Child psychologist Condrell draws on 35 years of experience to address growing concerns about depression among children and the unhappiness that can lead to depression. Using anecdotes from his case histories, Condrell identifies 10 leading causes of unhappiness in children: mismanaged divorce, depressed parents, children who feel like failures, peer rejection and cruelty, quarreling parents, parental favoritism, permissive parenting, stepfamilies, sibling abuse, and angry parents. In each chapter, Condrell identifies the problem, then offers troubling commentary by children he has treated, children who say they hate themselves or wish they were dead. In the solutions section, he asks penetrating questions of parents before offering practical solutions and other resources. This is a useful, highly accessible resource for parents with children who suffer more than the occasional sadness of life, instead facing chronic unhappiness that can lead to depression.
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Review
"[A] very useful guidebook for adults seeking to help children navigate the troubled waters of American life..." --
Jim Garbarino, Maude C. Clarke Chair in Humanistic Psychology at Loyolay University Chicago