Contemporary Living is written for you. It presents a fresh look at
life in today’s world. It helps you understand your development as an
individual, as a family member, and as part of society.
Life today offers more alternatives than ever before. This book helps
you evaluate the alternatives you face. It does not tell you what to do or
how to live. Rather, it gives you the information you need to make your
own decisions.
Contemporary Living explores all aspects of life: personality
development, health, communication, relationships with family and
friends, spouse selection, marriage, parenting, handling crises, aging,
death, and managing family living. Other topics you will fi nd helpful
and relevant include deciding on a career, getting and keeping a job,
and lifestyle options and consequences. A chapter on balancing family
and work is also featured. Practical information is given throughout the
text to help you deal with real-life situations.
About the Authors
Verdene Ryder is a nationally recognized author and family life
specialist. In addition to being an author of Contemporary Living, she is
also the author of the popular parenting text, Parents and Their Children,
and a text titled Human Sexuality: Responsible Life Choices. She is often
consulted in interviews on radio and TV relating to family life issues.
Verdene Ryder has extensive teaching experience at both the high
school and university levels. She is a member of several professional
organizations and has received numerous academic and leadership
awards. A scholarship has been named in her honor to enable low-
income women to attend college. Verdene Ryder has a master’s degree
in Family and Community Health.
Marjorie B. Harter, Ph.D., is a family life education and publications
consultant who has written extensively and conducted numerous teacher
education workshops on family life topics. A former family and consumer
sciences teacher, she has developed classroom curricula for nonprofi t
organizations in the areas of teen pregnancy prevention and population
education as well as general family life education. Dr. Harter has also
served as editor of several family and consumer sciences periodicals,
including the former Journal of Home Economics. She is currently serving as
a writer and editor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Introduction
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