Connecting with Your Kids: How Fast Families Can Move from Chaos to Closeness

Smith, a family coach and conference speaker, diagnoses hurry and stress as the two greatest problems facing the contemporary American family. "A generation ago the latchkey kid was the poster child of neglect," he writes. "Now it might be the overscheduled child, who never rests, but is shuttled from activity to activity." After laying out reasons why we rush through life, he prescribes some solutions that are solid, if not earth-shattering. Revive the family dinner. Encourage free, unstructured play. Take time daily to focus on each child one-to-one. Keep the Sabbath. Other suggestions are more unusual and fresh, such as giving each child a "biblical blessing" like Jewish fathers give their children. The book's second half is unfocused, as Smith abandons the basic theme of busyness to offer general skills on relating to the various personality types within a family. He also employs a gimmicky division of these personality types into groups like "Clydesdales," "otters," "lions" and "beavers." (Nov.)