Customer Reviews

Beyond the Birds and the Bees

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is just wonderful! I am a Catholic mom of 3 small children and I'm just starting to get "those" kinds of questions from my oldest child. I had no idea how to explain all this stuff, and it was very important that my explanations also prepare my children to grow into very moral, healthy, and happy Catholic adults. I bought this book looking for help with that, and boy did I find it! I am SO glad I bought this book and I am very grateful to the author!

Popcak gives an explanation of the meaning of sexuality and marriage that will blow you away! I was literally in tears reading a couple of passages in the beginning of the book on what "healthy Catholic sexuality" really is - I knew this stuff, but he said it in a way that was so beautiful and at the same time so simple to understand. He is really gifted.

I no longer feel afraid of those "well, how does the baby get IN the mommy's tummy if the mommy doesn't have a husband?" kind of questions - I feel this book has given me all the info I need to answer these questions in a way that is sensitive, helpful to my child, and pleasing to God. I am so grateful to Gregory Popcak!

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. :)

Read it through in one sitting.
Help to get parents talking to each other about matters sexual.
A Christian approach (no apologies)to understanding sexuality.
What your child needs to know and can handle at each period in life.
Answering the unasked questions.
Helping the child avoid pitfalls in relationships.
You'll likely keep it as a reference book.

I am a mother of 4 small boys and I ordered this book because we had heard such great reviews. It turned out to be even better than I had hoped! It is an absolute must-have for all parents! Gregory Popcak explains sexuality in light of the teachings of the Catholic Church and emphasizes that sexuality encompasses our whole being. He explains that healthy sexuality is obtainable and can be taught to our children. Now I am not afraid of all the questions that will arise, but am actually looking forward to teaching my children about their God given sexuality!

Excellent to review before talking with children of all ages: infant to teen. Uses catechism as back up, true to the church's teachings re: abc, etc,

Lest you should stumble upon 'Beyond the Birds and the Bees' on Amazon or in a Catholic book store without knowing much about the author, as I did, be advised that this at times useful book is wedded to Popcak's devotion to so-called 'Attachment Parenting.' According to this controversial theory, parental bonding in infancy is sacrosanct and justifies going to extreme lengths like co-sleeping and 'baby-slinging,' i.e., carrying your infant in a sling-like device for upwards of ten hours a day. Unfortunately, a fair amount of moral absolutism goes along with this view. Popcak has labled parents who are critical of 'AP' as 'lazy,' 'ideological,' and opposed to 'neuroscience.'

Beginning at page 101, Popcak tendentiously suggests a link between the practice of AP -- in this case by refusing to let an infant 'cry it out' -- and parent-teen communication. "Parents who respond quickly and consistently to their child's cries set a precedent for responding sensitively to their child's concerns, as opposed to parents who do not respond as quickly, who are more likely to send the message that they would prefer that their children figure things out for themselves."

Yet one could just as easily argue that AP's overweening excesses will set a precedent for a moral infantalism that prevents children from making independent decisions. There is much parents can learn from this book, but they should read it critically when it veers into odd discourses like the one cited immediately above.