Book Review - Parenting, Inc.
Pamela Paul's latest book, Parenting, Inc., [WCF, Powells] is a goddess send. It takes all the insanity that is the baby/child accoutrement business and whittles it down into common sense. On Good Reads.com, one reviewer didn't agree:
I bought this book in hopes it would provide some perspective on my current buying spree. Unfortunately, all I really found it offered was a whiney polemic againt parents buying so much. Although the author included some top line research, it was clearly not a balanced perspective.[sic]
And this is where I think the brilliance of the book comes into play. Paul takes the agonizing time to look into just about every aspect of the baby/child business. From the moment that second pink line appears to pre-school, Paul walks us through why we have so many gadgets to buy and even why we are afraid not to buy them. It is not whiny as much as a plea for parents to trust our instincts. Do we really need a walking and talking doll to teach our kids the ABCs? Do we really need to buy educational DVDs for infants?
Paul talks to experts and the bottom line is that we don't need most of what we are buying or being told to buy. I've resisted buying any educational DVD for my daughter and shamelessly will gloat about it too. Why? Because the idea of sitting her down in front of the TV to learn anything never jived with me. Yes, I blissfully recall learning some Spanish on Sesame Street, but I recall mostly that they said 'aqua' as AHG-WHA not AH-WHA. Paul states that "[s]ticking a baby in the bouncy seat or exersaucer in front of the TV set while Elmo or Dora do their thing is the modern equivalent of the once-ubiquitous, now verboten playpen."
From outsourcing parenting trials such as potty training and sleeping schedules to uber-fancy kiddie 'country clubs,' Paul does an excellent job at painting the picture, dismantling it with facts & data, and then giving us a choice. That choice is usually "Don't Do It," but somewhere in the "Outsourcing Parenthood" chapter she gives into some of the parenting experts. I do have to say that she does an excellent job at justifying her choice as well as giving us parenting experts who DON'T do the parenting as some others do.
The only thing missing is a better look at mommy blogs who peddle many of these unnecessary items to fellow moms. Paul rips apart marketing and advertising folks, but barely mentions the enormous power that is mommy blogging and mommy blog review sites. Yes, my dear readers I'm getting jaded...Mostly because I do believe many things are unnecessary and the reason I love the momosphere is that we're supportive of each other. I don't care that some make money off their blog, but when they do it by selling me an overpriced piece of plastic, I care. That said, I will still review products, but in a carefully vetted process and I'll be totally up front with you.
This book is a must read...AND I highly suggest that you get this book for yourself or your girlfriend/sister/daughter BEFORE she's pregnant (hormones are a bitch!). Get it now and hand it to her once she even mentions she might be trying to get pregnant. The bottom line is that there is a huge market out there and us parents are chumps when it comes to our kids. We want the best for them and we have been led to believe that we can only get the best by opening our wallets. Believe me now or regret those purchases later...You don't need 15 receiving blankets. For reals.
Other reviews:
Paul talks to experts and the bottom line is that we don't need most of what we are buying or being told to buy. I've resisted buying any educational DVD for my daughter and shamelessly will gloat about it too. Why? Because the idea of sitting her down in front of the TV to learn anything never jived with me. Yes, I blissfully recall learning some Spanish on Sesame Street, but I recall mostly that they said 'aqua' as AHG-WHA not AH-WHA. Paul states that "[s]ticking a baby in the bouncy seat or exersaucer in front of the TV set while Elmo or Dora do their thing is the modern equivalent of the once-ubiquitous, now verboten playpen."
From outsourcing parenting trials such as potty training and sleeping schedules to uber-fancy kiddie 'country clubs,' Paul does an excellent job at painting the picture, dismantling it with facts & data, and then giving us a choice. That choice is usually "Don't Do It," but somewhere in the "Outsourcing Parenthood" chapter she gives into some of the parenting experts. I do have to say that she does an excellent job at justifying her choice as well as giving us parenting experts who DON'T do the parenting as some others do.
The only thing missing is a better look at mommy blogs who peddle many of these unnecessary items to fellow moms. Paul rips apart marketing and advertising folks, but barely mentions the enormous power that is mommy blogging and mommy blog review sites. Yes, my dear readers I'm getting jaded...Mostly because I do believe many things are unnecessary and the reason I love the momosphere is that we're supportive of each other. I don't care that some make money off their blog, but when they do it by selling me an overpriced piece of plastic, I care. That said, I will still review products, but in a carefully vetted process and I'll be totally up front with you.
This book is a must read...AND I highly suggest that you get this book for yourself or your girlfriend/sister/daughter BEFORE she's pregnant (hormones are a bitch!). Get it now and hand it to her once she even mentions she might be trying to get pregnant. The bottom line is that there is a huge market out there and us parents are chumps when it comes to our kids. We want the best for them and we have been led to believe that we can only get the best by opening our wallets. Believe me now or regret those purchases later...You don't need 15 receiving blankets. For reals.
Other reviews:
Disclaimer: The only payment I received for this review was the review copy of the book.
Technorati tags: parenting, marketing, Pamela Paul, Parenting, Inc.
