REVIEWS OF LAY LITERATURE ON CHILD CARE: WHAT PARENTS ARE READING
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 The medical content was rated as excellent with the exception of the outdated immunization schedule.