Relationship-Empowerment Parenting: Building Formative and Fulfilling Relationships with Your Children

by Judith K. Balswick, Jack O. Balswick

Two couples with a wealth of professional credentials bring to light what it means to parent with passion and heart. Forsaking the more typical approach that lends itself to formulas and "how to" advice, the authors plunge deep into the meaning of relationship, based on a biblical model and evidence from social science research. The core of Relationship-Empowerment Parenting centers on the process of instilling confidence and teaching, equipping, challenging, strengthening, and building up children to become all they are meant to be.Combining their expertise as pastor, sociologist, family therapist, and psychologist and their own experiences as parents, the authors present a dynamic, relational approach to parenting that will appeal particularly to the thoughtful and reflective reader. Practical insights and suggestions cover every parenting stage, from infancy to adult. Application is supplied through reflection questions and a survey to assess the reader's parenting style. Relationship-Empowerment Parenting is the key to forming bonds with children that will transcend and outlast the negative cultural and peer forces rampant today.

208 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Judy Balswick (MA, EdD) is senior professor of marital and family therapy at the Department of Marriage and Family School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, California).