The Mighty Toddler: The Essential Guide to the Toddler Years

Rating:
Summary: The Mighty Toddler: The Essential Guide to the Toddler Years
Review: As a medical doctor and a mother of toddler twins I have found Robin Barker's book an excellent resource in the day to day issues of raising small children.

It is a comprehensive book covering major issues like sleeping, feeding and behaviour in very detailled terms. This proved particularly useful for me as through her advice I can now get two babies off to sleep with the minimum of fuss. What a lifesaver!

Robin Barker provides information using the best available medical evidence as well as drawing on her own substantial experience. The resulting information is medically up to date as well as sensitive to the needs of a variety of families and their toddlers.

The greatest asset of this book (as well as her other publications) is that Ms Barker never tells you what to do. Rather, she presents options, or a framework of how to deal with tricky situations. She acknowledges that you alone know your toddler the best and empowers you to make the right choice for you and your family. At last a book that respects you as a parent!

I unreservedly recommend "The Mighty Toddler" to any parent (and their mighty toddler) who is looking for helpful advice on how to survive (and even enjoy) the toddler years.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed by bias
Review: I found this book somewhat useful, in that it has a run down of development milestones which is what I was after in reading it, but overall disappointing.

The fact that Barker says it is fine to stop breastfeeding at 9 months if you want to, despite that fact that Australian, American and the World Health Organisation's standards all recommend breasfeeding until *at least* 12 months concerned me. While there are acceptable alternatives for those who cannot breastfeed for whatever reason, her 'expert' view that to stop at 9 months is 'fine' seems misleading.

Additionally, although she presents various options for managing issues such as night waking, it is clear where her bias lies (controlled crying) and she does not present any of the advantages of other systems.

Basically, this book presents itself as being balanced and giving you options, but in my opinion the 'balance' is very one sided.

I will not be purchasing or recommending this book.

Rating:
Summary: She could have earned 5 stars BUT...
Review: My screening test for books on infant and child health is looking up what they have to say on breastfeeding and sleep. Robin Barker is an advocate of controlled crying. I personally am not and find this technique most disagreeable. I do realise that many parents will not agree on me on this one and it certainly is widely advocated amongst paediatricians still.

I was most disappointed to see the suggestiong that weaning breastfeeding after 9 months was okay. This goes against the Australian recommendations and I was wondering what Ms Barker would give an infant between the ages of 9-12 months.

Otherwise it is a very thorough book. However because of these two areas I won't buy the book and I won't be recommending it.

Shame, as she has a lot of good things to say about other things and her book "Babylove" is very thorough. I can't remember what it has to say on breastfeeding or sleep though, having only flicked through the book at a friend's place.

Rating:
Summary: The Mighty Mother
Review: Thank you Robin Barker! At last someone has written a true, practical, funny and friendly guide to EVERYTHING you wanted to know about your little one. My sister gave me a copy of The Mighty Toddler and it has exceeded all my expectations, Barker's comprehensive book is yet to disapoint me in any area, every query is answered. It offers a comprehensive range of answers, everything from behaviour management techniques to medical condtions and day-to-day toddler care. Barker's extensive career in the early childhood world shines through. The Mighty Toddler has made me a mighty confident Mother.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST-HAVE FOR ANYONE WITH A TODDLER
Review: The Mighty Toddler is an absolute gem! Robin Barker's book is tailor-made for thinking parents everywhere - it lays out all the options (from behaviour management techniques to sleeping to feeding), gives the pros and cons of each, then leaves the parents to make their own decisions. Frankly, I'm sick of experts telling me what I should or shouldn't be doing with my child. What I want is sensible, practical information based on sound research into my toddler's developmental stage - and The Mighty Toddler has this in bucketloads, as well as a relaxed, unpatronising tone which inspires trust and confidence. There's a great index, which means the information's easy to access in a hurry; a thoroughly researched guide to toddler development, a very useful ABC of toddler behaviour, and whole lot of other information I refer to on a daily basis. It's an essential resource for anyone with a mightly toddler in their life.