Rating: 
Summary: Best book I've read on understanding how a child develops
Review: As a Nurse-midwife and then as a mother, I was fascinated with watching the unfoldment of how a child comes into being. How do their senses develop? What is the process of how they learn to reach and turn and crawl and eventually walk? I learned so much from this book that helped me tremendously with my son that I am now buying it for my sister!
Rating:
Summary: THEE book for first-time parents
Review: As the youngest in my family and a new mother, I had not been around children a lot until the birth of my daughter 6 months ago. I've read several "child rearing" books, but none satisfied my needs until this one.Rather than tell you about childhood illnesses or debate when to start solids (info you can find in a million free online resources), this book gives the cut-and-dry answers to child psychology without delving too deep (who has time to read with a new baby???). After reading this book, I finally had the answers to the daily question "so what do I do with her now?!?" Too many books have suggestions for attaining each stage (i.e. weaning, potty training, etc) without telling you what to do to occupy, educate, and successfully rear your child on a daily basis. I didn't get this book until my daugter was 5 months, and everything the author says will happen in those first 5 has been true, so I can only trust the rest will be true too! I wish I'd had this book from the beginning...I plan to recommend it to every new parent and pregnant woman I see. My absolute FAVORITE thing about this book is how simple, undebateable child psychology proves some of the current child-rearing "fads" so obviously ignorant. Yes, you CAN spoil a child under 1 year old, the family bed is the worst idea ever, and wearing your baby all day will result in a dependant brat. This book lets you know what stage is psychologically appropriate for different disciplines.
Rating:
Summary: THEE book for first-time parents
Review: As the youngest in my family and a new mother, I had not been around children a lot until the birth of my daughter 6 months ago. I've read several "child rearing" books, but none satisfied my needs until this one. Rather than tell you about childhood illnesses or debate when to start solids (info you can find in a million free online resources), this book gives the cut-and-dry answers to child psychology without delving too deep (who has time to read with a new baby???). After reading this book, I finally had the answers to the daily question "so what do I do with her now?!?" Too many books have suggestions for attaining each stage (i.e. weaning, potty training, etc) without telling you what to do to occupy, educate, and successfully rear your child on a daily basis. I didn't get this book until my daugter was 5 months, and everything the author says will happen in those first 5 has been true, so I can only trust the rest will be true too! I wish I'd had this book from the beginning...I plan to recommend it to every new parent and pregnant woman I see. My absolute FAVORITE thing about this book is how simple, undebateable child psychology proves some of the current child-rearing "fads" so obviously ignorant. Yes, you CAN spoil a child under 1 year old, the family bed is the worst idea ever, and wearing your baby all day will result in a dependant brat. This book lets you know what stage is psychologically appropriate for different disciplines.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful practical advice for parents!
Review: Dr. White promises that following his common sense techniques in the early years will result in happier children and parents for years to come and he backs up his claims with specific studies throughout the book. The charts and data make this book a little cumbersome to read. For that reason, the advice offered in "The New First Three Years" seems better packaged for parents in "Raising a Happy, Unspoiled Child" by the same author. Both books offer the same valuable advice on how to handle each stage of early childhood development. I think any parent will benefit from reading Dr. White's approach to handling temper tantrums, selecting age appropriate toys, setting limits and most other developmental issues. Definately make time to read about his techinque in one book or the other.
Rating:
Summary: I would give it more than 5 stars if I could
Review: I can't praise this book enough. Most books on child rearing are written from the medical perspective. You will find more information on health than on behavior and developmental issues in these other books. This book is for behavior and developement. The author was a Harvard professor, and the book is based on many years of actual research into child rearing and behavior with hundreds of real families. As the author warns you, beware of books not backed up by research. In the area of behavior, that's pretty much all of them except this one. In particular, this book shows you how not to spoil your child. And, since probably 80% of children are spoiled (any unhappy as result), there is a great need for this book. Our 1st child is now 8 months old, and he is doing great--hardly cries at all, and extremely happy. The credit goes 1st to my wife who is very loving and patient, but also to this book, for showing how to deal with his behavior. Our son is also extremely active; crawling all over the place since 7 months old; this book puts a lot of stress on developing motor skills and keeping your baby developing properly. I now give this a gift to other friends who have their first child. You will also need a medical reference book, of course; there are many excellent ones. We purchased the Mayo Book of Pregnancy and Baby's first year which is encylopedic.
Rating:
Summary: I would give it more than 5 stars if I could
Review: I can't praise this book enough. Most books on child rearing are written from the medical perspective. You will find more information on health than on behavior and developmental issues in these other books. This book is for behavior and developement. The author was a Harvard professor, and the book is based on many years of actual research into child rearing and behavior with hundreds of real families. As the author warns you, beware of books not backed up by research. In the area of behavior, that's pretty much all of them except this one. In particular, this book shows you how not to spoil your child. And, since probably 80% of children are spoiled (any unhappy as result), there is a great need for this book. Our 1st child is now 8 months old, and he is doing great--hardly cries at all, and extremely happy. The credit goes 1st to my wife who is very loving and patient, but also to this book, for showing how to deal with his behavior. Our son is also extremely active; crawling all over the place since 7 months old; this book puts a lot of stress on developing motor skills and keeping your baby developing properly. I now give this a gift to other friends who have their first child. You will also need a medical reference book, of course; there are many excellent ones. We purchased the Mayo Book of Pregnancy and Baby's first year which is encylopedic.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book for expectant parents!
Review: I had this book by my bedside for ten years as I raised my three children. At times, the advice and wisdom seemed so contrary to what I was being told in the media and popular culture in the 1980's. Yet it was so refreshing to read about practical ways to assist my children in their develpoment, without the bells and whistles that our world tells us we must have. Burton White shows how to nurture your child's curiosity, which is a foundational element to their intelligence. My oldest son is in medical school, my second not far behind, and my third is keeping up with her two brothers. If anyone ever asks me my secret, this book is part of my answer.
Rating:
Summary: excellent non-judgemental book
Review: I loved this book 20 years ago with my first child and used it with the next three. They were all several years apart but the book never was out of date with how they (each child) developed. It was amazing how helpful it was with each child. It helped me as a parent to relax and enjoy each phase. Now I give this book as gifts to new parents. It is truly timeless.
Rating: 
Summary: Can't understand what all the hoopla's about
Review: I read this book after reading all the prior reviews. For the most part, I thought that the concepts promoted in the book were well-founded but not terribly enlightening. Most of the tenets propounded were fairly available through use of a parent's common sense. It was encouraging, however, to see that an "expert" agrees with my common sense. It also was helpful to have it re-emphasized that the period from 8 to 24 months is extremely important in terms of the child's lifelong personality.
Rating:
Summary: Not everybody has common sense.
Review: My parents made a lot of mistakes so I had to teach myself how to approach parenthood by reading books and observing other parents. I also sat in on some of Burton White's parenting classes in Newton, MA. This book is very well researched. The bibliography is excellent, too. I read through most it including Childhood and Society by Eric Ericson. Burton White and Eric Ericson both recommend something called "Mutual Regulation". The parent is in control and firm for some things and the child gets to control and lead for others. It's worth studying. Mutual regulation also applies to other relationships. My journey of reading, starting with this book, has helped me to become "unspoiled and happy" so now I am no longer terrified of becoming a parent. If your parents were terrific, you may find this book to be full of "common sense".
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