The Continuum Concept (Arkana) [Paperback]

Jean Liedloff (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"The Continuum Concept" introduces the idea that in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development, human beings - especially babies - require the kind of instinctive nurturing as practiced by our ancient relatives. It is a true 'back to basics' approach to parenting. Author Jean Liedloff spent two and-a-half years in the jungle deep in the heart of South America living with indigenous tribes and was astounded at how differently children are raised outside the Western world. She came to the realisation that essential child-rearing techniques such as touch, trust and community have been undermined in modern times, and in this book suggests practical ways to regain our natural well-being, for our children and ourselves.

About the Author

Jean Liedloff has written for the Sunday Times and was a founding member of the Ecologist magazine. She lectures and broadcasts around the world to students, doctors, parents, psychotherapists and the general public. She lives in London.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd (November 23, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014019245X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140192452
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #374,578 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening., February 4, 2002

By	Huby7 "Curt" (Springbrook, Wi United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The continuum concept (Hardcover)

I read Jane Lieloff's book about a year ago. Where I first heard about it was at the Ishmael Community.
What I got from the book was that humans have expectations that have been passed on from our predecessers that need to be met in our human experience. Unfortunately due to our culture's mythology's about child rearing a lot of the human expectations go unmet in our human experience.
Liedloff pointed out to us that the Yequana still use the child rearing instincts of our predecessers. And as a result their children behave a lot differently from the children raised in civilization. And all in all the people of the Yequana tribe are more content in their living situation than we in civilization are.
A different cultural perspective on child rearing. Everybody who was raised and is raising children in our Taker Culture should read!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positively changed my perspective on parenting!, November 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Continuum Concept (Hardcover)

This book opened my mind to see beyond our own culture and view parenting and the family from a truly human perspective - taking into account the basic needs and expectations that are natural to the human condition, no matter in what culture one lives.

I recommend this book to anyone who ever has a child, is thinking of having children, or ever was one.

Parenting with this book as a guideline can change our society for the better, one individual at a time.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a wonderful concept, marred by some ignorant comments, December 1, 1999

By	Sophie (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The continuum concept (Hardcover)

The simple and pure continuum concept will stay with me throughout my parenting years to come. I am very glad to have read of it before my first child is born. To hold your children, partner and friends in need, and to restrain from labelling them, makes wonderful sense to allow for their free, confident yet supported development.

However, the book contains some unworthy and potentially dangerous tangents, which are ignorant and poorly researched. The most harmful is the negetive view of homosexuality and ignorance about its causes. The damage done by expressing unsupportive and negative views about a sexuality different to your own could wipe out any benefit of having used the continuum concept in all else.

I am also not comfortable with the implied strict division of male and female roles. Although most children will fit into these expectations conveniently enough for narrow minded parents, we are all at different points along a spectrum of male and female behaviours, and should not be pigeon-holed. Other primative cultures do allow for this, and one of the benefits of the modern world is that we are relatively free to find our own place in it, and I celebrate this.

This book would be much improved by thorough revision and complimentary scientific research (which does not seem to have been done for the 1986 revision on reading the reviews here). It could then become a truly inspiring work.

So, to whoever reads this book: please watch out for its flaws for yourself and do not to take every word as the truth, but distill and absorb the beauty at its core.