David Elkind is a world-renowned American psychologist, professor and parenting expert. Elkind authored numerous books which were primarily focused on child psychology and the structure of American families. Some of his more popular books include The Hurried Child, Reinventing Childhood, and All Grown Up and No Place to Go, among others. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/gep_01/gep_01_00217.html

Elkind contributed heavily in expanding Jean Piaget’s definition of adolescence and his theory cognitive development. http://psychology.jrank.org/pages/210/David-Elkind.html Elkind also introduced the idea of “Personal Fable” wherein adolescents create a story about their selves, highlighting their uniqueness and personality. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/gep_01/gep_01_00217.html

Elkind has also appeared in various mainstream television programs, sharing his knowledge on certain parenting concerns. http://psychology.jrank.org/pages/210/David-Elkind.html

During his stint as David Rappaport’s assistant in the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Elkind became interested in Piaget’s psychological assumptions. Elkind scrutinized and explored Piaget’s theory on cognitive development and adolescence egocentrism.

He noted that due to the major psychological changes during the period of adolescence, adolescents became wary and too preoccupied with their appearance. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/gep_01/gep_01_00217.html

Elkind pointed out that such consciousness towards one’s appearance results into an “Imaginary Audience” and later, a Personal Fable. http://www.springerlink.com/content/r004477n4nmng526/ He added that adolescents act as if they’re the center of everybody’s attention. Hence, such assumptions helped Elkind in fully understanding and solving the problems of troubled adolescents.

Elkind has written countless books – the most popular of which is the groundbreaking parenting guide The Hurried Child. Basically, the book tackles the common impression of parents of them having the perfect child. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9210604-the-hurried-child-25th-anniversary-edition

Children are being hurried by their parents particularly in terms of their academic performances. http://www.parentbooksummaries.com/the-hurried-child-25th-anniversary-edition/ Elkind claims that children these days are helpless victims of overwhelming stress brought about by their parents expectations.

Elkind also identified the media and the technology as further contributors to the stress experienced by hurried children. http://www.parentbooksummaries.com/the-hurried-child-25th-anniversary-edition/ He added that children are being used by their parents as a sort of status symbol – something they can brag about.