REVIEWS OF LAY LITERATURE ON CHILD CARE: WHAT PARENTS ARE READING

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. A18-A18
Author(s):  
Frances P. Glascoe ◽  
William R. Moore ◽  
James Henderson ◽  
Elaine D. Martin
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Toilet Training ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
List Price ◽  
Elementary Level ◽  
Trade Books ◽  
Bestseller List ◽  
Children's Book ◽  
Long Time

Frankel A: Once Upon a Potty: His (Hers). New York, NY: Barron's: 1980; list price $4.95. (#3 on the 1988 bestseller list of books on child care of the Ingram Book Co, distributors of trade books). It is hard to tell why this book is categorized with books on child-rearing. It is essentially a children's book without much information and virtually no guidance, except perhaps to emphasize that toilet training often takes a long time. Using the euphemisms, "poo-poo" and "wee-wee," the book colorfully and graphically depicts the story of Joshua, his new potty, and his first successful experience with it. The pictures show only a mother and not a father having a role. Young children may not recognize the potty as such because the example is atypical. The companion book is identical except that the leading character is named Prudence. The book is certainly easy to read and at an early elementary level.

REVIEWS OF LAY LITERATURE ON CHILD CARE: WHAT PARENTS ARE READING

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. A61-A61
Author(s):  
Frances P. Glascoe ◽  
William R. Moore ◽  
James Henderson ◽  
Elaine D. Martin
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Toilet Training ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
List Price ◽  
Active Listening ◽  
Trade Books ◽  
Problem Situations ◽  
Mutual Regulation

Dreikurs R, Stoltz V. Children: The Challenge. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Dutton; 1987; list price $7.95 (#9 on the 1988 bestseller list of books on child care of the Ingram Book Co, distributors of trade books). Dreikurs considers development based on the mutual regulation between parent and child. Addressing issues in discipline and behavior from infancy to early adolescence, he perceives the parents' role as model, nurturer, and instructor, although mothers are given more responsibility for child-care than fathers. Various methods are offered for resolving conflicts in a range of typical problem situations. Techniques involve active listening, use of natural consequences, limit setting, etc. From toilet training to sibling rivalry, children's motives for misbehavior are explained. The text illustrates both theory and practice in child-rearing so that the principles learned are not only corrective and instructive, but also preventive. The difficulties of parenthood, peer, media, and sibling pressures are addressed but not the needs of special children. There is some presumption that families are intact and that a homemaker is present. The book is well-organized and rated as easy to read. Fairly believable vignettes illustrate parents' and children's contributions to situations of conflict. A section at the end of the book gives parents an opportunity to practice and review newly learned skills and principles.

Reviews of Lay Literature in Child-Care: What Parents Are Reading

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-559
Author(s):  
FRANCES PAGE GLASCOE ◽  
WILLIAM O. MOORE ◽  
ANNA BAUMGAERTEL
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Light Exposure ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
List Price ◽  
Breast Size ◽  
Trade Books ◽  
Mental Maturity ◽  
Parental Guidance

P. Mayle. What's Happening to Me? New York: Carol Publishing, 1975; list price $8.95 (No. 6 on the 1990 bestseller list of books on child care from Ingram Book Co., distributor of trade books). In need of prompt revision to address AIDS-era issues, this book, which is written for adolescents in puberty, is an odd, amusing, and aggravating mixture of goofy cartoons designed to appeal to young children, a reading level which varies from elementary to high school, and medical content which ranges from accurate to euphemistic and incorrect (especially about acne treatment, fertilization of eggs, sex hormones, and female external genitalia). The emphasis on normal variability in penis and breast size is helpful as is the guilt-free acceptance of masturbation and encouragement to achieve social and mental maturity before having children. Despite the drawbacks, the book may be useful for prepubescent children who need light exposure to the issues of puberty. Parental guidance is advised, at least until a revision is published.

REVIEWS OF LAY LITERATURE ON CHILD CARE: WHAT PARENTS ARE READING

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. A50-A50
Author(s):  
Frances P. Glascoe ◽  
William R. Moore ◽  
James Henderson ◽  
Elaine D. Martin
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Positive Reinforcement ◽  
Prenatal Development ◽  
List Price ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Active Listening ◽  
Trade Books ◽  
Ideal Behavior ◽  
Intact Family

Leach P. Your Baby and Child: From Birth to Age Five. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf; 1978; list price $24.45 (#4 on the 1988 bestseller list of books on child care of the Ingram Book Co, distributors of trade books). Addressing the effects of nature and nurture on development, Leach covers prenatal development through preschool with particular attention to infancy. Parents' roles, identical for mothers and fathers, are diverse and include controller of environments, model of ideal behavior, nurturer, and instructor. Management methods involve positive reinforcement, ignoring, and active listening; designed to be preventive, corrective, and instructive. Detailed information is given about specific practices including nutrition, stimulatory activities, illness, and education. There is some consideration of environmental forces, parenting difficulties, and the needs of exceptional children. While an intact family is not presumed, material resources are, and presence of a homemaker is advised until children reach three years of age. The text is moderately difficult to read, lacks organization and cross-referencing in the indices. However, the book is supported by numerous photographs and illustrations. The medical content was rated as fair but parents are prompted to seek medical attention appropriately.

Reviews of Lay Literature in Child-Care: What Parents Are Reading

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 518-518
Author(s):  
FRANCES PAGE GLASCOE ◽  
WILLIAM O. MOORE ◽  
ANNA BAUMGAERTEL
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Peer Pressure ◽  
List Price ◽  
Trade Books ◽  
School Work ◽  
Academic Activities ◽  
The Impact

L. Canter, L. Hausner. Homework without Tears. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1987; list price $7.95 (No. 30 on the 1990 bestseller list of books on child care from Ingram Book Co., distributor of trade books). This text offers parents some solid advice about children and homework, including: establishing an appropriate study area, working with teachers, time management, task analysis, test preparation and independent completion of work. The authors wander onto shaky ground when they suggest that parents should not help children learn concepts and when they fail to mention that a child's need for assistance with homework may be indicative of significant trouble with school work and learning problems. Accordingly, parents are not directed toward psychoeducational evaluations, tutors or other resources. Further, they are not helped to acquire insight into their child's feelings about school, developmental readiness for various academic activities, self-concept, peer pressure, or the impact of different kinds of educational experiences (e.g., self-versus teacher-directed activities, private versus public schools, large versus small classes, etc.). Despite these weaknesses, the book contains many helpful suggestions and fills a void in the offerings on child-care by focusing specifically on homework issues.

REVIEWS OF LAY LITERATURE ON CHILD CARE: WHAT PARENTS ARE READING

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 84 (1) ◽  
pp. A45-A45
Author(s):  
Frances P. Glascoe ◽  
William R. Moore ◽  
James Henderson ◽  
Elaine D. Martin
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Positive Reinforcement ◽  
Infant Development ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
List Price ◽  
Ideal Behavior ◽  
Environmental Pressures

Caplan F, ed. The First Twelve Months of Life: Babies Growth Month by Month. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Bantam; 1984; list price $4.95 (#14 on the 1988 bestseller list of books on child care of the Ingram Book Co, distributors of trade books). Covering prenatal and infant development, the author relies on a multivariate theory of development in which the parents' roles include controller of environments, model of ideal behavior, nurturer, and instructor. Parents have identical roles. Management methods are generally behavioral and include positive reinforcement, both social and tangible, as well as punishment. Methods are designed to be preventive, corrective, and instructive. Specific practices in child-rearing and development are covered in detail and are based on empirical studies. The author is sensitive to parents' needs and fears and addresses other social issues such as environmental pressures, but not the needs of exceptional children. Intact families and material resources are presumed. The text is wellorganized, and development is detailed in month-by-month charts, photographs, and descriptions. It is moderately difficult to read. The medical content was rated as excellent with the exception of the outdated immunization schedule.

Reviews of Lay Literature in Child Care: What Parents Are Reading

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. A41-A41
Author(s):  
FRANCES P. GLASCOE ◽  
ELAINE D. MARTIN ◽  
WILLIAM R. MOORE
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Behavior Management ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Bottle Feeding ◽  
List Price ◽  
Trade Books ◽  
Reye's Syndrome ◽  
Intact Families ◽  
Supportive Parenting

Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff, & Sandee E. Hathaway. What to Expect The First Year. New York: Workman Publishing, 1989; list price $12.95 (No. 3 on the 1989 bestseller list of books on child care from Ingram Book Co., distributors of trade books). This book is a thorough, month-by-month account of health and development in the first 12 months of life. Additional chapters address: selecting a physician, purchasing baby clothes, furniture and equipment, and making decisions about circumcision, breast and/or bottle feeding. Advice on lifestyle and career issues, paternal leave, and child care is practicable and presented without alienating sanctimony. Alleviation of parental anxiety is a central focus. However, the authors appear cavalier and ill-informed when they suggest that parents should ignore most developmental delays and avoid developmental comparisons among children. Much more valuable are the messages about discipline—the authors teach sensitive, supportive parenting skills with emphasis on developing children's self-esteem and independence through encouragement and preventative behavior management. The text's medical coverage is comprehensive and current, addressing such topics as APGARs, reflexes, SIDS, preventing Reye's Syndrome, benign heart murmurs, and various first-aid treatments. Issues in nutrition, feeding and baby food recipes are also covered. The comprehensive index and table of contents make the book easy to use, although the assumption of intact families with resources, the detailed presentation of topics and difficult reading level, suggest that the book is most useful to educated parents.

REVIEWS OF LAY LITERATURE ON CHILD CARE: WHAT PARENTS ARE READING

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. A34-A34
Author(s):  
Frances P. Glascoe ◽  
William R. Moore ◽  
James Henderson ◽  
Elaine D. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Child Care ◽  
Social Context ◽  
Reading Level ◽  
Behavioral Theory ◽  
Toilet Training ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Exceptional Children ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Material Resources ◽  
The Social

Considering development to have multivariate determinants, the authors address child-care issues from womb to adolescence. Parents' roles include controller and arranger of the environment and instructor and guide; identical across parents' gender. Management methods depend on applied behavioral theory, usually reinforcement and punishment. These evolve with the developing child, and are designed to be preventive, instructive, and corrective. Detailed advice is given on a range of child-rearing topics such as immunizations, illnesses, thumbsucking, diaper changing, and toilet training. The social context includes consideration of parents' vulnerabilities, the effects of divorce, sibling rivalry, and the needs of exceptional children. Parents are assisted in finding needed resources and there are no presumptions of family structure or material resources. The reading level is moderate, the book well-organized; thorough and systematic in its coverage of a diverse range of topics. It is indexed in detail. The authors assume no prior knowledge of child-care. Medical content was rated as excellent.

PSYCHIATRIC ASPECTS OF CHANGES IN INFANT AND CHILD CARE

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1952 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 575-580
Author(s):  
HILDE BRUCH
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Parent Education ◽  
The Other ◽  
Toilet Training ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Relative Ease ◽  
Psychoanalytic Theories ◽  
Physical Care

DURING the last 2 or 3 decades child care has concerned itself with the question of how to raise children who would be emotionally secure and well-adjusted as well as physically healthy. A flood of advice has been directed toward parents as to the "best" psychologic methods of handling children. I wish to draw attention to the problems involved in deliberately changing child-rearing customs, particularly when the advice goes from one extreme to the other. In contrast to the relative ease of teaching better physical care, parent education in the field of psychologic care has often resulted in dismal confusion. Such failure of the wonderful promise of better mental health due to better psychologic insight seems to be related to the contradictions inherent in different psychologic theories, their simultaneous and often mechanical application, and the neglect of some of the underlying problems. Deliberately oversimplifying, I shall sketch the background of the various recommendations. Two main schools of thought can be recognized. According to one, children are more or less like blank pieces of paper and it is up to the parents to make the correct entries, or to "condition" a child to the correct way of life. The academic source is the psychologic teaching of behaviorism. Translated into practice it implies child care in which everything is prescribed in exact terms. This trend was congenial to the thinking of scientific pediatrics. The combination resulted in a system of child care characterized by rigid schedules for feeding, toilet training and every other activity, that is, an over-all atmosphere of emotional sterility. This rigid school was the vogue from 20 to 30 years ago. The opposed psychologic approach has its main source in psychoanalytic theories. It starts with the assumption that an infant is a bundle of intense emotions and instincts and that he "knows" in a mysterious way everything that is good for his future development. Hence the chief task is to satisfy to the fullest the child's instinctual demands and not to interfere with the unfolding of his drives.

Reviews of Lay Literature in Child-Care: What Parents Are Reading

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-480
Author(s):  
FRANCES PAGE GLASCOE ◽  
WILLIAM O. MOORE ◽  
ANNA BAUMGAERTEL
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Peer Relationships ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Attention Deficit Disorder ◽  
Summer School ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
List Price ◽  
Scholarly Book ◽  
Teachers And Parents

B. Ingersoll. Your Hyperactive Child: A Parents' Guide to Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder. New York: Doubleday, 1988; list price $8.95 (No. 19 on the 1990 bestseller list of books on child care from Ingram Book Co., distributor of trade books). This scholarly book offers thorough coverage of current research on the medical aspects of attentional problems and yet manages to lend clarity to the topic. The description and inclusion of various behavior rating scales is quite helpful. Several of the fad treatments such as optometric training and dietary restrictions are thoughtfully discussed although rather gently dismissed. The book also offers brief but quality advice for teachers and parents on improving communication between home and school, keeping track of assignments, and use of token economies and other reward systems. Other valuable approaches such as self-monitoring and self-reinforcement, tutoring, summer school, and counseling receive insufficient attention. The most serious omission is the lack of emphasis on attentional problems in relation to academic deficits and the need to rule out learning problems as a part of making the diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Otherwise, the author offers excellent recommendations for parents on managing children's behavior and helping them with peer relationships.

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