The Focus on the Family Complete Book of Baby and Child Care

Rating:
Summary: More Comprehensive than Most
Review: When it comes to parenting books, I've been there done that. I've read the "What to Expect" series, the "Girlfriends Guides," the Mayo health books, etc. What I've found is that each one does its own thing well: "What to Expect" is good at topical, "Girlfriends" is funny, Mayo is medical. But sometimes, I just get tired of so many books! What makes Focus on the Family's book great is that it manages to do so many things well that you can safely eliminate some of these others. In fact, I think it's the best and most comprehensive child care book on the market.

The guide is comprehensive because it covers children from birth through adolescence. I think this is an important distinction that many books overlook. Just because our children get bigger doesn't mean that they need less attention. Actually, some of them need even more attention in the teenage years than most any other time.

I also like the way that the book addresses all areas of a child: physical, mental, and spiritual. It discusses divorce, child abuse, depression, eating disorders, and sexuality, right along with all the more traditional topics. Perhaps more important, the guide discusses the values that are behind our philosophy as Christian parents. How refreshing to know that I can consult an even-handed book with a Christian perspective. Its tone is always thoughtful, educated, and respectful.

Some other noteworthy features are at the back. There is a very thorough reference section that is over a hundred pages long and lists most illnesses and medications. Behind that is an emergency section that covers bites, burns, bleeding, CPR, etc. Next there is an annotated list of additional resources for various topics, a very detailed index, and finally a series of growth charts, color drawings of the human body and photographs of different skin diseases to help you identify them.

All and all, this is an excellent and thoughtful guide no matter where you are on your parenting journey.

Rating:
Summary: More Comprehensive than Most
Review: When it comes to parenting books, I've been there done that. I've read the "What to Expect" series, the "Girlfriends Guides," the Mayo health books, etc. What I've found is that each one does its own thing well: "What to Expect" is good at topical, "Girlfriends" is funny, Mayo is medical. But sometimes, I just get tired of so many books! What makes Focus on the Family's book great is that it manages to do so many things well that you can safely eliminate some of these others. In fact, I think it's the best and most comprehensive child care book on the market.

The guide is comprehensive because it covers children from birth through adolescence. I think this is an important distinction that many books overlook. Just because our children get bigger doesn't mean that they need less attention. Actually, some of them need even more attention in the teenage years than most any other time.

I also like the way that the book addresses all areas of a child: physical, mental, and spiritual. It discusses divorce, child abuse, depression, eating disorders, and sexuality, right along with all the more traditional topics. Perhaps more important, the guide discusses the values that are behind our philosophy as Christian parents. How refreshing to know that I can consult an even-handed book with a Christian perspective. Its tone is always thoughtful, educated, and respectful.

Some other noteworthy features are at the back. There is a very thorough reference section that is over a hundred pages long and lists most illnesses and medications. Behind that is an emergency section that covers bites, burns, bleeding, CPR, etc. Next there is an annotated list of additional resources for various topics, a very detailed index, and finally a series of growth charts, color drawings of the human body and photographs of different skin diseases to help you identify them.

All and all, this is an excellent and thoughtful guide no matter where you are on your parenting journey.

Rating:
Summary: Focus on the Family Complete Book of Baby and Child Care
Review: When we asked our baby's doctor to recommend a child care reference book, she recommended this one. The information it presents is based on medical research and experience rather than on one person's opinion. I like that it presents the advantages and disadvantages of various parenting dilemmas (breast vs. bottle, letting babies sleep in your bed, etc.) without going out of the way to take sides. I also liked that it is sensitive to the fact that many parents are single and/or may have had a baby unexpectedly, so it gives advice aimed at single parents as well as married couples.

Rating:
Summary: Focus on the Family Complete Book of Baby and Child Care
Review: When we asked our baby's doctor to recommend a child care reference book, she recommended this one. The information it presents is based on medical research and experience rather than on one person's opinion. I like that it presents the advantages and disadvantages of various parenting dilemmas (breast vs. bottle, letting babies sleep in your bed, etc.) without going out of the way to take sides. I also liked that it is sensitive to the fact that many parents are single and/or may have had a baby unexpectedly, so it gives advice aimed at single parents as well as married couples.