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Summary: buy it before you're due
Review: This book describes what's going on in a child's nervous system from the moment of conception, making it as interesting to read (maybe more) than your favorite pregnancy guide. Eliot has one axe to grind: she argues that it's partly "nature" but mostly "nurture" and proceeds to put fine points of distinctions on the components of those buzzwords.There's not much plain advice in this book, other than to learn a lot about neurobiological development. Eliot does a great job of inspiring interest in the field and then breaking it down to an easy level of comprehension. It's an easy read but a long one--I'm having a hard time keeping up while also keeping up with my new daughter. Has it made a difference in her development? Maybe, but Eliot's book has definitely increased my confidence and patience as a parent. That's something that the raft of know-nothing advice books can't claim.
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Summary: Great Book
Review: You will find that you share the experiences mentioned in the book in rasing your own baby. Explanations are based on lot of scientific findings, which make you feel that you really understand you baby much better. A must have book for every parent to be.
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Summary: A Research Driven Discussion of Development
Review: I have loved reading Eliot's book. It is based on research at every turn. She tells the reader what is happening with the different parts of brain development at different stages of life and when the critical periods of development are. She makes very complex processes very simple without dumbing them down. I feel like I understand my child's development in a much fuller way and am able to help him along his developmental path. I would highly recommend this book to any parent, grandparent or child care giver.
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Summary: best baby book we have!
Review: This book is a completely comprehensive look at child development -- from motor skills to the five senses to emotion and cognition. The author has done incredible amounts of research into brain/sensory/cognitive development, and presents an up-to-date look at all these areas. But although there's plenty of information for those who want to know all about neurons, the book is totally readable by regular folks. We'd use this as our *only* baby book, except it's missing how to deal with fevers! Maybe the next edition.
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Summary: A must have
Review: As a new parent, I found this book fascinating! It goes beyond what the 'traditional' baby books provide on development. It gave me such a deeper understanding of all my baby's milestones now + to come. It has given me a greater connection with my baby. Knowing what is going on is essential for me to be there for him. Things are a lot clearer to me now. It was very easy to read even though it is a more scientific explaination. I had a little trouble getting into it the first chapter, but then I couldn't put it down. I wish I had read it while I was pregnant.
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Summary: A fascinating read (but a small warning is in order...)
Review: Although this book isn't a day-to-day resource guide, it has provided me with an abundance of concrete information that has been extremely useful in helping me to understand my 16 month old's behavior and development. I highly recommend it to all parents, but would warn readers that the book contains numerous references to experiments on animals that, for me, were sometimes extremely disturbing. This very valuable information has come at a cost! If that sort of thing bothers you, be warned.
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Summary: Excellent Resource Book
Review: I read this book during my first pregnancy and found the information invaluable. The information is presented in a scientific manner, giving the reader access to many of the studies that the research is based on. It wasn't preachy or opinionated like alot of other baby books, just straightforward and factual. You will find yourself referring back to it throughout your baby's development. A must have for any (not just first time) parents.
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Summary: Outstanding information for all parents
Review: I loved this book!! It was right on track about asking and answering so many of the important questions that parents are faced with in this complicated world. More importantly, the answers are imbedded in the results of hundreds of studies and documented research. So often as parents or parents to be we are bombarded with opinions and baby books and magazines that the answers begin to blend together in our minds. This book makes things clear. Each time you put it down, which is hard to do, you are in awe of how much good information there is in it. I feel like a "complete" parent, knowing what can be known to our current abilities about raising children with happy, healthy and finely tuned minds.
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Summary: Required reading for permission to care for a child!
Review: This book provides prospective and new parents, grandparents, teachers, health professionals -- anyone who relates to children -- a sensible and practical guide for creating optimum conditions for growth. Straight talk about risks, cultural influences, environmental factors, alongside clear explanations of what neuroscience has taught us: this book should be Number One in a community college course on parenting. Where it stops short is to help that same group (prospective and new parents, grandparents, teachers, health professionals) find answers for children whose development detoured away from full function. So follow this book with: "The Churkendoose Anthology: True Stories of Triumph over Neurodevelopmental Dysfunction."
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Summary: Such a great book!
Review: Ever want to know why different books and doctors forbid or allow hair color or coffee? Confused by people telling you "breast is best" but "formula is great, too" with no further explaination? Want answers about alcohol, tobacco and drugs beyond "they're bad"? Surprised to hear that diet pop may be worse during breastfeeding than during pregnancy? This is THE book for you!
The author is a mom and a doctor (hurray!) and actually trots out the tests and studies that books and doctors base their opinions on. And because this is science, not preaching, you get to make your own decision based on a wealth of information.
I found the science behind *why* breastmilk is best to be fascinating and much more compelling than all the preaching about "bonding". I also now feel insulted whenever I read a book or watch a show that leaves out all this great information, presumably because it would be too complex for the layperson or too pushy sounding to those who choose to use formula. I also love that Dr. Eliot is not afraid to tackle taboos, such as alcohol, explaining *why* it's so hard to tell how much is too much; what some of the other risks and concerns for both pregnancy and nursing are; and how some other countries are dealing with these same issues.
The book isn't all coffee and beer, though; there's also a wealth of other developmental information. Overall, I've found this book to be an indespensible part of my library, readable and informative in its own right, and crucial for cross referencing the unexplained ultimatums I've found in so many other books. Doctors and authors are not gods -- I'm just so happy to find someone who's willing to trust me to make my own decision!
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