Customer Reviews

Child Behavior: The Classic Child Care Manual from the Gesell Institute of Human Development

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With four children and seven grandchildren, Gesell Institute's CHILD BEHAVIOR has become our constant reference guide. The book's "Ages and Stages" section was one we always anxiously referred to when one of our children was doing something unusual. It was reassuring to us to find out they were each very normal for their age. In fact, it almost seemed like the particular section had been written after observing what our kids were doing at that specific stage in their development. Today it is not unusual for one of our children to call us with a question they have about their kids. Even though our original copy is over 35 years old, the examples and descriptions still fit. Many things may have changed over the years, but children seem to develop and react similarly to specific situations. Just take one look at our tattered copy and you will see that this has been a well-used reference book in our home and we recommend it to any parent or grandparent.

this book has been 100% on the mark foretelling stages in my niece's development. she is 4 years old now and the book has been her parents best guide. a much better book than the "what to expect" series.

I bought "Child Behavior" in 1990. I read about it from a magazine. "Child Behavior" gives advice on problems of child behavior, from age 4 weeks to ten years. This book has helped me stay ahead of every stage my children would soon enter. I would read about a stage not believing it would happen, the WHAM! there they go! When I heard my first "I HATE YOU!" I didn't have a breakdown feeling like I was the worst parent in the world. Instead, I cracked up laughing to myself because I had read about this stage and couldn't imagine my children actually saying this! "Child Behavior" has kept me ahead of every stage and makes me feel like a great parent because I am prepared. My children appreciate this, because then I don't freak out thinking no other children act this way! People see me react to these stages thinking I have a lot of patience. I explain to them, I am just prepared from reading "Child Behavior."

This book is the best of its kind, and the only one that sums up the stages of development. Thanks goodness it is back in print. There are a few slightly dated bits, but most of the work by Ilg and Ames is timeless. You MUST have this book while raising your children, if only to be aware of the alternating inner and outer periods of disequilbrium and how they manifest. This book helps you keep being the grownup, because it gives you such a good overview of child development.

When my children were young, I often referred to the original printing of this book. Now with grandchildren, I have given a copy to my daughter. In reading through it, she has become more relaxed because she is experiencing stages and changes in her children that, according to the book, are very normal for each age. I am now going to order another one for myself!

Great book! A friend recommended this book to us a 2 years ago - our son is now 7 and I wish we had known about it 5 years ago. I haven't read it cover to cover, but it's a great reference guide for all the different stages kids experience. Our son is a joy, but like all children he has his "moments" and it's such a relief to refer to this book and find out he's perfectly normal!

I must admit when I started reading this book I was impressed at just how accurate some of the information was. I was a bit dissappointed with a couple of chapters but overall not bad. Please keep in mind the most current reference this book has is dated 1980. Much of the language is directly out of the 1950's. Just the sentence structure and terms for wet and dirty diapers for instance. Its time for this book to be updated with newer books for parents to turn to.

I thought that I might not like this book, since my wise nutritionist (the only nutritionist I know locally who has a PhD and degrees from several top-notch universities) recommended it...a grandmother. For some reason, the age diffence bothered me. So, I purchased a used book from Amazon due to my skepticism. But, the book turned out to be time-tested afterall. The authors mentioned early on in the book that children's behavioral cycle can shift on the age time-line, but that the order of the cycles are quite stable. I'm assuming that it depends on whether a child is more or less advance than his/her peers and what environmental issues are involved (i.e. parents getting a divorce, moving to a new location, switching schools, etc...). I've found the cycles to be quite accurate so far.

I love the feeling of knowing what my kids are going through are a perfectly normal behavioral stages in their lives and that they will grow in and out of them. I feel calmer knowing rather than stressing over things that my kids do. My daughter is shy/reserved one year (i.e. won't volunteer during circle time or stand up when it's her turn for show and tell) and a major risk-taker who's outgoing the next (i.e. will run around the neighborhood ringing doorbells and phoning friends out to play). I guess God made us that way to balance us out (i.e. to prepare us to be more balanced adults. Otherwise, we'd be stuck either as super shy or as a major risk-taker if we are not allowed by our parents to try out both ends of the spectrum to get to that equilibrium.

Really good book with descriptive information...not prescriptive. Talks about different stages children go through, and how to respond to the "challenges" at each stage. Slightly weird chapter 3 , which attributes different personalities to body type. That seems outdated. Otherwise great book from a great set of children's development experts.

This book was recommended by my pediatrician almost 29 years ago. So glad it is available as that child is now a dad. It does not tell you "the best way to rear your child", like all the others do, thank goodness! It is a fabulous book that explains the normal behaviors at different ages and explains all aspects of child behavior whether it be sleeping, potty training, fears or dealing with new siblings. This is the best there is for any parent.