`In this wonderful and very readable book, Dr Ehrensaft explores the difficulties and stresses that today's parents are creating for themselves and their children. Her skilful presentation of complex psychological and social issues, illuminated throughout with fascinating case vignettes, will help parents establish a needed balance in their parenting between overindulgence and unrealistic expectation, and create a family with appropriate child-focus without complete surrender of self and marriage.' - Joan B. Kelly, PhD, Co-author of Surviving the Breakup: How Children and Parents Cope with Divorce, Executive Director, Northern California Mediation Center
`Spoiling Childhood is an intensely moving book. Diane Ehrensaft locates and describes a profound unease and uncertainty among contemporary middle-class parents as they cope not only with the time crunch of two careers, but also with cultural crisis in conceptions of parenting. Because both problem and solution are not simple, Dr Ehrensaft leaves us with no simple remedies. She does, however, point us toward psychologically informed principles that should help all parents' competence and well-being and thereby the sense of competence and well-being in their children as well.' - Nancy J. Chodorow, PhD, author of Femininities, Masculinities, Sexualities: Freud and Beyond
'This is one of the most interesting and helpful books on parenting I've read. It brilliantly untangles the dilemmas of modern parenting - showing how we have come to confuse what we want and what our children need. It challenges us to rethink our roles as mothers and fathers, and offers compassionate guidance on how we can do that. - James A. Levine, Ed.D., Director, The Fatherhood Project
