Product Description

This classic guide to child-care and development and a bible for parents is now updated. Written from the baby and child's perspective, information is organised in easy-to-follow age bands. At each stage there is illuminating advice on every problematic or exciting aspect of child-care, from feeding and sleeping to thinking and talking.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9978 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 560 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Be assured from the start--this book is written by one of the world's leading experts in child development. Penelope Leach has worked with children and families for more than 20 years, researching such areas as antenatal education, birth practices, behavioural issues and child care. The guiding objective throughout her work is to bridge the gulf between theory and family reality--and in this she is second to none.

From page one you will feel completely immersed in her gentle and inspiring prose--she is authoritative without been didactic and her practical and reassuring explanations show real empathy to the feelings of parents. What's more, Leach writes from the child's point of view, making every aspect of care and each new stage reached, much more understandable and special.

The book is organised by approximate age-stages, starting off shortly before birth, up until the beginning of school life. Each stage gives advice and guidance on sleeping, feeding, playing and washing as well on the cognitive developments such as thinking and talking. There are "Parent's Ask" and "Parent's have their say" sections that discuss common anxieties and assuage misplaced fears or guilt and every chapter is wonderfully illustrated and structured, allowing you to dip easily into the appropriate section.

This book is more than a guide to child-care. It is an insight into your child's first years of life--their needs, thoughts and their behaviours--which will help you really communicate together. It is supportive without intruding in on your own parenting instincts and it will give you the confidence to live by your baby, not by the book. If you only buy one parenting guide, buy this. --Abi Frisby

Review
"! covers everything you need to know for the first five years of your child's life." Baby & You.

About the Author
Penelope Leach is a research psychologist specialising in child development. Her many achievements include; president of the National Childminding Association; former trustee and current research adviser to the NSPCC; fellow of the British Psychological Society; and founding committee member of the UK branch of the World Association for Infant Mental Health. Her books include Babyhood: infant development from birth to two years and The Parents' A-Z. She resides in London.

Customer Reviews

Penelop leach, your baby and child, thank goodness
An excellent,informative, comforting, information-packed, friendly book. My baby bible. Penelope Leach's approach to childcare is both baby and parent-friendly. She is not for getting your baby to fit into a regime, or for having your life ruled by your child's demands, but for understanding your child's needs at different stages of development and finding ways of working together.

If you buy one childcare book, let it be this one!
I adore this book. A friend bought it for me when I was expecting our first son. I remember being a bit daunted by the fact that there were 80 pages about breastfeeding and thinking, how can it possibly be that difficult. But of course by the time our son was a month old I'd probably read those 80 pages avidly, word for word. This has been our experience so many times with this book. Throughout so many different stages, it offers a really good overview of different ways of handling the 'challenges' of raising kids. But the best thing is that she helps you to make your own decisions. Penelope Leach clearly does have her own opinion about the best way of doing things, but she doesn't force it on you - which is a pretty rare thing when it comes to child-raising. The book is thus both a really good friend and an insight into how your child sees things. It's also a fun read, because you can get excited about all the fun stages you have to look forward to as your child grows up. We are now on baby number two and I have re-read some early parts of the book just as avidly as I did the first time, while still using the later parts of the book for our older son, since it covers children up to age five.

A GODSEND
I found Penelope Leach's book invaluable when my children were small. The youngest is now 10. I had no-one around to support or advise me, so I followed this book's advice word for word. It worked! While other people struggled with babies who wouldn't sleep, or grappled with trying to understand why the baby behaved in a certain way, I found this book helped me approach all difficulties in an easy to understand manner. I couldn't have done without it!