preschool. Based on years of extensive clinical practice and interviews with students and parents internationally, Sax presents a sobering and alarming picture of the collapse of parenting in this country. But he does not leave the reader without hope; he offers simple, if not easy solutions, giving parents an accessible guide to help them regain their rightful roles.”
Dr. Timothy Wright, Headmaster at Shore School Sydney
It is time for us to get real as a society. Dr. Leonard Sax has issued both a warning and an encouragement for parents to take up their proper roles in leading their children to a truly mature adulthood. His book is a highly readable and well-informed challenge for us.”
Andrew Hunter, Headmaster of Merchiston Castle School
There are many holy trinities, but in educational terms, one of them is definitely the relationship between parents, children, and schools. I certainly will be recommending this book to the parents of my school. It does not preach; it cajoles, encourages, guides and helps. It allows one to stand back and step back on one of the most important aspects of lifelooking after our youngsters.”
Synopsis
"One of the premier experts on parenting, Dr. Leonard Sax brilliantly articulates the problems parents experience with their children, then gives solutions. If you have time to read only one book this year, read this one." --Meg Meeker, M.D., best-selling author of Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters and Strong Mothers, Strong Sons
In The Collapse of Parenting, internationally acclaimed author Leonard Sax argues that rising levels of obesity, depression, and anxiety among young people can be traced to parents abdicating their authority. The result is children who have no standard of right and wrong, who lack discipline, and who look to their peers and the Internet for direction. Sax shows how parents must reassert their authority-by limiting time with screens, by encouraging better habits at the dinner table, and by teaching humility and perspective-to help their children thrive in an increasingly complicated world.
Synopsis
In this New York Times bestseller, one of America's premier child psychologists offers a must-read account of the dismal state of parenting today, and a vision for how we can better prepare our children for the challenges of the adult world
In The Collapse of Parenting, internationally acclaimed author Leonard Sax argues that rising levels of obesity, depression, and anxiety among young people can be traced to parents abdicating their authority. The result is children who have no standard of right and wrong, who lack discipline, and who look to their peers and the Internet for direction. Sax shows how parents must reassert their authority - by limiting time with screens, by encouraging better habits at the dinner table, and by teaching humility and perspective - to renew their relationships with their children. Drawing on nearly thirty years of experience as a family physician and psychologist, along with hundreds of interviews with children, parents, and teachers, Sax offers a blueprint parents can use to help their children thrive in an increasingly complicated world.
Synopsis
In this New York Times bestseller, one of America's premier physicians offers a must-read account of the new challenges facing parents today and a program for how we can better prepare our children to navigate the obstacles they face In The Collapse of Parenting, internationally acclaimed author Leonard Sax argues that rising levels of obesity, depression, and anxiety among young people can be traced to parents abdicating their authority. The result is children who have no standard of right and wrong, who lack discipline, and who look to their peers and the Internet for direction. Sax shows how parents must reassert their authority - by limiting time with screens, by encouraging better habits at the dinner table, and by teaching humility and perspective - to renew their relationships with their children. Drawing on nearly thirty years of experience as a family physician and psychologist, along with hundreds of interviews with children, parents, and teachers, Sax offers a blueprint parents can use to help their children thrive in an increasingly complicated world.
Synopsis
An acclaimed expert on parenting and childhood development argues that kids today are suffering because their parents are no longer in charge—and explains what parents and educators can do to reverse this trend
About the Author
Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D., is a family doctor, a PhD psychologist, and the founder of the National Association for Choice in Education (NACE). His scholarly work has been published in a wide variety of journals including
American Psychologist,
Annals of Family Medicine,
Behavioral Neuroscience,
Environmental Health Perspectives, and the
Journal of the American Medical Association. Since 2001, he has visited more than 380 schools worldwide, learning more about gender-aware strategies to help every boy and every girl fulfill their potential. He has been a featured guest on CNN, PBS, The TODAY Show, Fox News, NPR's "Talk of the Nation," and many other national programs. He lives with his wife and daughter in suburban Philadelphia.