Parenthood by Proxy: Don't Have Them If You Won't Raise Them [Hardcover]

Dr. Laura Schlessinger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 2000

Children's welfare is the driving force behind Dr. Laura Schlessinger's mission. A devoted mother to her son, Deryk, she identifies herself as "her kid's mom" because that's her most important job.

Never one to shy away from tough truths, Dr. Laura marshalls compelling evidence for the widespread neglect of America's children and convincingly condemns the numerous rationalizations to excuse it. Parents, special interest groups, and professionals in education and psychology all contribute to a dangerous trend that places adult fulfillment above obligation to children. Parenthood by Proxy addresses the serious causes and effects of this national crisis, among them the high rate of divorce, serial marriages, single parenting, the premature sexualization of children, dual-career families, disdain for religion, the redefinition of immoral behavior as lifestyle choices, and societal intolerance for the concept of judgment.

In Parenthood by Proxy, Dr. Laura exhorts parents to make their own children their top priority and, if necessary, to change their lives to do so. In her inimitable, straight-shooting style, Dr. Laura entreats parents to involve themselves in their children's hearts, minds, and souls, to cherish and protect them, and to commit to the essential task of teaching them right from wrong. She acknowledges that parents no longer get much support from neighbors or public and private institutions, but she urges mothers and fathers to work even harder to counteract the prevailing culture of selfishness and irresponsibility.

Parenthood by Proxy covers all aspects of parenting, from childbearing to discipline, from multiple families to being role models. Dr. Laura also tackles such cultural and societal concerns as abortion, modern sexuality, drug and alcohol use, violence, discipline, and a child's right to privacy.

Parenthood by Proxy is a passionate and provocative summation of the perils of parenting and a road map to safety for America's families.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Sociologist and controversial radio talk show host "Dr. Laura" sends a clear message: parenting should be limited to traditional families of two parents, one of whom stays home with the children. Divorced or single people, homosexuals, and couples who both work should not have children; those who do are self-centered and contribute to the moral decline of society. Daycare users and providers, psychologists, abortion rights supporters, fertility specialists, and the American Library Association are just a few other targets of Dr. Laura's anger (and her epilog informs readers that her book is indeed written out of anger toward those who disagree with her). While many public libraries will want to buy this book to provide a different viewpoint and because Dr. Laura is well known, this reviewer does not think that Parenthood by Proxy has any place in any caring and considerate dialog on child rearing. Such a book promotes a climate of intolerance and hate. To belittle and negate the efforts of many caring parents from a wide variety of lifestyles who are raising moral, happy, and achieving children does not contribute to our understanding of parenthood. Not recommended.AKay Brodie, Chesapeake Coll., Wye Mills, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Dr. Laura Schlessinger holds a post-doctoral certification in marriage, family, and child therapy and is licensed by the state of California as a marriage and family therapist. She is the author of the best-selling children's book Why Do You Love Me? and But I Waaannt It!, and best-selling adult books The Ten Commandments (with Rabbi Stewart Vogel), How Could You Do That?, Ten Stupid Things Women Do to Mess Up Their Lives, and Ten Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives. She has the number one radio show in America, which is syndicated in 450 cities and is heard by 18 million people each weekday. In September 2000, Dr. Laura will launch a daily television show, syndicated by Paramount Domestic Television. Dr. Laura lives with her son, Deryk, and her husband, Dr. Lewis Bishop, in southern California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Harper Collins; 1st edition (April 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060191252
• ISBN-13: 978-0060191252
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,661,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Laura Schlessinger received her Ph.D. in physiology from Columbia University and holds a post-doctoral certification from the University of Southern California and licensing in Marriage and Family Therapy. She is the author of nine New York Times bestsellers, including THE PROPER CARE AND FEEDING OF MARRIAGE. Her award-winning radio program is internationally syndicated by her Take On The Day company. It's broadcast every day on more than 250 stations, XM Satellite Radio, and the Armed Forces Network, and is stream-linked and podcast on www.drlaura.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're thinking about having a child, READ THIS FIRST, April 27, 2000

By 

diane (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parenthood by Proxy: Don't Have Them If You Won't Raise Them (Hardcover)

I'm not a big fan of Laura Schlessinger. In fact, I didn't even know who she was until I started hearing all of the hoopla over her new TV show and the gay rights groups. In any event, my husband and I, both business professionals, are debating about having a child. I wanted one NOW (I am 37 years old!) and he wanted to wait. I heard her plug the book on her show, so I went out and bought it the first day it was released. I read it in one night and then I forced my husband to do the same. We both loved it. It addressed just about every quandary we had concerning raising a kid. After reading this book, I was thoroughly convinced that (as much as I want to have a baby), NOW is not the right time. My husband was actually right about this one. Neither he nor I are ready to quit our jobs. The fact that I want to have a baby NOW is a purely selfish. It's all about me and the ticking of my biological clock and my need to nurture. This book really gets down to the nitty-gritty and made me do a little soul searching. From the looks of things, most parents of today do very little soul searching before they pop out kids. So my husband and I are going to try to ignore the loud ticking of the biological clock. If and when we decide to have a baby, one of us will definitely quit our job, stay at home and actually do what a parent should do. In the mean time, I'll get a parakeet. If my clock stops ticking, we'll adopt. After all, it's about the child's needs, not the parent's. Thanks for the reminder Dr. Laura. She says it best, "if you won't or can't offer your child your being and time, don't make a baby - get a parakeet."

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good overview but the original material is much better, May 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Parenthood by Proxy: Don't Have Them If You Won't Raise Them (Hardcover)

Although I agree with Dr. Laura in her position on parenthood, I thought the book was weakly written. I have been reading a lot of the source material for her book, books such as "The Assault on Parenthood" by Dana Mack, "Domestic Tranquility" by F. Carolyn Graglia, etc. and they not only provide in-depth analysis but are much better written books. This book serves as a good introduction to the subject of current family issues and indentifies the leading commentators on the subject. The book is a quick read, but do yourself a favor and seek out the original texts that she quotes in her book. It will be well worth the effort.

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Punch in the Gut, April 30, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Parenthood by Proxy: Don't Have Them If You Won't Raise Them (Hardcover)

I don't have kids -- though I would like to someday. However, I teach the kids that Dr. Laura describes in this book on a daily basis, and her assessment/analysis seems to be right on target. As adults, we are too busy attempting to be friends with children to set limits on behavior. Dr. Laura doesn't mince words and she doesn't pull punches. Be prepared to feel nauseated as you read her thoughts on how children are raised (or rather not raised today) because you will begin to recognize that the behaviors we see in the workplace from younger employees and the behaviors in schools are actually a direct result of how children are raised.

Dr. Laura has made me even more grateful for the strictness of my parents (guess who will be getting some _really_ nice Mother's and Father's day gifts this year).