We've Got Issues

Book excerpt: A bold, brilliant, and provocative look at childhood medication by New York Times bestselling author Judith Warner In Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety, the bestselling author and former New York Times columnist Judith Warner explained what's gone wrong with the culture of parenting, and her conclusions sparked a national debate on how women and society view motherhood. Her new book, We've Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication, will generate the same kind of controversy, as she tackles a subject that's just as contentious and important: Are parents and physicians too quick to prescribe medication to control our children's behavior? Are we using drugs to excuse inept parents who can't raise their children properly? What Warner discovered from the extensive research and interviewing she did for this book is that passion on both sides of the issue "is ideological and only tangentially about real children," and she cuts through the jargon and hysteria to delve into a topic that for millions of parents involves one of the most important decisions they'll ever make for their child. Insightful, compelling, and deeply moving, We've Got Issues is for parents, doctors, and teachers-anyone who cares about the welfare of today's children.