I do not recall exactly as Dr. Benjamin Spock Robert Needlman — Baby and Childcare When my baby daughter arrived, advice, much of it unasked for, poured in from friends and relatives. Buy a pillow for her.
Put honey on her pacifier to help her through teething. Give her orange juice. My mother bought her copy back in when my sister was born, and swears by it. So, when a friend gifted this to me in preparation for my baby, I read through it, cover to cover. This edition, vastly revised and updated by Dr Robert Needlman, covers everything from pregnancy to starting college — basically, the entire journey from womb to leaving the nest.
The book is divided into six sections: Your Child, Age by Age contains detailed information about how the physical, emotional, and mental development of children, touching on everything from diapering to toilet training, sleep issues to puberty to strategies for dealing with teens.
Feeding and Nutrition is the second section. Section V, Common Developmental and Behavioral Challenges discusses everything from sibling rivalry to depression, tantrums, feeding disorders, and children with special needs.
The last section, Learning and School , starts with an explanation of how the brain works and goes all the way to how to go about finding the right college for your offspring. I, for instance, ended up finding out how to exercise a baby or massage a baby to relieve constipation from other sources on the net.
Also, since the book is very US-centric, some of the contents the resources listed, for example are not much use to people in countries very different from the US.
Still, all in all, a dependable book to have on your shelf if you have a kid or are about to have one. View 2 comments. Sep 03, T rated it liked it. Best learning happens when babies are presented with a relaxed, supportive, nurturing environment, not by cold, forced, unwanted, unnatural facts like flashcards. Downside of overacademic approach: interferes with play way they learn, develop social skills, spark creativity. When they love what they learn, they remember it longer.
Thinking develops in stages; don't rush the process by skipping phases. Read to babies. They enjoy the sound and feeling of being held. Foster love for stories by reading them aloud, and talk about them to spark interest. Pay attention to everyday signs and labels that are interesting and important.
In a good preschool, there are different areas for children to explore different interests. School teaches skills to kids and how to get along in the world. Various subjects are means to an end. Mental capacity is one aspect of a person. Balance it with empathy, compassion, common sense, respect for others. No use in learning a lot if you're not happy, can't get along with people, etc.
One way that children learn independence is by taking risks: fosters skills, self-esteem, and judgment. Sports: teach sportsmanship, teamwork, tolerance. Oct 24, Ellee rated it liked it Shelves: non-fiction-megalist , plus-pgs , parenting.
This is a book that I read the sections I need when I want to know, rather than reading cover to cover. Unlike some guides, it's arranged topically rather than by age, so skipping around is really a necessity. It gives some great advice and gives a lot of the "whys" of childcare - why shouldn't you save the extra food from the baby jar?
Body fluids are sterile to the body they came out of Turns out that here's a reminder from 4th grade scienc This is a book that I read the sections I need when I want to know, rather than reading cover to cover. Turns out that here's a reminder from 4th grade science that saliva breaks down some foods, which when not consumed, causes them to decay faster.
Oh, okay - I can accept that. Hearing it from other places just makes those people sound paranoid or that they just want you to spend more money on baby food. So far so good. I like that in a parenting guide!
Well what can I say about this? There are some very useful sections which are still relevant to modern day parenting and the sections on first aid were quite useful.
However, there are some sections I cringed at and I KNOW that it's because it's a product of its time but it said multiple times about a father wanting to come in from work and reading the paper, and the role of men and women being so very different. The final indication to how old this book is, was the small section on 'mongolism. A Well what can I say about this?
A disturbance characterised by a child with upward slanted eyes like an oriental' An honest to God shudder-making quote. Glad I read this, it was a bit of fun seeing how people viewed the world in the 60s.
A good general overview without much depth. For example, there is a page on soothing a newborn, whereas The Happiest Baby on the Block is an entire book about soothing a newborn. There's also a few paragraphs about sleep at the various ages, whereas entire other books are written about the nuances of helping your children sleep well.
This book covers so many topics that it can only say a few words on each. That's okay. However, many of the more challenging and intriguing nuances of parenting aren A good general overview without much depth.
However, many of the more challenging and intriguing nuances of parenting aren't in here. Sep 13, Kelly rated it it was amazing. May 20, Brandon O'Neill rated it really liked it.
We've read though the chapters on pregnancy. Now I guess it is almost time for the infant section. View 1 comment. Read most of it. There are a few bits I skipped that were less applicable in my current life i. It is a great, big, practical book, with heaps of information, and the wonderful thing about it is none of it feels like empty filler. I was honestly fascinated by the whole read. I find the subject of how we create a human and how a child experiences this world fascinating, magical, and somewhat unbelievable.
I think Gib Read most of it. I think Gibran captures the essence of what this book says beyond the practical , in his beautiful poetic way They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backwards nor tarries with yesterday. Jun 01, Cassidy rated it it was amazing.
Awesome Book. Great Book For Any Mom. The first thing that came to mind was how dated in its ideas of gender it is. We are told about maternal instinct in a little girl several times, while there is more discussions of helping a small boy feel more manly etc.. The idea of what women should be like as mothers is also very present, although concealed in parts. Working mum or not? These injonctions are clear to any informed reader, « a father can help vs a mother should do xyz ». In our day and age, this is not something I would recommend to any future parent, especially not a woman, especially a first time mum.
That is not to mention all the easier techniques and machines we have invented in the last 40 years, and their own set of new created problems that came with it, which of course could not have been discussed back then.
I can see how at the time it came out, this book could have been seen as the holy bible of childcare books as it touches on everything, however I am certain that some much better, ones can now be found in any good libraries.
My copy is going straight back to charity. Aug 27, Max Ostrovsky rated it liked it Shelves: non-fiction , self-help , philosophy , chick-lit. So with a daughter on the way, I've found myself reading rearing books. I'm getting great information, but only made it as far as the twos. Where are the dragons? Ninja assassins?
Robots and their laws? There wasn't even one chapter on where in the nursery is best for katana placement. I have no idea where to put my swords. Spock was no help for that. It's funny saying or rather thinking that.
Usually, most Vulcans are good in a pinch. I think that joke is too old, but that's the mo So with a daughter on the way, I've found myself reading rearing books. I think that joke is too old, but that's the most I got from that book. Jun 10, Sarah rated it it was amazing. Except we're reading the edition. The "in place of a crib, you can place your baby in a bureau drawer or a clothes basket" edition.
His take on post-partum depression is pretty good, too. Honestly, it is. Gotta love it. Mostly reading it for fun and because Mom gave it to me. Worked for her. I don't think any of us turned out that horribly. Can't find the chapter where he says it's ok to put netting on top of a play pen poor Edie!
Jan 07, Christopher Calo rated it it was amazing. This book holds a lot of good info for the new parents. Sep 07, Sudhanshu Kumar marked it as to-read. Children and infants who have repeated illnesses such as fever, cold and cough have weak immunity.
Therefore, there is a need to improve the immune system in these cases. The limitation, which is very crucial. Along with the wpnderful and patient advice my wife and I got from our mothers, this book offered the best practical advice on raising our children, who turned out to be smart, polite, talented, and sociable adults.
Read during the 's. Feb 28, T. I have this book - it was the one my mother used when I was a baby. Dec 09, Drivetime. Fm rated it really liked it.
Q: The Common Sense Book of Child and Baby Care was first published in , and sold , copies in the six months after its publication. Jun 30, George P. Read almost all of it decades ago.
Very structured book Good structure. Not sure if it is possible to implement everything but it is good to get some ideas. Creativity is crucial. This book has entered our cultural legacy as one of the most important ones published within the last century.
I've been able to appreciate it for that fact, but it hasn't stopped my overall disillusionment with the book and its premise. Part of it may stem from the fact that the book is constantly being updated. I much prefer the older, original versions, even if solely for its value as an historical document rather than a must-have for parenting advice.
Naturally I understand why, as the wo This book has entered our cultural legacy as one of the most important ones published within the last century. Naturally I understand why, as the world is constantly changing and parents need to know what's going on.
But there are some things about parenting, nurturing, and love that are constant, regardless of what happens. A lot of the advice given here is very generic, and in an attempt to cover everything, the book gets bogged down with too much information. Although it advocates treating children as individuals, and supposedly puts control in the hands of the parents, one still senses a veneer of self-righteousness throughout: "You are the parent, but this really is the best way to go about the problem if you want a happy baby.
But again, it's all up to you. I can't speak for everyone, as this book may have been the best thing to happen for some parents. But I still say that if someone relies so heavily on a book to tell them what one hopes is instinctual, then all was not well in the state of Denmark to begin with.
Although the premise of the book is that parents know more than they think they do, and that common sense is key, having an entire book to tell them what they apparently already know defeats the premise.
Furthermore, at least for me, the text doesn't provide enough room to discuss cultural differences in child-rearing and interaction, which may not fit into mainstream parenting ideas. These methods may seem different or unusual, but that doesn't mean that they're bad for children.
For example, using a scarf or long strip of cloth to carry a baby around on one's back, versus a Snuggli carrier; not buying a high chair because a child is always on someone's lap, or letting children eat and drink certain foods when they're young. I won't even get started on the whole spanking issue. To sum up this review, I'd like to recount a conversation that I had with my mother. I asked her once whether she went to Lamaze classes or read books about different aspects of parenthood, such as breastfeeding, bathing, etc.
As I grew older yrs. When my parents started getting rid of stuff, I believe I held onto that book, as ratty and dog-eared as it was. I have to check if I still have it somewhere. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Share this:.
Related posts. The Vulcan nerve pinch was definitely used a lot more in parenting back then! Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:. Email required Address never made public. Name required. Follow Following. We Are the Mutants Join 2, other followers.
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