The Irreducible Needs of Children: What Every Child Must Have to Grow, Learn, and Flourish (Hardcover)

by MD T. Berry Brazelton (Author), MD Stanley I. Greenspan (Author) "Although consistent nurturing relationships with one or a few caregivers are taken for granted by most of us as a necessity for babies and young..." (more)
Key Phrases: United States, Head Start, Children's Hospital (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Parents can sometimes feel like ships being tossed in the storm--trying to keep their households afloat amidst escalating child-care and health-care costs, declining funding for public schools, and workplaces that do not favor working families. The Irreducible Needs of Children reads like a social compass, or better yet, a family's true north. T. Berry Brazelton, one of the world's most respected pediatricians, joins with one of the most respected child psychiatrists, Stanley Greenspan, to offer parents, as well as caregivers, teachers, policymakers, and even custody-hearing judges clear-cut guidelines for rearing healthy, well-nurtured children.

Each chapter speaks to the fundamental priorities, such as "The Need for Ongoing, Nurturing Relationships" or "The Need for Limit Setting, Structure, and Expectations." In every chapter the two doctors offer a lively dialog as they boldly assert their child-rearing opinions based on solid research and their collective years of wisdom. They then lead into a list of joint recommendations. No topic is too controversial or specific for these hard-core child advocates, including how many hours a baby or toddler should be in child care per week (ideally less than 30), the importance of one-on-one time, setting up child-oriented custody arrangements, and how much homework or television a child should have each day. Although you may not agree with every recommendation, this makes an excellent navigational tool for parents and anyone else who controls the course of children's destinies. --Gail Hudson

From Publishers Weekly
Pediatrician Brazelton (Touchpoints) and child psychiatrist Greenspan (Building Healthy Minds) join together to present a hard-hitting treatise on what children really need from their parents and from society. While the text is densely written, it is engaging. The two childcare experts share the mutually strong conviction that society is not currently meeting the basic needs of children. Each chapter is devoted to the discussion of an "irreducible" need, such as the Need for Ongoing Nurturing Relationships, the Need for Physical Protection, Safety and Regulation, the Need for Stable Supportive Communities and Cultural Continuity, and the Need to Protect the Future. After each discussion, the authors recommend ways to meet these needs. For instance, Brazelton and Greenspan examine how day care shortchanges children in America and make detailed recommendations on what is needed to improve the situation, such as better training, higher wages and continuity of care. Also powerful are their comments on educational issues and the need for an expanded role by schools and healthcare systems. Policy makers, health-care professionals, educators and parents will find this a thought-provoking but demanding read that poses incisive questions about the way we raise, educate and care for our children. Brazelton and Greenspan offer viable, intelligent solutions to a full deck of problems faced by our country as well as by the global community. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 248 pages
• Publisher: Perseus Publishing; 1st edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738203254
• ISBN-13: 978-0738203256
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #777,639 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beware: A Policy Paper - Not a Parenting Manual, December 8, 2000

By A Customer

I read this book expecting to obtain help and information on disciplining and understanding my 2 year old. Instead, the book outlined cleary and forcefully policy points for addressing the various problems facing todays world youth.

While this book (i) makes for interesting "cocktail party" conversation for the casual observer and (ii) provides valid and interesting action plans for those in the legislative, judicial or social work arenas addressing various problems facing children(e.g., custody dispute resolution norms), this book is not a how-to book for parents (like some of Brazelton's other books).

This book should not be bought by those seeking a how-to parenting book. Other more informative books on this subject should be consulted instead. On the other hand, this book should be bought by those engaged in any aspect of work with children.

38 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars speaking up for children, October 22, 2000

By	Laurie P. Badley "homeschooling mom" (virgina, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Gail Hudson's review above words things a little oddly. True, you could argue that this book says children ideally should be in day care less than 30 hours a week, but what it actually says it that ideally, an infant should be at home with a full=time parent! Less than ideal is excellent day care, and it should not happen more than 30 hours a week.

These and other specifics are in this book - how many floor sessions to have with a toddler, how much holding time an infant needs, how many hours of one on one an elementary schooler needs.

This book is marvelous. All parents will find they've fallen short of the ideal, but here's some directions to follow in geting back on track.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Listening to the experts!, December 27, 2000

By	Debra K. New (Shell Beach,CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a Ph.D. candidate, I read many child development books and this is one that I can get very excited about. Granted, many parents will find the advice hard to swallow, but this is a research based book. In the perfect world, this is how we would raise our children. I think this book is geared more for activists and professionals, but I also believe all parents should be an activist for their child. I wish every senator and congressman were required to read this book. Frankly, I'm grateful to Drs. Brazelton and Greenspan for giving us this opportunity for a glimse into their brillent minds. I would rate this as a must read for anyone concerned about our nation's children and social policies.