Parenting, Inc.

Parenting, Inc.
by Pamela Paul

Parenting, Inc.
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Book Summary Information

Author: Pamela Paul
Edition: Hardcover
Published: 2008-04-01
ISBN: 0805082492
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Times Books

Book Reviews of Parenting, Inc.

Book Review: Get past the intro...
Summary: 4 Stars

This book came to me highly recommended, and frankly - I agree with its title, subtitle and all of the precepts it puts forth. I was very much looking forward to seeing what the authoress had to say.

So I was nearly shocked into dropping it when, out of the gate, Pamela Paul chose Baby Sign Language as her whipping boy. Just how much further she could have missed the mark on this topic, I do not know.

As a parent of two boys under four, we found BSL to be an invaluable tool for understanding, communication, and above all avoidance of frustration.

A baby has more going on in his or her brain than he can possibly express. Without proper control over vocalization, all he can do to get his wishes across to his parent is to cry or flail.

Instead, giving your baby the tools she needs to communicate is a priceless and amazing gift. You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on this. Classes are optional - it needs only be between you and your infant. You can get a secondhand book with basic signs for under ten dollars. In fact, MAKE UP YOUR OWN if nothing else! ("hungry" "thirsty" "tired" "pick me up" "diaper" and "pain" are good starters) The important thing is that you and she understand each other, not that she's got proper grammar.

In fact, the first time your baby TELLS you that she's HUNGRY, instead of crying while you ineffectually ask "Are you cold? Hot? Tired? Wet? Want a toy?" you will realize just how valuable this is.

Do not treat it as Pamela Paul apparently did - it is not a status symbol, checkbox for a baby's resume, or fad for Brooklyn yuppies.

It is, however, a wonderful step toward connecting with your baby, and letting him feel safe in the knowledge that (a) he has a voice, and (b) mommy and daddy actually hear him, and are there to take care of him.

Rob

Summary of Parenting, Inc.

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.

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