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In Defense of Childhood: Protecting Kids' Inner Wildness Hardcover – August 1, 2007

by Chris Mercogliano (Author)

7 customer reviews

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As codirector of the Albany Free School, Chris Mercogliano has had remarkable success in helping a diverse population of youngsters find their way in the world. He regrets, however, that most kids' lives are subject to some form of control from dawn until dusk. Lamenting risk-averse parents, overstructured school days, and a lack of playtime and solitude, Mercogliano argues that we are robbing our young people of "that precious, irreplaceable period in their lives that nature has set aside for exploration and innocent discovery," leaving them ill-equipped to face adulthood. The "domestication of childhood" squeezes the adventure out of kids' lives and threatens to smother the spark that animates each child with talents, dreams, and inclinations.

There is plenty that those involved with children can do to protect their spontaneity and exuberance. We can address their desperate thirst for knowledge, give them space to learn from their mistakes, and let them explore what their place in the adult world might be.

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Chris Mercogliano

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Mercogliano (Teaching the Restless) isn't the first to take the current over-controlling models of parenting and education to task, but the co-director of the Albany Free School ("a noncoercive, democratic inner-city school") is one of the most passionate, and he demonstrates compellingly how institutions, over-structured schedules and "hyperconcern" are robbing children of their childhood, smothering their creative spark and "inner wildness." Exploring the life cycle from birth to adulthood, Mercogliano covers a lot of ground, taking into account history, biology, psychology, sociology, philosophy and literature, as well as plenty of anecdotes. But even in his more intellectual moments, examining the work of leading scholars and experts (including Albert Einstein and Henry David), his message is simple: in order to save our children we must allow them time for solitude and play, and restrain the urge to pathologize (and medicate) their "disruptive" behavior. He makes a convincing plea for a return to a broader, less judgmental definition of childhood "normalcy," a term that used to evoke a "Tom Sawyer/Huck Finn archetype-brash, willful, naughty, rambunctious, aggressive, and always dirty." Showing parents and teachers how to curb the "domesticating" impulses that have turned growing up into "a carefully scripted medical procedure," Mercogliano's book, full of insight, enthusiasm and hope, is as readable and practical as it is illuminating.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Mercogliano is, in effect, a cultural therapist who accurately diagnoses and attentively ponders America's loss of childhood, offering fresh new ideas and creative solutions. Ultimately, he is what all good therapists are: a purveyor of hope. No one appreciates his message more than I, who grew up in the 1950s in rural Nebraska. He will help us care for our most valuable resource:children."—Mary Pipher, author of Writing to Change the World

"With deep insight, Mercogliano shows how our society is suppressing children’s creative energies. But he also brings a positive message, showing how we can help young people break through conventional restraints and pursue their passions. This is a beautiful, searching, and inspiring book."—William Crain, Professor of Psychology, The City College of New York, and author of Reclaiming Childhood: Letting Children Be Children in Our Achievement-Oriented Society

"Chris Mercogliano’s provocative meditation on childhood sets up a dialectic among maple-sugaring, swan-diving in forest pools, shooting slingshots, and adventuring on the one hand, and the adult-supervised ‘play’ of the Little League, the Boy Scouts, the YMCA, and the Playground Movement on the other. Along the way are insights about the functions of solitude and self-organization that lead the reader to conclude: no self-organization means that no self worthy of the name will emerge. A very strong and attractive book."—John Taylor Gatto, author of Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling

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Product details

Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Beacon Press (August 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0807032867
ISBN-13: 978-0807032862
Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 7 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,825,843 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6401 in Books > Education & Teaching > Schools & Teaching > Education Theory > Philosophy & Social Aspects
- #6589 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Psychology & Counseling > Child Psychology
- #6671 in Books > Medical Books > Psychology > Child Psychology

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Funky Mo-Unky

Surprisingly One of the BEST Child Development books I've ever read

July 31, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I wasn't expecting much from this book mostly because there are so many books on "protecting childhood." When you think about it, what child development or parenting book isn't directed towards improving a child's life. This book, more or less seemed like a general over view of how to let kids be kids. I couldn't have been more WRONG. This is a fantastic, very well written and comprehensive look at childhood at it's best, and how we're bringing out childhood at its worst.

To be honest the overall point of this book comes across a bit radical at times, but his ideas are sound. I think it's just an odd thought to let kids have more control over their own lives because we're so used to monitoring every aspect of their lives. Which is precisely the point of this book. His approach to education was so unusual it made me shake my head at times. He works at the Albany Free School which is a school that allows children to learn whatever they want, whenever they want....and what that school does is mind boggling if you're used to the structure of an everyday public school. But after reading this book, and doing some research on the school since then I am planning on taking a trip up to New York to check this school out because what they're doing is working, and as radical as it's concept might be, it is turning out some very innovative, creative, and self reliant children into the world. I have to see it for myself.

What is so impressive about this book is it's not necessarily a "parenting" book or a research oriented book, but Mercogliano covers his theme using history, biology, psychology, sociology, education theory, philosophy, literature, and personal accounts in addition to basic parenting advice, all of which is based with solid research. He wraps it all together so well, fitting the theories of Jung with Erikson, connecting that to some of the newest brain development research. He shows where childhood has come from, how it has changed, and how our culture of industry straight through to technology has shaped those changes. The whole book is quite impressive, not to mention easy to read and concise.

I was the most impressed with the chapter on how the media has affected childhood (Ch. 7: Childhood Lost). That has been my major area of study for quite some time so I wasn't expecting to read anything I hadn't read before, but the media chapter in this book might be the best chapter I have ever read on media effects. Not only did he incorporate some well known research, but he used a lot of research I wasn't familiar with. In addition he uses media theory and philosophy to introduce and back up his points starting with Marshall McLuhan and Neil Postman (the chapter of this chapter is actually a reference to Postman's book "The Disappearance of Childhood" which is also a fantastic book, although much more dense and somewhat difficult to read by comparison to this book).

The book did have it's weak points. I felt the chapter on solitude was lacking and almost pointless at times. The point of a child needing solitude to explore his inner thoughts is an important aspect of this book, but he doesn't cover the subject well. He takes a philosophical perspective, which although interesting, could have easily been tied into some research about how important it is for children to feel bored because it encourages them to seek out and explore on their own instead of having an adult cater to their entertainment needs.

I LOVED this book, and I have read countless books on just about every child development topic possible. It's an easy book to read, it's packed with good ideas, and good advice. Not to mention the author is clearly passionate about his topic, which isn't always as obvious in books so full of information. For under $1 this book is a steal, and shouldn't be missed whether you're a parent, educator, or politician. Heck, even if you have no interest in kids you should pick this book up because surely one day you'll have a child and that child will have a soul and this book will help you nurture any child's soul, their brain... and their "inner wildness" which is about the most important thing any book can hope to accomplish. This book is fantastic, don't miss it.

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Rosie Mills

In Defense of Childhood: Protecting Kids' Inner Wildness

May 27, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is an absolute "Must Read" for anyone involed with children in some way. Chris Mercogliano has done an amazing job laying out the history of childhhod from it's origins as a seprate developmental stage, to the present. This book masterfully highlights both the sucesses and flaws of our modern thinking on children and their education and development. THe book shows us how some of our modeern fears has come to be, and why they have gone awry. I hope many people will read this book and appy its lessons.

One person found this helpful2 people found this helpful

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Daniela Mannucci

5 Star Review for In Defense of Childhood

June 26, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I love this book and what I love most about it is the hard work, effort and courage that Chris Mercogliano put into the children that would have been considered outcasts in society. He took the time to examine more deeply what would allow these children to move past their inner conflicts, their fears and come into their own and shine past all the judgements from those who did not understand them, who did not understand the family system they came from and what was holding them back! I would recommend this book to anyone raising children and for those who suffered abuse of any kind in their own childhoods so they may learn to free the chains holding them back today. Your essence will feel lliberated!

One person found this helpful2 people found this helpful

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C. Wilke

Parenting Book

October 4, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is a very interesting book and we're really glad we read it. Can't say we agreed with everything he had to say but he had some good points. Well worth reading.

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Amazon Customer

Grow self-reliant, interesting children

May 6, 2009

Format: Paperback

I really enjoyed this book. I've heard many times about the importance of play -- this book explains it. It shows me an uncertain path to the outcome that I want -- children that grown into self-reliant, resilient happy adults, who can meet with setbacks and still find their way into a productive niche in the adult world. Uncertain because their are no guarantees -- this is not a program of steps, instead this book encourages you (with many research studies cited) to trust that, given appropriate freedom, you children will successfully find their own way into the adult world. Protect you children from over-scheduling and domestication. Don't let control (as practiced in most schools) be the overwhelming force in their lives. Did over-education steal your inner guide from you? Save it in your children.

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M. Heiss

Meh

April 20, 2009

Format: Paperback

Hey, I decided to become a stay-home mom in order to let my kids be kids, with free access to parents. So I am on board with a lot of Mercogliano's descriptions of the problems of overly structured, overly day-cared, overly controlled kids.

I agree that we are pushing structured learning environments at kids who are way too young for them.

This book is very feel-goody about letting kids be uncivilized as the way for them to develop into healthy grown-ups. I disagree. I think civilizing kids is the job of parents, and I conclude that parents need to rethink their double-career mindset.

The better book on this topic is "The Minds of Boys" by Michael Gurian (good for advocating free childhoods for boys or girls). There is a greater emphasis for parents to become advocates for protecting their children's free time and for understanding how kids needs are (and are not) being met in early classroom environments. Check it out.

My opinion: Now is the perfect time to restructure American family priorities toward having a parent at home. Taxes have become so high on second incomes, it hardly seems worthwhile to work once you add in childcare charges, after school program charges, transportation charges, drycleaning service, housekeeping service, restaurant meals, and the opportunity cost of missing down time with your children.

***updated*** Anyway, now that we are all to become slaves of the state working to pay off an enormous public debt, you may as well let your kids grow up to become mind-numbed robots. What else will there be for them?

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C. Lock

WOW!!! BUY the book.

June 9, 2009

Format: Hardcover

It's been a while since I have read this book, but it made an instant impact on me. If you are a parent, teacher, or anyone else who works with kids...PLEASE buy this book AND read it!!!

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