Rating: 
Summary: A Welcome Resource
Review: As a gay man planning on becoming a parent in the near future - via adoption - I've been hungry for resources and books about parenting. Of course, the majority of the books are written from the viewpoint of heterosexual parents, and more often than not married heterosexual parents (and sometimes also Christian), and make many assumptions about the sexual orientation of the parent AND the kind of family the reader is part of. This book was a welcome change in that it recognized the diversity of families, addressing the differences and commonalities between different families. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but to people who are rarely acknowledged in any medium, who often have to weed out what is applicable to them, and read between the lines for useful information while their own specific situation is ignored or their kind of community or family is disregarded, it's a big deal. It sends the message "You, too, are a family," in a society where recent and on-going attempts to narrow the definition of just what is a family threatens to leave those who do not fit into the traditional mold rudderless and without shelter as we try to navigate through this society which we must all inevitably share. It's just nice to receive the message "You are a family too, and your family is important too."
Rating:
Summary: A Welcome Resource
Review: As a gay man planning on becoming a parent in the near future - via adoption - I've been hungry for resources and books about parenting. Of course, the majority of the books are written from the viewpoint of heterosexual parents, and more often than not married heterosexual parents (and sometimes also Christian), and make many assumptions about the sexual orientation of the parent AND the kind of family the reader is part of. This book was a welcome change in that it recognized the diversity of families, addressing the differences and commonalities between different families. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but to people who are rarely acknowledged in any medium, who often have to weed out what is applicable to them, and read between the lines for useful information while their own specific situation is ignored or their kind of community or family is disregarded, it's a big deal. It sends the message "You, too, are a family," in a society where recent and on-going attempts to narrow the definition of just what is a family threatens to leave those who do not fit into the traditional mold rudderless and without shelter as we try to navigate through this society which we must all inevitably share. It's just nice to receive the message "You are a family too, and your family is important too."
Rating: 
Summary: THE most comprehensive parenting guide available.
Review: As a preschool teacher and mother of two boys (5 & 3), I highly recommend this book. It covers most every parenting issue you may ever have concerning your young child. The authors give you the latest, developmentally appropriate solutions to your parenting issues, and they guide you on the pathway to parenting excellence with their Nine Principles for the Parenting Journey. A must read for every parent.
Rating:
Summary: Great for toddlers and preschoolers, a bit off for babies
Review: As everyone so far has written, this is a wonderful, empathetic book. It includes a wealth of information, in a depth rarely found in popular parenting books. As a single mom, I appreciated that the authors do not assume that everyone has the "ideal" two-parent middle class WASP family. However, although the book's subtitle says that it is for the first five years, I find some of its advice on infant care questionable. They think it is okay to let your baby cry to learn independence, if it agrees with the parents' values. They also wrongly claim that "...some children never lose interest in nursing..." and advocate adult-led weaning. Buy this book for helpful information about your toddler and preschooler, but for babies, see the books by Martha and William Sears (The Baby Book, Parenting the Fussy Baby and High Need Child, The Discipline Book) for a more sensitive approach.
Rating:
Summary: I think this book is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
Review: Figuring out how to face the challenge of helping your child or children grow as mentally healthy as possible can be incredibly daunting. We may not want to duplicate our own upbringing but have respect for what our parents did for us. This book is incredibly helpful because it conveys lots of information in very supportive ways. Its authors make clear from the outset that your own values and priorities have to be what shape your parenting. They help you clarify what those are and provide countless of examples of other parents' experiences. They put an emphasis on how to appreciate your own child and what she or he is dealing with, psychologically, emotionally, physically. They also share the results of a lot of research, helping you to feel informed when don't feel like responding the way your own parents did. This book makes a special effort to be inclusive of the variety of parenting relationships there are, and I believe very strongly that there is not a thoughtful parent who couldn't find this a valuable book.
Rating:
Summary: A book that speaks to those who listen with their heart.
Review: I believe that if children could tell us what to think about them and how to listen and talk to them, then this is the book they would have written to their parents. The authors have covered almost everything there is to consider about parenting. And, they have done so in a heartfelt manner with a compassionate tone. Each parent is encouraged to explore their own needs, wishes, and feelings about parenting, as well as their own childhood history. However, this is DEFINITELY NOT a "therapeutic" workbook. Rather, this is a book about choices, differences, expectations, and feelings. It is so easy to over-identify with our young children and to want to make life better and even PERFECT for them. The authors acknowledge this and then take us one step further...young children know what is; they live in the moment, thus our children don't expect us to be perfect so why do we expect it from them? I will be giving this book forever as a gift to friends, family, and colleagues. This book is a gift!!!
Rating:
Summary: Probably the best book on parenting!
Review: I have worked with young children for many years and in the process of working with children i continue learning about how children grow, learn and develop. I have researched journals, online, and more books than one should every know and I always come back to this one. The best book I have ever picked up. EVERY PARENT AND TEACHER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO READ THIS!
Rating:
Summary: Becoming the Parent You Want To Be
Review: I referr this book to every parent or parent to be that I meet. I was trained by Janis Keyser one of the authors, and find this book the BEST RESOURCE GUIDE FOR PARENTS. You can go to the back and look up biting -it explains the questions behind bitting, the actions to take to resolve it and information to understand it. Every parent must own one. I have 10 copies I give out to people to read, they love it, and buy their own copy. If you are thinking of buying this book, don't think, act now, because it will be the best investment in parenting and understanding you children- you will ever do.
Rating:
Summary: Becoming the Parent You Want To Be
Review: I referr this book to every parent or parent to be that I meet. I was trained by Janis Keyser one of the authors, and find this book the BEST RESOURCE GUIDE FOR PARENTS. You can go to the back and look up biting -it explains the questions behind bitting, the actions to take to resolve it and information to understand it. Every parent must own one. I have 10 copies I give out to people to read, they love it, and buy their own copy. If you are thinking of buying this book, don't think, act now, because it will be the best investment in parenting and understanding you children- you will ever do.
Rating:
Summary: Good resource, but don't make it your only resource
Review: I was disheartened by this books inability to embrace parenting from a biological perspective (See Meridith Smalls Book on biology and culture and how it affects our parenting) however, true to the Laura Davis style it is easy to read and understand, and touches on many many many areas that most books don't begin to address. It was valuable to us, and we have purchased a few copies since our reading it as gifts for new parents. Don't expect many clear cut answers, but do expect to learn something.
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