Customer Reviews

Being There: The Benefits of a Stay-At-Home Parent

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Thank you, Dr. Fox, for finally being courageous enough to expose the myth of "quality time." For so long, researchers and physicians have known that attachment parenting is the ideal situation for infants and children, but, haven't disseminated this information in the mainstream. Dr. Fox recognizes the reality that for some parents, e.g. single parents or the working poor, working is a necessity. But for many millions of parents, generally mothers, working provides an opportunity for intellectual stimulation, career growth, or to afford the luxury of a lifestyle maintained previous to having children. Dr. Fox encourages parents to understand the value of investing in our children (shouldn't this outweigh the value of investing in a career while our children are young?) and offers many valuable tips on how to financially manage with only one income. Furthermore, she offers extensive research on the ramifcations of inconsistent childcare and insecure bonding with parents. The studies on what happens to our kids when we don't give them our time are quite clear and it isn't positive. Thank you, Dr. Fox, for speaking up.

The author demonstrates the process of bonding that occurs between mother and child during the first year and how this affects future well-being. Author explains the necessity for security of bonding between child and one trusted person; not just any person, the parent. Author shows the vital, major difference between parental care and care by other loving adults. Especially convincing: even the "best" day-care centers present children with an ever-changing array of caregivers, preventing the most important task of a child; developing trust and bonding. Details the damage done by "caregiver roulette." Author explains how bonding is the most important aspect of early childhood development, not intellectual stimulation. However, early bonding improves future learning in school. The only weakness of this book is that the author focuses mostly on the impact of non-parental care for babies and toddlers with little emphasis on the ramifications for older children and teenagers. The reader will be convinced that caring for one's own child is the most important career a mother or father can pursue, and that there is no comparable substitute.

The author demonstrates the process of bonding that occurs between mother and child during the first year and how this affects future well-being. Author explains the necessity for security of bonding between child and one trusted person; not just any person, the parent. Author shows the vital, major difference between parental care and care by other loving adults. Especially convincing: even the "best" day-care centers present children with an ever-changing array of caregivers, preventing the most important task of a child; developing trust and bonding. Details the damage done by "caregiver roulette." Author explains how bonding is the most important aspect of early childhood development, not intellectual stimulation. However, early bonding improves future learning in school. The only weakness of this book is that the author focuses mostly on the impact of non-parental care for babies and toddlers with little emphasis on the ramifications for older children and teenagers. The reader will be convinced that caring for one's own child is the most important career a mother or father can pursue, and that there is no comparable substitute.

Great book with solid references for parents raising their own children! Very positive, motivational book for mothers chosing the best career in their life-raising their own children.

I am new to staying-at-home, and thought that this book would give me inspiration for the hard days, but I'm probably going to get rid of it. It did make me feel really guilty for not staying at home with my now 2 year old. But I wasn't really impressed with the writing style, nor with the amount of information in the book...seems like it could have been about 1/5 the length. The author kept going over the same information over and over again. Don't think I'd recommend it to anyone.

The book go on saying how important for a child to have a constistant caregiver. Not only that but how important it is for parents to spend time with their kids.

Can't we just all get along? Every mother is doing the best for their children. Let's accept each other's choices and stop trying to validate our own choices by putting others down.