Helping couples deal with parenting and grandparenting

Abstract

This chapter is directed toward therapists and other mental health professionals to reinforce the importance of not neglecting emotional management when working with parents and grandparents. It discusses the need for emotional management, an often-neglected area in many parenting books, and specifically focuses on depression, guilt, anger, and anxiety as troublesome emotions. The authors emphasize the relationship between irrational beliefs and disturbing emotions and how they impact effective parenting and grand parenting. A major focus of the chapter is on practical strategies for challenging irrational beliefs and other cognitive distortions, as well as suggestions for the effective management of children once the parents and grandparents have learned to manage their own emotions. A case study illustrates application of concepts presented in the chapter.