The family lies at the centre of public debates over work, parenthood, welfare and values - debates that cut across lines of race, politics and class. Aiming to illuminate the central issues surrounding American children, from birth to adolescence, this anthology explores how children have been defined and continuously redefined throughout history. It ranges from 17th-century ministers to Drs Benjamin Spock and Barry Brazelton, and from the poems of Anne Bradstreet to the writings of young people today. The 12 sections encompass issues such as health, learning, gender, child rearing, ethnicity, work, sexuality and children's rights.
