Love & Rage: The Inner Worlds of Children

by NUPUR DHINGRA PAIVA

Love & Rage is a book about children, both the child in those of us who are chronologically adult, as well as the children we may be interacting with. It takes a reader for a journey into their inner world of intense, raging emotions which often goes unheeded by the outside adult world. With the trained ear of a child psychotherapist, the author listens to children’s stories as they emerge in her consulting room, through word and play, and translates them for adults. Supported by the author’s own personal associations and a bedrock of psychodynamic theory, the book throws light on what comes into a psychotherapist’s consulting room, and demonstrates that it is not unusual, bizarre or crazy. Instead, it is the ordinary stuff of everyday life, taking place in every family. That sometimes we all carry the pain of complex feelings within ourselves for all of our lives—love and rage towards the people we are closest to. This book is essential reading for anyone close to children—parents and parents-to-be, teachers, school counsellors—but also for anyone looking to attend to the child within them.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

260 pages, Paperback

Published November 18, 2017

Reviews

[Shubhra · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are essays from a child psychologist / therapist covering key aspects of what governs a child’s world - the book is well written with clarity and purpose. It was comforting for me to read about responding patiently and kindly to children, living with them, acknowledging the work and the chaos, reminding me on what one has done well and what one does badly. It is scary too because so much in spite of out best efforts is screwed up. Children are unbelievably complex, brilliant creatures capable of the best versions of love and laughter and also of despair and loss. There was lots which I learnt and also lots which is troubling or hard to digest. But it was time well spent, like a session with a therapist, with things gently explained.

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a friend. Very interesting read, opens up the inner lives of children. Made me much more sensitive to what may be going on in a child's mind and brought up many childhood memories as well. Superb line somewhere about how we assume that children can't sense into the inner conflicts/feelings of parents, but they can! I'm not a parent, but I thought this was a valuable read. Great to have a book describing the Indian milieu.

[Rajkst]

a thought provoking read, a must for every parent
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