Partnership Parenting - by Kyle Pruett & Marsha Pruett (Paperback)

About the Book

A groundbreaking exploration of how men and women uniquely parent and communicate with their children, and why kids need both influences

Book Synopsis

Men and women not only have naturally different communication styles, but unique approaches to parenting as well. While mothers tend to overprotect their kids, fathers tend to push them toward independence. And whereas many experts tend to advocate "a united front," Drs. Kyle and Marsha Pruett reveal how Mom and Dad not always being on exactly the same page -- which, initially, may seem to cause conflict -- can actually strengthen the whole family.

Informed by the Pruetts' research and extensive experience with parents and children, Partnership Parenting offers a new outlook. In addition to fascinating biological insights, the book features strategies for negotiating common "landmine situations" from birth to age eight, from discipline and bedtime to helping kids with homework and teaching them responsibility.

With wisdom and humor, Partnership Parenting helps couples take advantage of their individual strengths to raise confident children while simultaneously improving their marriage.

Review Quotes

Midwest Book Review
"From rules for negotiation to appreciating a partner's contributions, this is packed with case histories, quizzes, questions and solutions to common co-parenting issues. Any parent's library needs this."

Work & Family Life, February 2010
"Describe[s] how men and women naturally parent differently and what can be gained from each approach...With wisdom and humor, Partnership Parenting will help both of you take advantage of your individual strengths to stay connected and confidently raise children together."

Family Therapy, Winter 2010
"The authors reveal how men and women naturally parent differently--and what can be gained by both approaches...Partnership Parenting offers couples distinctly balanced ways to deal with everyday situations, from bedtime and feeding to discipline and schooling."

New York Family, April 2010
"Explore[s] the different qualities that men and women bring to child-rearing, and how couples can combine their individual strengths in order to co-parent successfully."

Blogcritics.org, 10/9
"The authors are experienced in parenting both from personal and professional perspectives. This book is a good read...For the curious reader, the research and examples will be welcome background to support the recommendations the authors propose... Overall, the authors do an excellent job of holding mothers and fathers equally accountable for parenting, identifying gendered differences, and presenting tools for creating a parenting partnership, which works in excellent fashion to serves the needs of the child(ren)...Expectant parents, new parents, and parents in second families will find this book particularly useful as a tool to understand their similarities and differences in parenting and work together to build a parenting partnership."

Tuscon Citizen, "Shelf Life" blog, 10/12
"Provides parents with the information they need to strengthen family life at all levels."

InfoDad.com, 10/29/09
"The book's suggestions for managing conflict, handling discipline effectively, and finding ways to strengthen the parental bond even when two people approach child-rearing differently, are certainly worth considering--and may make it easier to develop a family structure that works better for children and adults alike."

About the Author

Kyle Pruett, MD, a child psychiatrist at the Yale Child Study Center, is an award-winning author.

Marsha Kline Pruett, PhD, MSL, a professor at Smith College, has done landmark research on co-parenting.

They live in Northampton, Massachusetts, with their children.