Customer Reviews

And Baby Makes Four : Welcoming a Second Child into the Family

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In a light hearted and down to earth manner, the author has created a wonderfully encouraging and realistic view of life with more than one child! I loved it cover to cover - it was easy to read and very easy to identify with many of the scenerios presented. A must for anyone who is planning (or has already started) to take the plunge!

I bought this book with the hope that it would lift my spirits about becoming a mother for the second time. We chose to have our kids close together (they will be 22 months apart) and we stand by our decision 100%. If you feel the same way, DONT read this BOOK! It is filled with downers, such as, "children under the age of 2 are not emotionally ready for siblings" or the ever famous "Can we afford two kids?" Also, it fills your mind with doubt - good thing this isnt mandatory for EVERYONE to read, the world would be full of only children. I made it to the 4th chapter....makes you wonder how ANYONE survived with a sibling...

This book backs up common sense with anecdotes and examples from real life parents in a wide variety of second-child situations (ranging from closs-in-age to far apart, 2-child and 3,4-child familes...). Unfortunately, I found most of the points it made were just that, and that if you were a conscientious parent who studied and tried hard with your first child, you would already have known most of what was in here. If you're looking for a primer that doesn't talk down to you the way many first-time parenting books do, this is a quick and fair read. If you're looking for new examples and things you haven't heard before, there are better books than this one.

Arguably the most important thing we may ever do is to bring a child into the world. Arguably the dumbest thing we may ever do is to take this endeavour too lightly. With this book, Hilory Wagner encouraged me to think about the impact, and has helped me from being, well, too dumb. In the midst of a new born (in addition to our 2-year old daughter), I can sincerely offer thanks to the author for giving me cause to think and to be better prepared. When I think back to how I would have acted prior to reading this book, I shudder.

Using a great perspective, stories, and an obvious hands-on knowledge, the author was able to give me tangible advice and considerations. Again, it made me really think.

The book is a nice read; actually fun, and in the face of the stress of child raising, it put me at ease. The style flows well, and it doesn't compromise its integrity by being too simplistic - I read it, believed in the author, and put it to work for me. And it worked!

I really liked this book, and I have given it as a gift to a few of my friends. I found it very thoughtful and insightful, without it being preachy or pretentious. Best of all, it had real practical value. I thought the author communicated clearly and concisely, with some fun thrown in for good measure. It was a big help, and I feel I am a better parent because of this book.

The absolute best indicator of a parenting book is how you feel afterwards. Some scare you into believing you are not good enough. Some don't challenge you enough. I finished this book not only feeling smarter, but also warmer and happier.

I read this book in 3 days because it was so well in tune with my concerns and because Hilory Wagner wrote in a logical sequence. She uses a terrific sense of humor...which we all could use!

I thought this would be full of helpful insight into how to deal with the added stress/effort/etc of having two kids instead of just one...it's basically a repeat of any baby book you already own and offered little, if any, in the way of new ideas. Bummer.

Some good advice...most especially for tips on making the transition more fun for your older child.

Note, the content is almost identical to "Twice Blessed".

The advice in this book is the same thing you'll hear from talking with a few friends or in any other baby book out there. There is NOTHING in this book you probably haven't heard before. Added to that, it's very negative - makes it sound like every older sibling will turn into a total terror when the baby comes. Very demoralizing. The author's attempts at humor fall flat. I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the advice isn't bad, just nothing new.

I bought when we were thinking about baby #2 and I must say it was useful for me. Sure, it won't give you any miracle recipe to a peaceful family life but it will guide your reflection about what are the possible pitfalls and what you can do to avoid them. I'm glad I read it before conceiving our next child.