Thousands of children grew up with little or no parental guidance, and as a result, many of them are battling psychological and emotional problems as adults. These latchkey children are mostly unaware of how their upbringing has affected their present, but in Growing Up Latchkey, the author explores how she and others were affected by growing up largely unsupervised. Darla K. Johnson, PhD, draws on her background as a psychotherapist, psychologist, and spiritual counselor to explore the dynamics of latchkey families that had to contend with energy crises, the Cold War, recessions, and long hours at work. In these families, many children spent their entire K-12 experience getting themselves ready for school, arriving home to no parent greeting them, and in the author's case—having no one to protect them from an abusive sibling. Johnson eventually developed post-traumatic stress disorder, but she overcame her symptoms to live a fulfilling and happy life. Join the author on a deep personal journey that holds lessons for educators, employers, therapists, and parents on helping people recover from and avoid fear and torment from childhood traumas.
