Rating:  Summary: Very good Review: I enjoyed this almost as much as her first book. It is easy and fun to read. As with any baby instructional, take what you can use and leave the rest. Tracy's books are wonderful for first time parents who haven't a clue, and contains great common sense. And it aslo serves as a memory refresher for those of us who have been around babies all our life.
Rating:  Summary: A life saver!!! Review: I find Tracy's respectful view of parenting to be refreshing and practical. Although she says there are no quick fixes, and I agree, following her method for getting my 13 month old to sleep in his crib took only 1 week. Although he is not going all night, he is now comfortable in his crib, no longer screams to be in our bed, and is no longer nursing non-stop. Yes we have our work cut out for us, but I finally see a light at the end of the tunnel. I also have a 2 1/2 year old and have found her suggestions on dealing with a 'spirited' child to be right on target...again easy to read, easy to follow. I am feeling less and less like every day is a battle, enjoying motherhood the way I had hoped to. THANK YOU TRACY!!!
Rating:  Summary: Helped with my toddler! Review: I have an 18 month old "Spirited" toddler. He wakes up at 7 am and is busy nonstop until 7:30 pm. He naps about an hour and seems to get by just fine on that little nap. That's parenting, though, and his energy is not the problem. His temperment, on the other hand, is often trying on my patience. Being pregnant with our second child and the wife of an active duty military pilot (who is fighting for us overseas), it gets to be a very long day at home with my son's "spirit". This book helped me to identify better with his personality and help to make his day go more smoothly, and thus, making my day a little better and easier as well. I found great tips on how to work with his temperment as to not take away his spirit and to give him more choices to help him be more independent and confident. I think the book offers sensible advice and good techniques. There is always a lot of controversy about this versus attachement parenting. Tracy Hogg doesn't suggest you don't hug and cuddle your baby, as the review above mine suggests, she merely suggests you work with your toddler on their behavior and hugs and cuddles aren't always the answer. I can see with a young baby this book may not be a good choice, but with an active toddler who is learning how to get what he wants and manipulate, come mild discipline is needed to stay sane and remind your child that you are still the parent. I owe a lot of my new-found sanity to this book.
Rating:  Summary: Helped with my toddler! Review: I have an 18 month old "Spirited" toddler. He wakes up at 7 am and is busy nonstop until 7:30 pm. He naps about an hour and seems to get by just fine on that little nap. That's parenting, though, and his energy is not the problem. His temperment, on the other hand, is often trying on my patience. Being pregnant with our second child and the wife of an active duty military pilot (who is fighting for us overseas), it gets to be a very long day at home with my son's "spirit". This book helped me to identify better with his personality and help to make his day go more smoothly, and thus, making my day a little better and easier as well. I found great tips on how to work with his temperment as to not take away his spirit and to give him more choices to help him be more independent and confident. I think the book offers sensible advice and good techniques. There is always a lot of controversy about this versus attachement parenting. Tracy Hogg doesn't suggest you don't hug and cuddle your baby, as the review above mine suggests, she merely suggests you work with your toddler on their behavior and hugs and cuddles aren't always the answer. I can see with a young baby this book may not be a good choice, but with an active toddler who is learning how to get what he wants and manipulate, come mild discipline is needed to stay sane and remind your child that you are still the parent. I owe a lot of my new-found sanity to this book.
Rating:  Summary: Mom of twins Review: I never read her first book on infants but Hogg's "insights" into toddlers rates no greater than those of the average parent. This book is all over the place and attempts to cover nearly every aspect of a toddler's life, from developmental milestones to switching to solid foods to stopping temper tantrums. Unfortunately, none of the topics are covered completely or affectively. Her tip to help with dressing a toddler ("buy loose clothes with elasticized waists, big buttons and Velcro closures") is an example of the elementary tactics offered. I was looking for a book to help me understand my toddlers (I have twins) and how to best work with them, especially during the challenging times of disciplining. But even during the rare times that the book delves into helpful topics, such as determining your toddler's temperament/type, the following chapters do not build on the information. So now I know that one of my toddlers is "spirited" and one is an "angel"; so what? An even greater concern for me is the judgmental and condescending tone of this book. Other books have offered me far better lessons and motivated me to change my behavior without making me feel like a completely incompetent parent. The few insights that I gleaned from this book are available in much more comprehensive and less patronizing texts, including Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline by Becky A. Baily; and Your Two-Year-Old, Terrible or Tender and Your Three-Year-Old, Friend or Enemy by Louse Bates Ames. I'm sure may more sources are out there but these have really helped me be a much more understanding, patient and loving parent.
Rating:  Summary: Not what I expected after the Baby Whisperer book Review: I really enjoyed the Secrets of the Baby Whisperer and had given it as gifts. So when my daughter became a toddler, I knew I had to see what Tracy said about 'toddlerhood'. I guess I was expecting too much of her...it just seemed like so much of the same from her first book and a lot of common sense. If you didn't read the first book and have a toddler, get this book, otherwise, don't bother.
Rating:  Summary: Perfect! Stop looking and purchase this book! Review: I'm such a better mother now after I have read all her books. I also found the DVD to be helpful. I have made notes on 3x5 cards for easy reference. Every time I feel I'm loosing my patience with my 'spirited' toddler I just pull out the card with the solution to my particular problem and its like having her there with me as my nanny. I wish! If I ever run into her I will just loose it! Somtimes I think of how unaware I was in the beginning and it's frightening. She has really opened my mind to a better motherhood. I recommend this book and wish the doctors would just hand these books out to their patients after giving birth, I wish mine had. Don't listen to ANY of these reviews that gave under five stars. I have no idea why they would want anyone to doubt the power of these books. If you are a loving mother you will read it and apply it into your life.
Rating:  Summary: Good Advice Review: If more people followed these positive techniques with their babies, today's classrooms would not be full of sooooo many impulsive and unstructured children. Parenting has changed over the years and many have moved away from sensible parenting. It is society and the children who will suffer. Too bad more people don't parent in a sensible way.
Rating:  Summary: Condescending Review: If you're into schedules, this book is for you. I found it useless. Her attitudes towards toddler nursing is deplorable. What are her credentials? A "baby whisperer"? I guess I just don't get it. I didn't read the first book and I'm glad. I read a more attachment parenting friendly book and found its contents much more my style.
Rating:  Summary: Condescending Review: Secrets of the Baby Whisperer for Toddlers has very helpful ideas that have helped me tremendously. However, the awful language used throughout the book has greatly disappointed me. Using and/or demonstrating the use of the Lord's name in vain is unacceptable and other poor and offensive expresions should definitely not be used. I think that Tracy needs to remain true to her theme and outlook about the parent providing a good example and demonstrate this even through the language in her own book. I think this book ought to be edited and reprinted with more tasteful, polite, good, and/or empathetic language and expressions.
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