Putting Children First: A Guide for Parents Breaking Up

This well researched book illustrates the importance of co-operation in divorce. The authors, experts in the field, present compelling evidence that when separating parents work through their differences, their children remain emotionally connected to both and therefore experience only temporary adjustment problems. However, they also show that prolonged conflict is apt to result in long-term emotional and behavioural problems for the children. This book describes how children often become trophies, pawns, messengers, and mediators when caught in bitter family disputes.

This book's child-centred approach helps parents to avoid and/or minimize conflict by transforming themselves from antagonistic spouses into co-operative parents. McDonough and Bartha use their expertise in counselling families to offer a step-by-step guide to the emotional work parents must do to successfully re-negotiate the practical and emotional aspects of their relationship.

By combining sophisticated clinical know-how with the latest research and illustrating with clear, easy-to-read vignettes, this book teaches parents how to manage themselves and their children to achieve a successful divorce.