Letting Go

In Letting Go, Demie Kurz offers a deeper understanding of the demanding work of parenting teens and sheds new light on what it takes to produce a "successful child." Based on numerous interviews with a diverse group of mothers, this book offers a nuanced, candid portrait of the deeply emotional dynamics involved in raising adolescents and young adults, and the ways social policy can play a key role in helping young people succeed.

Demie Kurz is a Research Affiliate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the former Co-Director of the Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies Program at Penn and a Co-founder of the Carework Network, an international organization of researchers, policymakers, and advocates involved in various domains of care work. Her books and articles have focused on challenges facing contemporary American families and social policies that would better support families.

- Chapter 1: Letting Go: An Introduction
- Chapter 2: Becoming Adolescents and Pulling Away
- Chapter 3: Keeping Teens Safe at a Time of Risk
- Chapter 4: Promoting School Success and Preparing for Postsecondary Education
- Chapter 5: Parenting Young Adults and Letting Go
- Chapter 6: Conclusion