From birth to adulthood, family dynamics are always changing.
In this episode, two researchers talk about how bonds are built and broken — and how we have the power to shape our relationships.
Rin Reczek, PhD, is an Ohio State professor of sociology whose work focuses on parent-child ties through adulthood: why some are good and others are painful.
Rin's written about family estrangement and found about 6% of adult children reported periods of estrangement with their mothers and about 26% reported periods of estrangement with their fathers.
And the reasons for why that occurred were really interesting — and differed — if you asked the children versus the parents.
Meanwhile, Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, PhD, directs the Children and Parents Lab at Ohio State. Her studies examine co-parenting and father-child relationships.
Her research shows that
co-parenting dynamics begin to form before a baby arrives.
Higher quality of co-parenting relationships promote more positive social and emotional development in children.
Her advice: New parents should have lots of conversations about co-parenting expectations before and after a child arrives to make sure they are on the same page with expectations.