Amazon.com Review
The minds of parents-to-be are occupied by many topics: labor and childbirth, infant care, nursery colors. Few anticipate the pressure parenthood can put on their marriage and how they'll feel uncertain, exhausted, overwhelmed, and downright afraid. Now, from the authors of
Fighting for Your Marriage, comes a book designed specifically to help couples improve their relationships in preparation for parenthood. In
Becoming Parents: How to Strengthen Your Marriage as Your Family Grows, Pamela L. Jordan, Scott M. Stanley, and Howard J. Markman offer essential advice to new parents on surviving this potentially trying time. It will help you communicate more clearly, better manage conflict, create lasting solutions to problems, identify underlying issues and expectations, and understand how morals and beliefs impact everyday communication.
Becoming Parents also delves into the larger issues of commitment, forgiveness, and intimacy, and explores the role of fun and friendship in happy relationships. It even tackles very touchy subjects: who gets up when the baby cries at night, the division of household tasks, and sex--all the stuff of everyday arguments. Through real-life examples and useful exercises in each chapter, the authors help you to better understand yourself and your partner. These are tools to use in your daily conversations, so you can build a happy, loving home for your baby. --Kelley Smith
Review
"If you're having a baby, buy this book! It will give your baby the most important gift of all-parents who know how to keep their relationship happy, satisfying, and stable-the kind of relationship your baby can count on and learn from." (Diane Sollee, director, Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education)
"Anyone can figure out how to put a diaper on a baby-but how do you keep your marriage strong and stable as you become parents? Finally, a book that teaches survival skills to help couples who are on the road to parenthood stay connected and happy." (Suzanne M. Lewis, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator)
"Marriages, like children, need constant care and nurturing if they're going to thrive and develop. This book offers all parents a clear, concise, and wonderfully insightful program that will go a long way toward making marriages-and families-stronger and healthier." (Armin A. Brott, author of The Expectant Father: Facts, Tips, and Advice for Dads-to-Be and A Dad's Guide to the Toddler Years)
"Becoming Parents zeroes in on the problems that can strain a marriage and offers practical techniques to help couples talk and solve problems. Research-based and clearly written, this book will increase the joys and decrease the stresses of parenthood." (Penny Simkin, coauthor, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide
"Becoming Parents teaches survival skills necessary to raise your child, while managing to thrive in your marriage. If you're thinking about having kids, read this book." (John Gray, author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus)
"we really believe that many parents can gain from reading, studying and discussing the contents" (Int Jnl of Adolescent Medicine & Health, Vol.13 No.4, 2001)
"...really believe that much can be gained from reading, studying, and discussing it." (International Journal of Adolescent Medical Health, Vol.13, No.4, 2001)
