The Assault on Parenthood grapples with a disturbing paradox: the very institutions that are supposed to be helping parents in the difficult enterprise of child rearing are often infected with pronounced anti-family views. Despite the attempt by politicians and social theorists alike to posture as being on the side of family values, Dana Mack argues, we live in a culture that is increasingly family-unfriendly and indeed subtly undermines the efforts of parents when they are working harder than ever to raise their children properly.