Why do some relationships give us great joy and others become toxic? What role do we play in our relationships? Are our relationship skills weakening in the age of social media? From the moment we are born we rely on others for our survival. But as we get older, we can sometimes find relationships upsetting and frustrating. In this insightful, warmly written book, psychotherapist and Psychologies agony aunt Lucy Beresford cuts to the chase of how to have harmonious, fulfilling relationships. Whether it's with our partner, our kids, our boss or our mother-in-law, or perhaps most importantly ourselves, all our relationships require - at some stage in our lives - a little bit of tender loving care. A helpful toolkit in dealing with everyday dilemmas, Happy Relationships at Home, Work & Play will boost your confidence, encourage insight and empower you to be the best you can be in all your relationships. "Brilliant...Lucy Beresford offers easy-to-understand advice on how we can all improve and enjoy better relationships, whether with friends, family, work colleagues or our partners." Jo Hemmings, celebrity and behavioural psychologist, Psychologist on ITV's Daybreak and Sex Therapist on ITV's This Morning. "THE handbook for the 21st Century mortal. Eminently readable...it is a book that will end up on everybody's shelf." Jeni Barnett, TV & Radio Presenter. "Lucy Beresford understands the complexities of human relationships better than anyone and explains how to fix them with clarity, wisdom and warmth." Clare Longrigg, Editor, Psychologies. "As an agony aunt I receive many letters from readers who want support in their various relationships; I now know which book they should read!" Susan Quilliam, agony aunt, relationship coach and co-author of The Joy of Sex.

Edging into forty-something, Karen and Pam found themselves in a state of stuck. They had checked off many of their major life goals—career, husband, children, friends—but they’d lost momentum. After griping over drinks one night, they came up with a plan to face their fears, rediscover their interests, try new things, and renew their relationships. They challenged themselves to try one new thing every week for a year—from test-driving a Maserati to target practice at a shooting range to ballroom dance lessons—and to blog about their journeys. They quickly realized it was harder than they ever imagined but came through it with a sense of clarity and purpose that has them itching to share the possibilities with the millions of middle-aged women out there who feel the same way about one or many areas of their lives. Getting "unstuck" doesn’t have to mean running a marathon, traveling the world, or ending a relationship with your partner. Through their experiences and a good dose of no-nonsense advice, Karen and Pam show readers how achieving small goals can give you a renewed sense of accomplishment and how you can keep growing, learning, and moving forward at any age. Interspersed with personal stories is expert advice from doctors, psychiatrists, artists, and even a poker diva (who also happens to be a Fortune 500 executive).

The authors reveal the clues they have used to master their marriage and grow happier and more in love each year...a major achievement given their prior history. The authors were emotionally challenged when they met 27 years ago and were unlikely candidates for a successful marriage. Without undergoing an extreme makeover in personality or appearance, they improved their relationship skills virtually overnight by implementing suggestions given them by virtual strangers. This book shares this advice along with tips and techniques they discovered and intentionally developed during their 25 year marriage. Easy to read, understand and implement. This practical, straight-forward and powerful advice works. If you want to be more happily married every year, read this book.

In this updated edition, Cathy Vatterott examines the role homework has played in the culture of schooling over the years; how such factors as family life, the media, and "homework gap" issues based on shifting demographics have affected the homework controversy; and what recent research as well as common sense tell us about the effects of homework on student learning. She also explores how the current homework debate has been reshaped by forces including the Common Core, a pervasive media and technology presence, the mass hysteria of "achievement culture," and the increasing shift to standards-based and formative assessment. The best way to address the homework controversy is not to eliminate homework. Instead, the author urges educators to replace the old paradigm (characterized by long-standing cultural beliefs, moralistic views, and behaviorist philosophy) with a new paradigm based on the following elements: Designing high-quality homework tasks; Differentiating homework tasks; Deemphasizing grading of homework; Improving homework completion; and Implementing homework support programs. Numerous examples from teachers and schools illustrate the new paradigm in action, and readers will find useful new tools to start them on their own journey. The end product is homework that works—for all students, at all levels.