The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost (Classics in Human Development)

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Summary: Radical insights for all western humans.
Review: Heartbreaking deductions and radical insights. A well written and compact book, however Liedloff could have done ever better by leaving chapters 1, 2 and 5 out (unless you like socio-babble).

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Summary: Acceptable, but not the most interesting book I ever read.
Review: Contradictory in the intended messages, and I would love to see a revision of this book. The homophobia is offensive. Yet, it's an interesting read about how we have lost sight the simple pleasures in life.

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Summary: an interesting look at childrearing attitudes of the 70s
Review: This book has some very nice ideas and supports a truly loving nurturing environment. I'm sure there are some parents who treat their children as the author describes as common in our society, but I have not witnessed it. Perhaps these attitudes were more prevalent when this book was written. I was born in 1965 and I was held almost all the time as a baby. While I appreciated the hold your baby message as well as other, I truly did not like all the conclusions that were drawn from the author's observations. In most cases she offered no supporting evidence other than her observations and I found myself thinking of numerous other causes/effects for the behaviors she described. I found her unscientific conclusions to be irresponsible and just plain silly at times. I have 2 young children and I did not feel inspired to change my childrearing methods at all by this book.

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Summary: Amazing, and not just for parents!
Review: This is not just a helpful book for parenting, but it is also an astoundingly enlightening vision of what civilized society has lost since we stopped living the way that our species evolved to live. Liedloff dispels countless myths that we all believe (or once believed) to be true about human nature. Even if you never have children, this book will amaze you, as it can give you a startling-yet-inspiring new way of looking at yourself and at the problems of civilized society.

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Summary: Hold your baby!
Review: My husband and I read this book 9 years ago, before the birth of our son, and it spoke to our hearts. Employing the simple idea that a baby who starts life in the womb shouldn't be abruptly separated from the mother after birth, we maintained almost constant contact with him for the first few months. I was amazed at some of the resistance, resentment, even hostility, people sometimes demonstrated when informed that we slept with our newborn and never left him to cry. All their protests were based on nothing but groundless fears -- "You'll roll over and smother him! You'll 'spoil' him!" Etc. Well, he became naturally more and more independent and separate at his own pace, not an arbitrarily imposed one (that's the "continuum" part), and weaned himself from the breast at 11 months, rather than at a time decided by the "experts" or demands of employment. He is now 9 years old, and is a wonderful, happy, secure, well-adjusted boy, and I never cease getting compliments from everyone who meets him on how considerate, engaging, empathetic, kind, and well socialized he is. I credit Liedloff's book for all of this. If I could give one message to all would-be parents, I would say: Don't buy into the lie that material things are what's important to provide your child, and if you yourself are so wrapped up in financial gain that you won't temporarily sacrifice it to bond with him the first year of life, you're selling yourselves short. Invest the first 6 months to 1 year of his life raising him in your arms, and you will be giving him, and yourself, more than a billion dollars could ever buy.

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Summary: This book should be on every parent's bookshelf.
Review: This book changed the way I viewed parenting. I was fortunate enough to read it shortly before the birth of my first child, and then I read it again, and then I got rid of the crib, baby swing, feeding chair--all "necessary" baby equipment, with the exception, of course, of the car seat. My son was in contact with a loving human (myself, my husband, or his grandparents) for about 95% of his pre-crawling life, including sharing our bed at night. (At two and a half, he is making a smooth transition to his own bed.) I received countless comments from other mothers about his quietness when in arms, and his general contentment which seemed to surpass that of their children. Aside from the terrific ideas presented in this book, the writing itself is highly readable and extremely interesting. I give this book to anyone I care about who is expecting. I am eternally grateful that my midwife loaned her worn copy to me. Vive Liedloff!

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Summary: This is a life-altering, must-read book for every parent!
Review: I read this book when my daughter was just a few months old and it revolutionized my life. We are parenting her in a way that fits her biology. With a background in child development, I immediately saw the pieces of the puzzles fitting together. I saw a way to heal our society. I have seen the results of friend's children and how their children have turned out & that sense of peace and confidence is what we want for our daughter.

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Summary: Important, but badly in need of updating
Review: One aspect of this classic book that I haven't heard much about is the extreme homophobia it contains. Liedloff suggests the likelihood that homosexuality is a result of ill child-rearing and unhealthy relationships with opposite sex parents, as well as some other very stereotypical nonsense. This was ignorant to say in the seventies, but in the late 1990's, it is extremely insulting and disrespectful. An updated edition is needed, as well as a discussion about how very insightful ideas can be attached to very ignorant ones!

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Summary: The Book of Books
Review: I've read it 3 times and keep talking about it. This book gives you the exact idea of how to raise children the right way. It gives you strength to understand the people around you, and gives you hope for a better world. After reading it I saw the light and changed the way I acted with my children (10 and 6), and it works even at their age. Everyone should read this book.

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Summary: Teaching us to respect our little humans
Review: The continuum concept not only revolutionized my approach to parenting, but has also given me insight into the cultural influences which helped shape my self image. This book was deeply liberating and has resulted in a non adversarial relationship between my children and I. I am reading the book for the third time and I sincerely believe it is the answer to the worlds problems. The author has also made excellent videos toillustrate her hypothesis in Bali. She also will do telephone counselling for parents in a crisis situation with their relationships with their children. Applying these basic priciples of respect has led to harmony in our home and other avenues of my personal life. Children only act up when we misunderstand them as a result of our cultural conditioning. This book is AWESOME!!!!!!!