Thomas and Martha Neate, with Tutor. Joshua Reynolds ~ Oil on canvas. 167 x 180 cm. 1748. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.  Image courtesy of Olga's Gallery.

The Libraries

 

 Of Interest~

Articles and Links: Library of Relationship Development

Just Whom is this Divorce 'Good' For?  is a November 2005 article from the Washington Post written by Elizabeth Marquardt.  In addition to being an affiliate scholar at the Institute for American Values, Marquardt is herself a child of divorced parents, a fact which led her to study the effects of divorce on children.  She has recently published "Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce" through Crown books.

From the Population Reference Bureau: What the American Community Survey Tells Us About Marriage and the Family.  This article notes 2005 trends in American family statistics.

Relationships: Love Ain't Enough, from Psychology Today Online.

In a family, as in a community, every member has a vital function. This site explores the Importance of Fathers to both entities.

From the University of Chicago Magazine, Healthy, Wealthy, and Wed examines sociologist Linda Waite's book, "The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better off Financially" (Doubleday, 2000), cowritten by Maggie Gallagher of the Institute of American Values.

This five-page PDF article from Jone Johnson of the Northern Virginia Ethical Society is entitled Extraordinary Relationships. Inspired by Roberta Gilbert's book, which bears the same title, Johnson takes a look at some of the core ethical principles that result in successful family interactions.

This article by Glenn T. Stanton entitled, How Fathers, As Male Parents, Matter for Healthy Child Development explores Dr. Kyle Pruett's book, "Fatherneed: Why Father care is as essential as Mothercare."

Dr. Michele Borba believes that ethical considerations have an immeasureable impact on our family relationships. She writes that the best way to ensure children to grow up to have good relationships with others is to build their  Moral Intelligence.

While common courtesy (like charity) begins at home and should be just as carefully practiced there as outside, we begin to rely more on simple etiquette to maintain our relationships as the concentric circles move outward from close friends to less familiar acquaintances. But does etiquette really matter anymore?  Aren't we free from outdated ideas of what constitute rudeness?  Not according to this 2004 LA Times article by Tina Daunt, entitled Manners Minded.

There are also good business reasons to understand why good manners make for good relationships. Don Burleson takes an entertaining look at Manners and Etiquette for Professionals.