Christianity as an organized religion has not always had a harmonious relationship with the family. Unlike Judaism, it kept almost... no rituals that took place in private homes. The esteem that monasticism and priestly celibacy enjoyed implied a denigration of marriage and parenthood.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
While each child is born with his or her own distinct genetic potential for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development,... the possibilities for reaching that potential remain tied to early life experiences and the parent-child relationship within the family.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Sisters is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest ...relationship.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
It is possible to make friends with our children--but probably not while they are children.... Friendship is a relationship of mut...ual dependence-interdependence. A family is a relationship in which some of the participants are dependent on others. It is the job of parents to provide for their children. It is not appropriate for adults to enter into parenthood recognizing they have made a decision to accept dependents and then try to pretend that their children are not dependent on them.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Some [adolescent] girls are depressed because they have lost their warm, open relationship with their parents. They have loved and... been loved by people whom they now must betray to fit into peer culture. Furthermore, they are discouraged by peers from expressing sadness at the loss of family relationships--even to say they are sad is to admit weakness and dependency.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Unlike the mother-son relationship, a daughter's relationship with her mother is something akin to bungee diving. She can stake he...r claim in the outside world in what looks like total autonomy--in some cases, even "divorce" her mother in a fiery exit from the family--but there is an invisible emotional cord that snaps her back. For always there is the memory of mother, whose judgments are so completely absorbed into the daughter's identity that she may wonder where Mom leaves off and she begins.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
Pessimists say that the family is eroding. Optimists say the family is diversifying. Both points of view are right. Families are m...ore diverse and they are more in trouble--but not because of their diversity. The families of today--whatever their size or shape--are in crisis because our economy is failing, our national resources are shrinking, and our governmental policies to support them are inadequate.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
... the aspiring immigrant ... is not content to progress alone. Solitary success is imperfect success in his eyes. He must take h...is family with him as he rises.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »
The naturalistic literature of this country has reached such a state that no family of characters is considered true to life which... does not include at least two hypochondriacs, one sadist, and one old man who spills food down the front of his vest.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »