The Epidemic

More about the book

Take a good look around: joyless children screaming, sulking, and resisting their parents are common sights in stores and restaurants. Both parents and children are suffering, but it often takes catastrophic events, like the tragedy at Columbine High School, for us to recognize the serious issues facing our youth. We have lost touch with what children need to grow and thrive, resulting in disaffected, alienated, and emotionally stunted individuals. Esteemed child and family psychiatrist Robert Shaw draws from his extensive experience to address this epidemic, which has become so normalized that its warning signs often go unnoticed. This timely book offers unconventional suggestions for parents, challenging the faddish and often contradictory child-rearing practices promoted over the past three decades. Shaw asserts that the issues we see in children are not anomalies but rather the natural outcome of these approaches. However, there is hope. His commonsense strategies tackle critical issues such as bonding and attachment, the impact of nonparental care, milestones in moral development, and the distinction between self-centeredness and self-esteem. This book serves as a vital call for parents to take responsibility and provide what their children truly need to flourish.