The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care: A Medical and Moral Guide to Raising Happy Healthy Children [Paperback]

Martha Sears (Author), William Sears (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1997

This total child care book offers Christian- centered, medically authoritative advice on every aspect of parenting, from choosing an obstetrician to disciplining teenagers. As parents of eight children, William and Martha Sears draw on thirty years of practical and professional experience, resulting in a valuable reference book no family should be without.

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: B&H Books; 1 edition (September 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805461981
• ISBN-13: 978-0805461985
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 7.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #170,598 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 102 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected, July 11, 2003

By A Customer

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This review is from: The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care: A Medical and Moral Guide to Raising Happy Healthy Children (Paperback)

I am a big fan of the Sears' books and am feeling a bit guilty for giving this book a low rating! I own The Baby Book and The Breastfeeding Book and cannot write enough good things about both publications.

I purchased this book recently and was disappointed. I was hoping for a book that would help guide my husband and I in raising our son in a Christian manner. However, the majority of this book is dedicated to pregnancy and childbirth. Since my son is already 5 months old, I didn't really need this information. Very little of the book is dedicated to infancy, toddlerhood and the issues that come about during these stages.

The book is well written, but much of the information regarding nutrition, health, discipline, as well as many other questions/concerns/issues is better covered in The Baby Book.

57 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a real blessing!, January 8, 2001

By A Customer

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This review is from: The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care: A Medical and Moral Guide to Raising Happy Healthy Children (Paperback)

I am so thankful I discovered this book! After being given the "Babywise" books before I had my first child, I quickly realized, especially after he was born, that there must be another way, something that was right for our family and for my child. So often as I've read this book, I find myself saying "That is so true," as the Sears' statements echo my own heart in raising my children., i.e., that we have a responsibility to be "God with skin on" to our children so that eventually they will seek the God that we reflect to them. I think what I appreciate most about this book, aside from the Sears' obvious love for God and for children, is that they are not dogmatic about their advice. Yes, they advocate certain parenting practices, but they never claim that theirs is the only way, or even "God's way." They acknowledge that others may be led to do things differently and that while they may not agree (e.g. about spanking), that leading can be valid. They continually reaffirm parents' abilities to discover what's right for their own children by learning their children and by following the leading the Lord gives them, regardless of what "everyone else" seems to be doing. Reading this book will remind you of why you became a parent -- I recommend it before your children are even born, if possible!

80 of 87 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biblically Based, Excellent Book on Christian Parenting, March 1, 2003

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Kelly "kelly" (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Book of Christian Parenting and Child Care: A Medical and Moral Guide to Raising Happy Healthy Children (Paperback)

This book is simply fantastic! The authors provide a very Bible-based and scripturally backed method of childrearing. We found this book absolutely indispensible as Christian parents.

The authors encourage parents to work with the nature of the baby/child God gave them [which only makes sense - God created babies the way they are for very good reasons!]. I felt very comfortable using their parenting and child care recommendations and I truly found their ideas in harmony with my faith. We feel that using the suggestions in this book has helped us to become the parents that God wants us to be [well, on our good days at least! :) ]. We are also very pleased with the way our children are turning out.

This book provides a very interesting counterpoint to another "Christian" system of child rearing that was recommended to us - Gary Ezzo's "Growing Kids God's Way" [and the secular version "Baby Wise"]. For us, the Sears book was clearly more in line with our Christian faith and our beliefs about our divine calling as parents to God's own precious children. I would recommend any Christian family read this book as a balance to the Ezzo books - regardless of which method you choose, you will benefit from understanding both sides of the issue!