Rating: 
Summary: Sad
Review: The reality and life as Dr. Laura wants it are two different things. Her reasoning is confused and conclusions are faulty. If your kids are in daycare, they are still your kids and you will be responsible for their actions, not their caregivers.Her mean spirited and shrill complaining is mostly preaching to the choir. I don't think anyone should write a parent book until their kids are 25.Finally, the book will make some pat themselves on the back, while others will turn away in disgust.
Rating: 
Summary: Naggy reading
Review: I totally agree with the idea that Dr. Larua has on parents raising their children and stay at home moms. However, the book really started to grate on my nerves. I found myself skimming to get through the chapters and onto the next. Book is also a bit hard to follow due to Dr. Lauras "voice" then quotes from articles or other books or callers from her radio show. I read the book, knowing that I want to be a stay-at home mom and _I_ want to raise my children (yet to be born I might add) and not have "a 16 year old raising them" as Dr. Laura might say. Dr. Laura definitely stresses this in her book yet it becomes too much. the book has negative tones to it.
Rating: 
Summary: Best veiwed as a guideline for would-be parents
Review: The best use this book can be put to is as a guideline/cautionary tale for childless people contemplating parenthood in an era where the workplace is becoming indistinguishable from home, and often preferable to it. I am not going to dispute the virtues of full-time parenting by those who do it well, and have the luxury to choose it. But many people do not have a choice, and to summarily condemn everyone who does not emulate June Cleaver is arrogant and self-serving (two adjectives that unfailingly describe Dr. L.). Families with two employed parents can make it work very nicely at home if they really try, instead of throwing $$ at every problem.
Rating: 
Summary: Retain what you like and forget the rest
Review: That's what I did. This book is like every other "informational" or "self help" book around.The truth is in the title - don't have children if you won't raise them. I didn't agree with everything Dr. Laura gave her opinion on, but the bottom line is - children today see more of their day care providers than their own parents. Pretty scary.
Rating: 
Summary: Walking the walk......
Review: Walking this particular walk before talking this talk I must say after I found myself alone at age 22 with a learning disablity (making employment and even education more difficult than for everyone else it seemed to me) and a huge hungry baby all alone with no family or support of any way shape or kind I myself made the decision to live on handouts and welfare so I could at the VERY LEAST give that healthy child a consistant caretaker. No money at all could have possibly bought the amount of attention and devotion I gave that lucky baby. I found food, but struggled, making it seem a game. I found unusual housing and hung out in bookstores reading all those books to my growing kid as I couldn't possibly afford even one. I visted farmer's markets for food, not too proud to beg after they closed up; and my child had far more fresh food than most living in "two parent" familes with double incomes. Having no family I created one. I found the new group of Southeast asians welcomed me, a young white woman; into their "fold". Can you imagine any of those people valueing money over caretaking? My baby is practically all grown now. People wanna know why hes so well ajusted -why hes so unselfish, and so "unmaterial". What I gave him, Money simply could not buy. People who disagree just don't want that truth in their house of cards. I see people justifying thier abandonment of thier offspring by dollars everyday. I had been scorned, hated and abused using my inadquate welfare money to raise this exceptional kid, who in turn, gives back so much to everyone he comes across. I tell every new mom "stay with them, they grow up FAST" but the pressure to have all the toys and clean car etc, drags them away from what they know best naturally. Theres another new Book, "Attachment Parenting", that has been recently published and deals with this. Send it to anyone you know with kids. But if you don't have any money like I didn't, no book can tell you what you already know about parenting. Kids need you. Not your paycheck. Don't lie to yourself, or to them when they ask you why you must leave them. At the most minimal,to live unselfishly, as an example of your own "religion" you at least are giving these children The Way to Live. NO one but you and your partner will ever CARE-TAKE your precious kids, like you would, why would anything less than You be "fine"?
Rating:
Summary: She fails to understand the necessities of life for the rest
Review: For many parents, daycare is not a choice but a necessity. We don't all have million dollar book deals and high paying radio shows. My wife and I considered long and hard what to do w/ our first child. In the end, we decided on daycare. It was painful, but it was that or struggle with finances. My wife and I make the same amount of money. Cutting our income in half would hurt us and the child. Dr. L. fails to recognize that we all aren't wealthy. Her subtitle makes my stomach turn. Its implication is that unless you are wealthy enough not to have to work you shouldn't be allowed to have children. To all those who say people reacting against this book are guilty--you're damn right! I feel incredibally guilty even though it was the only decision for us. The last thing I--or good parents--need is someone like Dr. Laura, who makes millions of dollars, telling us we are bad parents because we decide to provide adequately for our children. The lack of understanding this woman displays offends me and hurts me deeply.
Rating:
Summary: Great feed for a moral read !
Review: The New York Times best selling author has done it again ! Dr.Laura Schlessinger gives some great time honoured advice along with a dose of good humor. The subject is parenthood but anyone even considering having a family should read this one. The good doctor states 'don't have them if you can't raise them ! and ignores political correct rhetoric to give us some real applicable and down to earth advice. If you want something to pander on occasions buy a pet this book is for reality plus folks. I think it's both a great read and moral feed.
Rating:
Summary: If you don't like the news, you won't like the book.
Review: I read the reviews on this book and noticed that most of the people who disliked it did not critisize the research, writing style, etc. as would be the case with a typical book review. Instead, the critisism was based on the fact that they did not like the book's message. I did a great deal of research on Dr. Laura's sources after reading this book, and she has done a wonderful job of presenting the facts. I also think that the book is well written, though it is a little repetitive. Dr. Laura's message is certainly not candy coated (has is ever been? ). If you are not doing the right thing by your children and do not want to try to change, you will probably try to find a way to critisize this book as a way to relieve your guilt. Every parent with a conscience, as well as any adult considering parenthood should read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Deviant. A biological error.
Review: To include in a book on *parenthood* a diatribe against gays and lesbians illustrates just what kind of "advice" you'll get from this physiology major. One must wonder what motivates someone to include such a screed in a book ostensibly about parenting. Perhaps, like Jerry Falwell, or James Dobson, she knows there's $$$$ in tossing red meat to the benighted. But that's not advice. That's demagoguery.
Rating:
Summary: Great gift idea for full time moms or for moms to be!
Review: I got this book for Mothers Day with a note attached from my husband thanking me for being such a good mom to our two daughters. It made my week! I think this book is very helpful for stay at home moms (and stay at home future moms) in really getting to the heart of how important you really are to your kids. I think that this book would be difficult to read only if you truly put your own interests and desires above the well - being of your chilren. The only possible negative thing about the book is that there are many quotes, faxes and radio show excerps giving the book a somewhat unusual style. I liked this about the book but I can see how some readers may find the style too inconsistent for their taste.
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