Description

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How are your children learning about intimacy? What are they seeing when they see your marriage in action?

In this provocative new look at family dynamics, marriage and family therapist Judith P. Siegel asserts that the key to a child's healthy development is not simply the relationship he has with each parent but the perception he has of the relationship between his parents. It may be your marriage, says Siegel, but it is your child's blueprint for the intimate relationships he will form as an adult.

Combining her own clinical work with the latest research on families and child development, Siegel identifies the key elements of marriage that provide critical information to children. They include: the degree to which the marriage is a priority; the level of mutual support, respect, and trust between husband and wife; how marital differences are negotiated and conflict resolved; and how friendship and affection are communicated. With significant ramifications for divorcing couples with children as well as intact families, What Children Learn from Their Parents' Marriage offers useful advice, illuminating examples, and insight for parents intent on building the solid foundation that all children need for a happy, emotionally secure future.

We all know that our own marriages are largely influenced by those with which we grew up, but what we tend to forget is how our own children are being affected by the marriage they are witnessing. In this enlightening book, you will be able to learn more about the ways in which your marriage is affecting your child. Some of what you will read will offer confirmation that what is going on in your marriage is wonderful for your children; some areas may not be going as smoothly as you might like. But if your goal is to create a positive legacy of love for your children, this eye-opening book becomes essential reading.

About the Author

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Judith P. Siegel, Ph.D., C.S.W., is an associate professor at the New York University Ehrenkranz School of Social Work and a marriage and family therapist in private practice. A recognized expert in her field, she is the author of two academic books and numerous articles on marital dynamics and marriage therapy.