By: Pamela Paul Publisher: Times Books Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Times Books Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 320 Publication Date: April 01, 2008 Release Date: April 01, 2008
A leading social critic goes inside the billion-dollar baby business to expose the marketing and the myths, helping parents determine what’s worth their money—and what’s a waste
Parenting coaches, ergonomic strollers, music classes, sleep consultants, luxury diaper creams, a never-ending rotation of DVDs that will make a baby smarter, socially adept, and bilingual before age three. Time-strapped, anxious parents hoping to provide the best for their baby are the perfect mark for the “parenting” industry.
In Parenting, Inc., Pamela Paul investigates the whirligig of marketing hype, peer pressure, and easy consumerism that spins parents into purchasing overpriced products and raising overprotected, overstimulated, and over-provided-for children. Paul shows how the parenting industry has persuaded parents that they cannot trust their children’s health, happiness, and success to themselves. She offers a behind-the-scenes look at the baby business so that any parent can decode the claims—and discover shockingly unuseful products and surprisingly effective services. And she interviews educators, psychologists, and parents to reveal why the best thing for a baby is to break the cycle of self-recrimination and indulgence that feeds into overspending.
Paul’s book leads the way for every parent who wants to escape the spiral of fear, guilt, competition, and consumption that characterizes modern American parenthood.
Parenting,Plus Pamela Paul captures the culture of commercialism for child-rearing.The anxieties of being a parent have been capitalized on by manufacturers; and, parents are distracted from the realities of raising a baby.Not only is "stuff" stuffed down new parents throats,this is accompanied by false claims of excellence.Pamela Paul has researched her topic and added a dose of intuition, inspiration,common sense and humor to drive her point home. BRAVA!!!!!
Sobering look at raising kids Pamela Paul, who has written lucidly and piercingly about other issues in American culture, here examines the money and mentality of raising children. She begins by discussing baby sign language, and, right away I thought about the choices I made for my children. I never did get around to teaching my kids sign language, I didn't buy the most expensive cribs or cradles. Did I screw up?? Did I damage my children? Paul reassures me that, no, my kids will do just fine, thank you. This book is interesting from a sociologic perspective. But it's also practical. I think that any new parent (or parent of a pregnant child) should read it to get a clearer vision on what children "must" have, and what children truly need. The bottom line: children need more of what money can't buy. And if you spend less time going out to earn the money, maybe you'll be home more to give your kids what they need: you!
Chose your role models carefully I think author Pamela Paul was brave to go up against "Big Baby" (her phrase not mine) and argue against Baby Einstein or buying fancy car seats, for example. Surely some people (the grandparents of her own tots perhaps) would raise an eyebrow at that.
Too many people in our society spend money without thinking. American household savings rates, around 15% in 1980, are now basically 0. What are people going to do when it's time to spend $20,000 on Kindergarten? If they heed this book, the answer will be "relax". You can raise kids better by ignoring the people who tell you to spend more. It fits with the (better raised) of my friends' children, anyway.
This book is such a great topic, too bad it fell short. Not as good as it could have been! After the first few pages the author lost her outrage and personal voice.
Without the author using a more personal voice it reads like she just fell into line with all the consumerism through out the book. Then it starts to read like a bureau of statistics or consumer reports brochure warning how not to let advertising and marketing dupe you into being a foolish consumer driven parent. Which has it's value for waking up some parents, but was a DULL read and led me nowhere.
With such a brilliant topic ripe for peeling back to shake up this generation of parents, the book was flat! I can not figure out why and how Ms. Paul missed the mark.
Is her own voice as a mother/ author too timid or is she just warning us, and she is not avoiding falling into line with what the marketers want and continues to raise her children as consumers.
I purchased this book full price at my local Barnes and Noble because of Dr Elkinds blurb on the back, he is a guru from the education world supporting and educatiing parents who are unwilling to follow nonsensical parenting fads (we are in the middle of too many).
Everyone should read Dr Elkind's books, my favorite that supported following my intuition about raising children was "Miseducation: PRESCHOOLERS AT RISK" it's a bit old, but absolutely relevant for what is happening today.
Another brilliant book for parents that goes against the grain of mainstream parenting fads is by Dorothy Briggs, "Your Child's Self Esteem" it will help you get off the fast track of parental and child consumerism.
A Must Read! For anyone who has kids, is thinking about having kids, or has even watched friends and relatives going through the pressure of parenting, this is a fascinating read. I think it is particularly important for new parents overwhelmed by the marketing of "must have" baby products. Pamela Paul shows us that not only are these products not "must haves", but many are actually doing damage to our children's creativity and ability to relate to others.
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