Raising Kids in the New Millennium: How to Maximize Their Wellbeing and Your Enjoyment

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Chapter 1 The First Year of Life, Chapter 2 The Four to Six Month Old, Chapter 3 The Twelve Month
Old, Chapter 4 The Toddler Years, Chapter 5 The 24 Month Old, Chapter 6 The Preschool Years 3-5,
Chapter 7 The School aged child, Chapter 8 Parenting the Adolescent, Chapter 9 Behavior and
Discipline, Chapter 10 Spit Happens Encountering the Unexpected.

Most chapters begin with General Comments then progresses to specifics for each level with common normal conditions, issues, etc to aid the new and not so new parent. Colic, crying, elimination are all discussed as Dr. Restel guides the new parent toward understanding what is normal and what is not. Feeding including guidelines for when to introduce solids etc is included. Language development and getting ready for school are covered. Dr. Restel takes the parents from birth right on through adolescence and the changes to be encountered along that road are all presented in the work. Divorce, Medical illness and serious injury, Child Mistreatment are discussed.

I found Raising Kids in the New Millennium to be a well crafted, easily readable guide. The fact that the work is presented by a medical doctor specializing in kids is a real plus to this reader. So often guides are prepared based on 'what should work' by those who have little contact if any with actual children. Writer Restel tosses in a regular sprinkling of anecdotes regarding her own children.

Restel's light handling of problems coupled with a little humor and some tidbits thrown in regarding her own parenting do's and don'ts all capture and hold the reader's interest. I like the chapter headings and chapter notes, few new parents have time to sit down and read or re read a whole book. Raising Kids in the New Millennium can be read whole prior to baby and then piecemeal as the need demands following birth.

I like the fact that writer Restel does not present herself to be the absolute and final 'there I said it now go and do' authority. She offers a number of good suggestions, closes her book with a nicely rounded bibliography as well as clearly written descriptions of various childhood vaccines including their uses and importance for the well being of children and those around them.

On the whole I found Raising Kids in the New Millennium to be well done, easily read and covers most of the questions new parents, and parents of not so new kids may have.

For the home library, happy to recommend.