ABSTRACT
The usual procedure in publishing special issues which are jointly edited is for the two principals to work together in preparing an introduction or, in some instances, a reasonably lengthy chapter on the subject under purview. What you are witnessing is a break in our tradition. I was so impressed with the personal story that Rob Palkovitz presented, one of his own journey in the becoming of a parent, that I felt strongly it should stand by itself as a very human document and not be lost in the context of providing an overview on the transition to parenthood. Thus, the reader will experience two introductions. What follows are observations from a social psychological perspective which treats the larger issues and problems of parenthood. The marital dyad holds the central actors in this scenario. Still, the transition to parenthood involves larger units in the society such as groups, organizations, and institutions. There are cultural and ethnic factors to be considered if one is to obtain a complete comprehension of the coming of a child and the implications of this lifecourse transition. Further, changing patterns in the work force of the last twenty years, the consequences of the gender revolution, and the changing patterns of marriage and divorce have shattered the traditional ways of parenting.
