Robert M. Milardo, Ph.D.

Robert M. Milardo, Ph.D.

Robert M. Milardo, Ph.D., is Professor of Family Relations at the University of Maine. He has published extensively in the field of family studies and is currently editor of the Journal of Family Theory and Review owned by the National Council on Family Relations, of which he was elected a Fellow in 2005. He is the author of The Forgotten Kin, published by Cambridge University Press, edits the Family Studies textbook series published by Routledge, and recently served as the editor of the Journal of Marriage and Family. Bob has a long-standing interest in the science of family relationships and served as the first president of the International Association for Relationship Research.  His interviews and commentaries on family issues have appeared in a wide array of venues, including Psychology Today, the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, USA Today, and a variety of local and regional media.

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Next to Kin

Although much is written about families, the focus is typically limited to marriage and parenting. Here we'll explore how aunts and uncles contribute to the daily lives of parents and their children. Aunts and uncles complement the work of parents, act as second parents, and sometimes form entirely unique brands of friendship. Next to Kin examines the features of families that encourage closeness, how aunts and uncles go about mentoring children, and how adults are mentored by the very children for whom they are responsible.