As Bowlby himself points out in his introduction to this seminal childcare book, to be a successful parent means a lot of very hard work. Giving time and attention to children means sacrificing other interests and activities, but for many people today these are unwelcome truths. Bowlbys work showed that the early interactions between infant and caregiver have a profound impact on an infants social, emotional, and intellectual growth. Controversial yet powerfully influential to this day, this classic collection of Bowlbys lectures offers important guidelines for child rearing based on the crucial role of early relationships.