“THE CHILD THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE”


A fifteen year longitudinal study of school age mothers and their children.

Dr Diana M. L. Birch

The Child that Rocks the Cradle – ISBN 1 870717 08 2

Sequel to Are You My Sister Mummy? Following the same 200 families, fifteen years on, How did life turn out for them? What kind of families did they create? What is going on for their teenage children? Some unexpected outcomes and their possible aetiology are discussed.

This book, although standing alone as a comprehensive account of early parenting, is also the sequel to “Are you my sister, Mummy?” and depicts the next phase along the road of parenthood. These are the same mothers, fathers and children fifteen years on. How did life turn out for them? - What kind of families did they create? - What is going on for their teenage children?

The findings of a fifteen year longitudinal study of 200 young families in which the mother gave birth under the age of 16 years has provided information which refutes many of the stereotypic views regarding young parents. It illustrates how the presence of a supportive family leads to an improved prognosis for young mothers and their children and gives insights into positive and negative predictive factors. Some unexpected outcomes and their possible aetiology are discussed.

Consideration is given to approaches which may enable professionals to confront the ‘cultural trap’ in which many young people are caught - in that those suffering the worst deprivation in early childhood, those raised in the ‘care’ system and children’s homes are those young parents most likely to perpetuate the cycle of deprivation for their offspring.

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