Customer Reviews

My Mom's Having a Baby!: A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy (Concept Book)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Given the circumstances that sex is a delicate subject altogether - this book serves the necessary purpose. In my opinion though, I STRONGLY want to remind people that it is the responsibility of the parent/parent-to-be to be responsible in the decision on when YOU feel it is appropriate to read this book (Or any book on the same subject matter)... this book is telling the truth from a perspective that not all parents will agree on... Im going to get that out there right now. That is why any parent/parent-to-be who is interested in picking up this book for their children, you need to take responsibility in reading it on your own FIRST, to see if this book will be appropriate for you and your spouse to use, BEFORE you allow your kids to just pick it up and read without supervision.

It is categorically where it should be (thats the first rule they followed)

It is as we all know - dealing with sex, babies, anatomy from a younger view, etc - because its this type of subject matter, PARENTS NEED TO READ IT FIRST! (too many parents are complaining, and you are unjustified if you allow your child to read it unsupervised)

The illustrations are wonderful! Bright colors, very appealing with its format.

The details are indicated not too matter-of-factly, but enough to state that a parent MUST have this book in hand WITH their child/dren present together.

Very well written.

You may or may not like the book - and that is ultimately your decision to make - however, as a strong advocate for this book, I need to STRONGLY remind people - do NOT pass judgement because you saw an interview on television. Do NOT pass judgement because you heard from another person who felt it was just wrong.

You need to form your own individual opinion (free from other negative mongers) as a responsible parent/parent-to-be, by reading this book WITHOUT your kids first. You can make the informed decision on whether or not to withhold certain words based on the age of your child and use your own - you can without a passage if you feel necessary based on the age of your child... or you can take the book for what it is and realize that this is by far one of the best non-threatening books ever written.

There is a lot to like about this book, but the graphic description of sexual intercourse is a bit much for the 4 - 5 year olds this book appears to be aimed at. It says:

"The man puts his penis between the woman's legs and inside her vagina. After a while, a white liquid shoots out of the man's penis and into the woman's vagina." This comes shortly after detailed illustrations the penis and vagina.

Kids that age like nothing more than to imitate what grownups do. That isn't just my opinion; it's widely accepted scientific fact, supported by rigorous studies. This level of graphic detail should wait until they are a little older.

In the book's defense, it doesn't go into much detail on foreplay; it does stop just short of being a sex manual for kids.

The level of detail would be fine for an older kid ready for "the talk", but a kid that age might object to being given a book so obviously intended for much younger kids, and anyway there are better resources for kids that age.

I am shocked and sickened--NOT by the content in this warm and informative picture book, but by some reviewers' comments. (I wonder how many have read the entire book themselves and aren't simply reacting to sensationalistic television news reports?) The human body, child development, and a husband and wife lovingly creating a baby are not pornography. I, too, lament the sexualization of children in our society. This has nothing to do with that. Comparing this book to the how-to manual for pedophiles, as one reviewer did, is intellectually dishonest, outrageous and disgusting.

My Mom's Having a Baby offers accurate information to children about conception, pregnancy and childbirth. No one is trying to force this book on any child or parent. If it's not for you, great. Don't buy it; don't read it. But please don't bully the publisher, author and illustrator (and those who support it) with name-calling and threats.

Many of us turn to books to help us explain critical "birds and bees" information to our children. (I wish My Mom's Having a Baby had been around when I did.) In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics--the nation's pediatricians--recommends that parents start teaching their children about their bodies and sexuality from a very early age. (I wrote about this in an article published in Parents magazine.) Pediatricians also encourage parents to use the proper names for body parts with toddlers and preschoolers and, when questions arise about where babies come from, provide accurate information tailored to the individual child's needs and understanding. Instead of "the talk," today doctors encourage parents to engage in ongoing, age-appropriate conversations about bodies, sexuality, and family values as their children grow from toddlers to teens.

As many moms and dads know, children often become quite curious about these issues when a new baby is on the way, including how the baby got in there and how he or she gets out. This is the perfect, straightforward book for parents and children to share. That doesn't mean it's right for every parent and child in that situation, nor does it mean that a parent has to read every sentence to his or her children. (Parents often skip parts of stories for a variety of reasons, including when the text is too long to hold a younger child's attention.)

Frankly, I'm offended at the insinuation from some that the human body and lovemaking are somehow "dirty" or shameful. My Mom's Having a Baby celebrates a joyous occasion in the life of a loving, expanding family.

This is a very informative book, and I believe that we can no longer tell that silly stork story to children of today and they'll believe it.

Seeing that this book is geared towards the younger child (the little girl on the cover looks to be about 5 or 6 years old), the only REAL problem I had with this book is the illustrated page where a man and woman are shown obviously "making love"...in bed, under the moonlight, man on top of the woman, etc. - sometimes children mimic what they see, and I don't think any of us want our children to imitate that position (especially not at the age of 5 or 6). And even more disturbing was the language used beneath that very picture - waaay too graphic!

There will be some who feel their child can handle this book, and others who will use their good judgment and put it away on the shelf until the child is ready.

I think books like this are wonderful potential learning tools. Reading through the few 'reviews' on here I've seen the gamut of reactions. One compared it to the 'Pedophile Guide" and another attributed it to the 'reason our country is going so badly right now". At the heart of the matter, sex is a natural process and a wonderful part of God's creation (or a natural process shared across most species from evolution, depending on your belief there). For those who state that this is somehow ruining our country - some Native Americans lived in one room tepees - and continued to procreate. Do you think that they waited until there were no children present? Or what about the industrial revolution or other circumstances in which a family lived in one room? Do you truly think that the kids weren't present? I'm not advocating for being THAT open, my point is that the world does not end if kids know about sex. They have sponges for brains and a body that they're trying to figure out. As parents it is our responsibility to teach our children about as much as possible. If they act inappropriately with that knowledge, the parent must correct it. If a child acts inappropriately with any other knowledge - isn't that also true? That being said - it is up to each set of parents (or parent) to decide when they will teach about sex to their children. I'm in no way saying that every parent needs to teach their child about sex at 4, 8 years old, etc. When they decide is best for their parenting style is up to them. However - I think the attitude that kids learning about sex is abhorrent is completely off-base and frankly, misguided. It is fine to choose to not teach your children until a much later age, but don't condemn those that do.

My daughter is two, and we're expecting our second child. This book was a gift, and I have to say it is very well done. I've put it on the shelf for now, because it is too much detail for her. However, whenever it is that she wants to know how the sperm and the egg got together (even if baby number 2 is a toddler by that point!) this is the book I'll pull out. The sex details aren't the only ones that make this book over the head of most two year olds -- in general it just has a lot of information.

I think this book is great my daughter was three when we were first expecting our second child I showed her pictures online of how big the baby was at different stages she loved seeing how the baby grew arms and changed into a real person she loved knowing what was going on I think parents should alaways review the books that there kids check out I think there is nothing graphic about the amazing way a person devolps fron two "seeds" If your child is not ready for this then its not the book for you my daughter is fasinated by the world and this is a great book.

This author and illustrator team has created one of the warmest family books I've ever seen. It is a BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION of one of the happiest events in a family's life, explaining the miracle in a clear, truthful, and lovely way. It's the perfect way for parents to sit down with older siblings and share the joyful event. I love this book and the joy it exudes.

I checked this book out from our local library when we were ready to have the talk with our 7 yr old (and I was pregnant with twins). I remember my mother trying to give me some easy answer to the question, "Where do babies come from" when I was in kindergarten, and when I did not accept her answer she took me to the library and showed me a similar book. It was a tasteful discussion guided by a book that explained to me the questions I had. I still appreciate that she did not just placate me with some nonsense, and it made her approachable when I had more questions as I got older. This is what I was looking for to discuss how babies are made with my daughter, and this book was the best one our local library had.

It does explain things somewhat graphically, and did embarrass me to read it and think about telling my daughter, "after a while white liquid comes out...." But that is what happens. If I did not think my child was ready for that information, I would not have shared it with her. But it answered her questions and opened up a great dialogue between us. I do not feel the illustrations are graphic. It has a mom and dad in bed completely covered by a blanket, and if I remember correctly some anatomically correct illustrations as well, but my kids have seen that with their siblings diaper changes.

Having the talk with my mother at a young age did not encourage me to have any kind of sex at a young age and before marriage, I was a virgin on my wedding night at 23, and am a Christian. I am amazed that some people think talking about sex with their children gives them permission to have it, it was not at all like that in my family. It is entirely possible to teach your child about sex and boundaries with it as well.

I am now purchasing this book to keep on hand for my younger children, because it was a great help to us, a start to a dialogue that every parent should have with their children. As to children stumbling upon this book in the library, it is usually kept in the non-fiction children's section. My kids never even wander over to that section, it is not kept with the picture books, you really have to be looking for it to find it. And who leaves their young child unattended at the library anyhow?

My Mom's Having A Baby! is a children's picturebook designed to answer basic childhood questions about where babies come from. Told from the point of view of a young girl, it describes how babies are made in plain terms. Anatomically correct illustrations by Carol Thompson and Dori Butler's straightforward narration offer simple descriptions of how reproductive organs work, what it is like for a woman to be pregnant, and the steps of childbirth, all culminating in the arrival of a new baby brother at home. A superb giftbook or introduction to the facts of life, especially for a child who may be anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new sibling.