A family’s responses to crisis or to a new situation mirror those of a child. That is to say, the way a small child deals with a new challenge (for instance, learning to walk) has certain predictable stages: regression, anxiety, mastery, new energy, growth, and feedback for future achievement. These stages can also be seen in adults coping with new life events, whether positive or negative.
ATTRIBUTION:
T. Berry Brazelton (20th century), U.S. pediatrician and author. Families: Crisis and Caring, ch. 6 (1989).
