Customer Reviews

Taking Back Childhood: Helping Your Kids Thrive in a Fast-Paced, Media-Saturated, Violence-Filled World

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As a parent and former teacher, I was drawn to Nancy Carlsson-Paige's new book because I have been familiar with her groundbreaking work on young children's war play, "The War Play Dilemma" and know that she has been working, quietly and not so quietly, to effect change in the way we raise our children in this culture. She is a strong advocate for the kind of childhood I have been trying to provide for my own children, but I find it increasingly difficult to find kindred spirits who limit "screen time" and allow for plenty of "down time" for their kids. Nancy's book gives me hope that we can rescue creative play and advocate for its importance to healthy development, build closer connections to our children, help them develop the kind of empathy the world needs, and teach them to "talk back to consumerism." Most of all, it helps me feel that it's not just me against the corporations--that we parents can support each other as we try to hang on to childhood for our children--and it reminds us that childhood is not a race, but a journey....Every parent, grandparent, caregiver, and teacher needs a copy of this book!

As a college instructor and early childhood educator, I have witnessed the frustration experienced by well-intended adults who wish to protect children from media violence, commercialism, accelerated academic curriculum and other threats to a healthy childhood. As a grandmother, I have been looking for an empowering resource for my daughter as she struggles to raise her 10-year old twins. Nancy Carlsson-Paige's book comes just when parents and teachers need it the most! Through real-life stories and professional expertise, the author offers encouragement and insightful guidance for those of us who feel overwhelmed by the challenges of raising children in this complex, sometimes harmful world of ours. My early childhood education students appreciate the accessible way that the author includes child development theory in her writing so that parents and teachers can make informed decisions about how to reclaim what is crucial to childrens' healthy development - creative play, a sense of security and competence, and positive relationships with both adults and other children. I can't think of a better gift for parents and teachers who value and respect childhood.

This is an excellent book. Well written, easy read... and gives very clear, specific suggestions for handling children's behavior. I highly recommend it for parents or anyone else working with children!

Chances are, if you are considering reading this book, you are already concerned about the negative impact that our consumer culture is having on children. Nancy Carlsson-Paige will add fuel to your concern, but she also offers plenty of practical advice that anyone can follow. You don't have to be an educator to read this book and you don't need any special training to do the things she suggests! There are real-life examples on almost every page, followed by practical suggestions and sample conversations that you can easily have with the children in your life. The appendix has excellent resources for those who want to learn more, or take action against harmful media messages--and believe me, you will want to become an activist after reading this book!

Dr. Carlsson-Paige's "Taking Back Childhood" is a profoundly affecting and gripping read. Reading this eye-and heart-opening book should be mandated for all parents and caregivers of children 0 - 10. Short of that, I highly recommend this compassionate and sensitive tome for anyone hoping to see the world through a child's eyes. Children are not creatures of logic and thus parents and caregivers need the insights presented here in order to assure our children of the (relatively simple and readily available) tools they need to flourish as upstanding human beings.

If we don't like the changes we see in the world it is incumbent upon us as adults to institute the changes we want to see. There's no time like the present and no better place to start than with our "greatest natural resource": our babies and children. Dr. Carlsson-Paige gives us the tools to do just that with her straightforward advice and real-life examples. This may be more than just a good read; it could be a wake-up call and godsend for humanity. Bravo!

As a psychologist, minister, and parent who is concerned about the impact of mass media and marketing upon children, I found Nancy Carlsson-Paige's book to be a very timely, yet easy to read, analysis. I found her description of the FCC's relaxation of rules around product tie-ins for children's television shows to be especially enlightening. It has really changed the way that I view children's TV. The book confirmed my decision to terminate cable and to limit my son's TV viewing. This is a must-read for all parents, educators, and those who work with children. While it may not make you decide to turn off the TV, it will certainly make you a more informed consumer of media and marketing.

I don't have children but volunteer with elementary school girls after school. This book is an absolute treasure. It is an interesting and easy read, organized clearly so you can target the information you most need and use it in practical ways. The ideas are simple and logical, but they weren't at all obvious to me until they were clarified here. There is an urgent need for us all to think about these issues and I hope the author and community are working on ways to get the message out farther.

I especially valued the 'childhood development in a nutshell' section and the chapter on sharing power with children so they don't expect relationships to be based on coercion but also can feel comfortable knowing that adults are running the show and looking out for their safety.

Thanks for this excellent book. I hope we'll all be hearing more on what couldn't be a more important topic.

This book is a wonderful source for parents of children now a days. It gives many how tos for helping to raise children.

I heard this author discuss her book on NPR. I immediately bought a copy for my daughter, a new mother. She is very pleased with it. I hope it will be widely appreciated.