For years Dr Westheimer, known to millions as Dr Ruth, has been counseling on how to foster and maintain our most intimate relationships. Now she turns her attention to the role of the grandparent in this comprehensive guide that will help men and women of all ages and backgrounds develop a more rewarding bond with their children's children. In the next decade, more people than ever before will find themselves in the role of grandparent. And in this age of non-traditional families, day-care challenges, and decreasing sexual stereotypes, this role has never been more critical. Employing the characteristic blend of expertise, sound advice, and encouragement that has made her one of today's most trusted dispensers of practical wisdom, Dr Westheimer shows grandparents how to take advantage of their unique position to help enrich their own lives as well as the lives of their grandchildren's - and not feel overwhelmed in the process. Covering a host of general topics, including how to establish a relationship, managing visits, suggestions for new and unusual activities, and giving wisely, Dr Westheimer also addresses the increasingly common situations of divorce, non-traditio and multi-cultural families, and what happens when the grandparent becomes the parent. She also pays special tribute to grandfathers, a largely neglected but increasingly important figure in every child's life. As Dr Westheimer points out, being a grandparent involves not just one, but a series of relationships - with your grandchildren, children, spouse, and in-laws - each with its own complexities. Here she speaks to grandparents of all ages and situations, offering sympathetic advice for those uncomfortable with their new role, as well as for those who welcome every opportunity for involvement in their grandchildren's lives. Written with the assistance of Dr Steven Kaplan, Grandparenthood is the first guide to grandparenting that offers a parent's perspective as well - an important consideration in achieving a balanced and harmonious relationship between generations. Finally, Dr Westheimer includes a lengthy resource section listing books, organizations, and websites that offer further information on any number of topics. The perfect gift for a first-time grandparent, as well as for the experienced pro who is looking for a useful reference guide, Grandparenthood will make readers feel more relaxed and secure in this crucial role that offers a chance to rediscover and continue the endless joys of parenting. It includes advice on: * understanding and accepting the generational differences between your parenting style and that of your children * seizing the day: making use of opportunities to be a role model, preserve your ethnic heritage, share your own tried-and-true techniques, and improve your relationships with your own children * celebrating holidays with the entire family, including in-laws * maintaining long-distance relationships * how to handle visits to your home * gift-giving ideas, including advice on monetary gifts * grandparenting a special needs child * unplanned parenthood: what to do when the child becomes your responsibility
Born in Germany in 1928, I was sent to a children's home in Switzerland at the age of ten which became an orphanage for most of the German Jewish students who had been sent there to escape the Holocaust. At 17 I went to Israel where I fought for the country's independence as a member of the Haganah, the Jewish freedom fighters. I then moved to Paris where I studied at the Sorbonne and taught kindergarten. I immigrated to the U.S. in 1956 and obtained my Masters Degree in Sociology from the Graduate Faculty of the New School of Social Research. In 1970, I received a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in the Interdisciplinary Study of the Family from Columbia University Teacher's College.
My work at Planned Parenthood is what prompted me to further my education in human sexuality by studying at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center.
My TV show Sexually Speaking first aired in 1980 as a 15-minute taped show, which then increased in popularity and became a nationally syndicated radio show.
In recent years, I have made regular appearances on the PBS Television children's show Between the Lions as "Dr. Ruth Wordheimer" in a parody of my therapist role, in which I help anxious readers and spellers overcome their fear of long words.
Currently I am an Adjunct Professor at N.Y.U. and an Associate Fellow of Calhoun College at Yale University, where I teach a course on the American family. I am also a Fellow of Butler College at Princeton University, where I will teach a course on the Jewish family. In addition to having my own private practice I am a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and frequently lecture at universities across the country.
