This book is dedicated to

the mothers and fathers who taught Dr. Spock about the growth and emotional development of their children;

Dr. Benjamin Spock, who shared with me, during the last year of his remarkable life, the evolution of his ideas about the development of children;

Mary Morgan, Dr. Spock’s widow, who steadfastly maintains his legacy for the children and parents of future generations;

my parents, Gertrude and Gerald Stein, who guided the lives of their children with a respect for their independence and an intuitive understanding of Dr. Spock’s reminder to parents to “trust yourself … you know more than you think you do”; and

my wife, Mary Caffery, and children, Joshua, Benjamin and Sarah, who continue to teach me about the developmental journey of children and young adults.