Letting Go

In this thoughtful, compelling, and deeply interesting work, Demie Kurtz illuminates how mothers face sudden and unexpected demands from their children entering adolescence. While many have emphasized the importance of parental control, she illuminates the power of children's demands as mothers decide they need to renegotiate their relationships with their children to 'let go.' Since mothers do not have a road map of what to do, the process is fraught. The book is a major contribution and will be of interest to a wide array of readers in psychology, sociology, family studies, and of course mothers in this life moment. Highly recommended! * Annette Lareau, Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, and and author of Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life *
In this gem of a book, Demie Kurz explores the critical challenges parents face in the process of 'letting go' of children entering adulthood. Uniquely, she demonstrates how children become vocal participants in negotiations concerning safety, education and autonomy. The inclusion of Interviews with a diverse group of parents makes the book highly valuable for sociology courses and for the development of just social policies. * Margaret K. Nelson, author of Parenting Out of Control: Anxious Parents in Uncertain Times *