Becoming a Family: parents' stories and their implications for practice, policy, and research

by Rena D. Harold, Patricia Stow Bolea, Lisa G. Colarossi

The movement from young adulthood through coupling and the transition to parenthood may be among the most universal adult developmental transitions. These passages hold interest for all of us, but especially for those who study the psychological, familial, and sociocultural components of development, all of which interact and influence each other. This book enhances understanding of family-life development by shedding light on the meanings that family members ascribe to the developmental process of becoming a family. This is achieved through qualitative analysis of narratives through which individuals and families explain themselves, their thinking, and their behavior. These family narratives are windows into individual and family identity, as well as descriptions of connections to others. The book addresses issues including identity, child characteristics, social support, and work. Each chapter includes a review of seminal literature, parents' comments and ideas about the topic, and a discussion of practice, policy, and research implications.

240 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2000

Reviews

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my mom!

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not what I expected.