Trees Make the Best Mobiles: Simple Ways to Raise Your Child in a Complex World

Rating:
Summary: What every parent -- and child -- needs
Review: I found this book invaluable for stripping away not only the stuff that clutters our children's lives but the stuff that clutters our own heads, making it hard sometimes to listen to our own instincts with our children. Each small, jewel-like chapter shows how to approach a different issue by slowing down, remembering what is important, and truly connecting. The authors offer many creative and useful ways to make that magic happen. And it works -- I find that the extra moment I take to really listen, and let my children participate in their own care, translates into much smoother days. I love the way I can pick up this book, open it to any page, and find some gentle wisdom. And the writing is grown-up and hip, beautiful and knowing.

Rating:
Summary: A Gem of a Parenting Book!
Review: I have read many books on parenting and usually come away from them feeling more overwhlemed than reassured. Trees Make the Best Mobiles is the exception. We live in a culture that seems to demand MORE-FASTER-BETTER but Jessica Teich and Brandel France de Bravo take issue with that mantra and encourage parents to slow down, listen, act with mindfulness, and throw away the mechanical dolls. The two authors - mothers themselves - offer sensible and creative suggestions that are empowering to both parent and child. I was able to use their advice to bring a bit of calm into my own hectic household and I strongly encourage every new parent-- and old one, too-- to take a look at this terrific book.

Rating:
Summary: Frivolous advice that's not worth the money
Review: I thought this would be a fantastic book that had creative ways to really nurture, stimulate and inspire your child - instead it was advice that was sporadic, inconsistent and frivolous. It was a chore to get through even though it is a really easy read but I just found a lot of the advice irritating and patronising. I woudl not recommend this to others.


Rating:
Summary: Thanks for the recommendation
Review: I was searching through the listings for good books about parenting -- I'm a new dad -- and came upon this one. Others seemed to like it, so what the heck, right? What a great book! Better than I'd hoped. Clear, gentle, upbeat, and full of the sorts of wise suggestions that make the day-to-day stuff of raising a child both easier and more enriching. I'm very glad I heard about it, and recommend it to my friends!

Rating:
Summary: Finally - a parenting book which respects our instincts!
Review: Jessica Teich and Brandel France de Bravo have reduced parenting down to its essence. Their book is the antidote to all those highly prescriptive and guilt-producing parenting books which can make even the most dedicated parent feel they are not doing enough. In this world of "hyper-parenting", it's nice to be told that slowing down and listening more is more valuable to your child than swimming lessons and the newest, most expensive "developmentally-correct" toy. I found that much of what they say or advocate reinforced what I feel deep down, but often don't have the courage to stand up for with my child or in the face of peer pressure to do more (not less!). This invitation to listen to my instincts -- for example, that my child won't be left behind if she isn't using a computer or watching t.v. by age 2 -- is a welcome message as I contemplate giving birth again. Finally, the poetic conciseness of this book's language also made reading this book a joy, and served as a reminder that there is beauty in the details of the everyday world of a child. I plan to buy a few copies of this book for the mother-friends in my life!

Rating:
Summary: A nice philosophy
Review: Less is best, time is the most important gift you can give your child. Excellent theory - and works best when you start out with your baby so you don't have to backtrack with a toddler who's already yelling, Mine! A refreshing approach to offset the busy, bustling world we live in. Books that compliment this one, and hightly recommended: Gentle Baby Care and The Continuum Concept.

Rating:
Summary: Starts out good but gets kind of dopey
Review: The basic philosophy was very nice in this book, and there were some good ideas, but by the end I'd had enough. Like a lot of other reviewers I found a bit too much "duh" stuff in here. I also thought that it assumes that you are a VERY verbal person. The amount of explaining of actions it suggests would get tiresome (at least for me) if you really did it. I agree that you should respect your kid's autonomy, but sometimes at the end of a long day you just pick them up and take them away from danger without saying anything.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money!!
Review: The trees should have been left alone so that they could remain "the best mobiles"-- this book is quite the waste of paper (not to mention money.) This book is full of both common sense (duh) and psychobabble. I was going to give this book to a friend who is expecting twins but decided against it. Parenthood can be challenging enough without reading ridiculous nonsense.

Rating:
Summary: Great book full of wisdom and insight!
Review: This book reminds readers to do less, listen more, and practice "present parenting" by devoting their full attention to their child, even during what seem like mundane tasks like changing a diaper or getter them dressed. I am a mother of an eight month old and this is one of the best parenting books I have read. It is written for busy (and tired) new parents, with easily-digestible, short chapters. Not a day goes by that I don't heed the advice in the title of the book. Instead of buying an expensive new toy or leaving my baby in an exersaucer, we enjoy the simple things together like looking up at the trees or playing with a collander from my kitchen cabinet!

Rating:
Summary: Parenting Wisdom
Review: This delightful book will reward its readers with wit, wisdom, and a reassuring clarity about the value of parenthood. The authors advocate a refreshing, child-centered approach to child rearing. Their simple, yet vital priorities are reflected in the organization of the book, itself, into brief, concise chapters, which may be browsed or read straight through. I would imagine that even the most harried and sleep-deprived of parents would find this book accessible and easy to read. The authors, who are students of Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) and parents of young children themselves, share thoughtful meditations on a diverse array of parenting topics, from temper tantrums to toilet training. Throughout, they emphasize the fundamental truth that the greatest gift parents can give to children is... themselves. The empathic attunement that a parent who is truly present and "in the moment" can provide is truly priceless to a developing child. To their credit, the authors translate this ideal into a set of pragmatic suggestions for approaching such routine tasks as a diaper change in a more relaxed, unhurried, and mindful manner. Parenting books can overwhelm readers with professional prescriptions that may seem impossible for the average mom and dad to implement on their own. This practical and wise little book serves to remind parents that they already possess the essential tools to successfully nuture and guide their children.