Academic : Family and Consumer Sciences : Parents, parenthood

The ancient practice of adoption has changed significantly through history. In colonial America, parents adopted out their unwanted children—those who were ''rude, stubborn, and unruly''—to other families. Today, Americans go abroad looking for children to adopt, and have adopted more than a quarter million internationally. Adoption: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition not only traces the development of expert thinking about adoption, it also looks at both sides of the latest controversial issues. Should adoptions be open or closed? Should the government regulate adoptions more closely—or less? This updated second edition offers an international perspective with a new chapter on how countries outside the United States provide adoption services. This work is an indispensable resource for those thinking about adoption or researching its history. more...

Price: $55.00

Screening applicants for adoption or foster homes has life-altering consequences for the children involved, yet there are incredibly few programs available to train screeners. Written by a former social worker, this book is based on case histories, research data, and interpretive analysis. It is intended for college students and professionals. more...

Price: $34.95

What would you do if your eighty-year-old father dragged you into his hell-bent hunt for new love? Bob Morris, a seriously single son, tells you all about it in this warm, witty, and wacky chronicle of a year of dating dangerously. A few months after the death of his wife, Joe Morris, an affable, eccentric, bridge-obsessed octogenarian, starts flapping about for a replacement. If he can get a new hip, he figures, why not a new wife? At first, his son Bob is appalled, but suspicion quickly turns to enthusiasm as he finds himself trolling the personals, screening prospects, and offering etiquette tips, chaperoning services, and post-date assessments to his needy father. Bob hopes that Joe will find a well-heeled lady—or at least one who is very patient—to get him out of his hair. But soon they discover that finding a new mate will not be as easy as they think: one date is too morose, another too liberal; one's a three-timer, another just needs an escort until Mr. Right comes along. Dad persists and son assists. Am I pimping for my father? he begins to wonder. Meanwhile, Bob suffers similar frustrations; trying to find love isn't easy in a big-city market that has little use for a middle-aged gay man with an attitude and a paunch. But with the encouragement of his father (his biggest fan and the world's "most democratic Republican") he prevails. In the end, this memoir becomes a twin love story and a soulful lesson about giving and receiving affection with an open heart. With wicked humor and a dollop of compassion, Bob Morris gleefully explores the impact of senior parents on their boomer kids and the perils of dating at any age. more...

Price: $11.99

Weaving together theories of space, sexuality and political identity with the stories of fathers from a range of sources, including popular culture, this book seeks to explore the spaces and movements of men-as-fathers more...

Price: $89.95

Takes on the most common points of kid-induced friction - those altercations that drive parents most nuts - and offers practical how-to advice for how to handle them. This book explains parents how to navigate everyday challenges, from helping kids learn responsibility for their possessions to getting them to stop using disrespectful language. more...

Price: $11.95