Robert Shaw claims that The Epidemic "is not a ‘how-to book,' but a ‘what is necessary book,’” and as such it stands alone as a guide to child-parent relations. Shaw points out the increasing incidence of joyless, screaming, sulking children in restaurants, shopping malls, and cinemas, and their parents, who complain about, bribe or ignore their unruly children. This trend must be stopped before it reaches epidemic proportions, and according to Shaw it must be stopped immediately and is down to the parents to curb it.

This timely book tells you, as parents, how you can save your children from this epidemic. While society and the media are partially to blame, the bulk of responsibility is with the parent. But all is not lost. In each chapter Shaw discusses stages of child development, negative behavior to watch out for, and how to correct it before it gains control and your kids become sociopaths.

The chapters discuss in detail how to develop an appropriate and healthy bond with your child. This begins during the early stages of development, which, Shaw points out, in our day and age is fraught with tensions such as mothers having to return to work when they may want longer maternity leave, the suitability of live-in or daily child care, and demands from other family members.

As our children grow older, Shaw reminds us how important it is to set limits and reinforce boundaries, that our children need structure and fair discipline in order to develop honest and respectful personalities. He gives advice of how to instill respect, moral and ethical values and accountability and trust.

This book is a refreshing contrast to many books on parenting which confuse parents with their contradictory advice or disempower them with their profesionalese.