The Assault on Parenthood: How Our Culture Undermines the Family

The title may make this seem like yet another family-values rant, and it does contain the requisite horror stories about parents shipped off to jail for spanking their children while obscene rap lyrics are protected as free speech. But Mack, a social science researcher who describes herself foremost as ""parent,"" goes beyond the stereotype and makes a compelling case for how American society has devalued the family. The first two sections of the book focus on what's wrong, including the legal system, overzealous social service agencies, school curricula that focus more on feelings than learning and, of course, crass popular culture. The third part describes how parents in the ""Familism"" movement have adjusted their lives so that their children come first. Mack does cite some standard conservative sources, and she occasionally overstates her case (does society really consider parents ""pariahs?""). Also, her arguments are occasionally undermined by a central contradiction: although parents supposedly know best, many have produced spoiled, undisciplined children. Overall, though, she is admirably non-partisan, criticizing both Democratic and Republican welfare reform plans for focusing more on work than fixing troubled families. Mack's mixture of anecdotes, interviews with parents and personal experience takes ""family values"" away from politics and back to the lives of real people. The section on public education is especially effective--you don't have to be William Bennett to be appalled by what passes for sex education in some elementary schools. (May)