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Parenting, Inc.
by
Pamela Paul
A leading social critic goes inside the billion-dollar baby business to expose the marketing and the myths, helping parents determine what’s worth their money—and what’s a waste
Parenting coaches, ergonomic strollers, music classes, sleep consultants, luxury diaper creams, a never-ending rotation of DVDs that will make a baby smarter, socially adept, and bilingual before ag...more
Parenting coaches, ergonomic strollers, music classes, sleep consultants, luxury diaper creams, a never-ending rotation of DVDs that will make a baby smarter, socially adept, and bilingual before ag...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
April 1st 2008
by Henry Holt and Co.
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This book drove me crazy, if only because it cemented the fact that we are a bunch of morons. I guess that's not very specific. Let me begin again:
This book seems to be written for people who haven't yet grasped the fact that there is more to being a human being than buying things. The other assumption made by this book is that all parents want their children to be members of some strange wealthy elite by turning them into driven early intellectuals and pitting them against other children to ge...more
This book seems to be written for people who haven't yet grasped the fact that there is more to being a human being than buying things. The other assumption made by this book is that all parents want their children to be members of some strange wealthy elite by turning them into driven early intellectuals and pitting them against other children to ge...more
Fascinating. I feel like a better parent now. I'm in the wrong profession- I could be a professional baby namer for $400 a kid. Or an infant psychiatrist, at $100-$300 a session. Reading this gave me more confidence in my decisions to have low-key (or no) birthday parties for my kids, not buying them bath toys (they use plastic bowls and soda cups), and buying the cheapest stroller that functions perfectly well. Now if only I hadn't bought in to the Baby Einstein phenom, I could win mother of th...more
I skimmed and skipped through this because a lot of the context was completely nuts and relevant only to wealthy middle-aged Manhattanites. However, it was reassuring to hear someone preach against the rampant consumerism promoted by the parenting industry. I learned a few things. And I feel less guilty now about Peter not having many toys.
Full disclosure: I am not pregnant and we don't have kids.
This was a really interesting twist on the topic of consumerism (or ueber-consumerism?). People think it is justified to spend money, lots of it, on their kids, because it is "not for them". And the more they spend, the more they are "proving their love" for them. Whether it's classes for babies, superfluous safety equipment, designer strollers, or over-the-top birthday parties, this book shows that thinking this way influences the child...more
This was a really interesting twist on the topic of consumerism (or ueber-consumerism?). People think it is justified to spend money, lots of it, on their kids, because it is "not for them". And the more they spend, the more they are "proving their love" for them. Whether it's classes for babies, superfluous safety equipment, designer strollers, or over-the-top birthday parties, this book shows that thinking this way influences the child...more
Paul has some important observations on the current "baby boutique" trend of overpriced strollers, $30 onesies, and $1000 toddler music classes. However, the book leans more to the anecdotal ("I once knew a woman who..." and "can you believe that people will spend $1000 on a stroller?") and provides less of a true sociological analysis of how parenting in the millenium has become an exercise in consumerism. Still, thought provoking for contemporary parents or those who expect to become parents;...more
god, i love books like this. sociology about all the useless crap parents get bamboozled into buying for their babies. one of my friends came over when i was reading this book & she was looking at it & was like, "wait. FETAL EDUCATION? what the fuck is that?" i was like, "yeah. i know, right?"
of course, all of these books cover the same ground, more or less. there's always a chapter about luxury strollers, there's always a chapter about baby einstein. & while the author went on &...more
of course, all of these books cover the same ground, more or less. there's always a chapter about luxury strollers, there's always a chapter about baby einstein. & while the author went on &...more
Do you have a baby? Do you ever want a baby? Do you know anyone who has or will ever have a baby? Yeah, you need to run, not walk, to get this book. The author and her writing style can be grating at times, but the information in this book is invaluable. Just like people are sold wedding crap because "OMG Special day!!", people are sold baby crap (and it truly is crap) because "OMG your baby is special" combined with an extra dollop of "if you don't buy this product for your baby, your kid will...more
I really liked this book, and thought it presented a well-researched overview of how the "billion-dollar baby business" advertises unnecessary child-related products to parents. It was interesting to learn how much babies *don't* need, and this will be really helpful to me as a first-time parent this summer.
Interesting quotes:
1) "The truth is, most babies don't even need baby cream, powder, or lotion; unless they have a dermatological condition, their skin is naturally soft and supple." (p. 33)
2...more
Interesting quotes:
1) "The truth is, most babies don't even need baby cream, powder, or lotion; unless they have a dermatological condition, their skin is naturally soft and supple." (p. 33)
2...more
Oh, woe, woe, woooooooooooe is the urban, upper middle-class mother! The pressure! The expectations!
The subtitle of this books is "How We Are Sold on $800 Strollers, Fetal Education, Baby Sign Language, Sleeping Coaches, Toddler Couture, and Diaper Wipe Warmers and What It Means for Our Children." And my response, after reading the book, is "we? We who?" Full disclosure: I did talk my mother into buying me a diaper wipe warmer. In my defense, I was less than a week post-partum and my premature s...more
The subtitle of this books is "How We Are Sold on $800 Strollers, Fetal Education, Baby Sign Language, Sleeping Coaches, Toddler Couture, and Diaper Wipe Warmers and What It Means for Our Children." And my response, after reading the book, is "we? We who?" Full disclosure: I did talk my mother into buying me a diaper wipe warmer. In my defense, I was less than a week post-partum and my premature s...more
6 likes · like · see review
I loved this book. It got a bunch of lower reviews from other readers and I'm not sure why. It's a straightforward look about the business behind being a parent...The pressures to throw big birthday parties, enroll your infant in classes, buy fancy strollers, and many parent's quest to raise a baby genius. Since I just recently became a parent, I wrestled with a lot of these decisions. If someone else put their baby in a class, shouldn't I? If I don't, will she be 'behind'? The book discusses a...more
The subtitle on the front cover is: How We Are Sold on $800 Strollers,
Fetal Education, Baby Sign Language, Sleeping Coaches, Toddler
Couture, and Diaper Wipe Warmers---And What It Means for Our Children.
As the subtitle suggests, this book delves into the current state of
the baby business…how our culture has gone from getting a couple of
diapers and setting up a dresser drawer for a newborn to spending
thousands of dollars on nurseries, birthday parties and baby
paraphernalia.
There are a lot of angle...more
Fetal Education, Baby Sign Language, Sleeping Coaches, Toddler
Couture, and Diaper Wipe Warmers---And What It Means for Our Children.
As the subtitle suggests, this book delves into the current state of
the baby business…how our culture has gone from getting a couple of
diapers and setting up a dresser drawer for a newborn to spending
thousands of dollars on nurseries, birthday parties and baby
paraphernalia.
There are a lot of angle...more
Okay, so I barely read it--skimmed about 4 chapters, just to see if it was what I thought it was about...and it was. I didn't really need someone to write a book to tell me how much parenting has become a market, and this book actually had a slim audience to me, since it was really focused on the richest people who have children: nannies, high end preschools, baby signing classes, etc. nice to know you're not the only one w/ eyeballs attached to a brain, but nothing new revealed
The author does a great job of cutting through the hype and showing parents the machine behind the baby product industry. What she doesn't do is present much of an alternative. I felt that the book was out of balance - 90% is "isn't this horrible, bad, unnecessary" and 10% is "here's what's good." I would've liked to see more of the good.
Not crazy about her other books (bit of wacko), but this one was informative and reasonable. I've already found it helpful in navigating the baby crap traps. It's like the wedding racket, only the wedding industry appeals to a brides hopes and fantasies. The baby industry preys on one's fears. The ads in baby magazines are awful-- buy our product or your baby could die, you cheapstake! There are no DIY baby books like there are for weddings. There is no virtue in rational purchasing. It's hard n...more
Sep 25, 2010
Karetchko
added it
I found this book to be rather obnoxious. I enjoyed the introductory chapters, but after a while I realized that it doesn't take a genius or a journalist to point out that the extent of marketing towards parents is pretty out of hand. After a while I got sick of reading about how idiotic we all are for falling for unnecessary products and lessons.
The places where the author really lost me were where she'd criticizing something like a special class for babies and then devote page after page to d...more
The places where the author really lost me were where she'd criticizing something like a special class for babies and then devote page after page to d...more
Goes along nuture shock (and cinderella ate my daughter)... interesting psycology and economic factors that fuels the madness of child rearing. the fear and the anxiety and etc. Helped me with my second child, i'm not buying the $600 icandy stroller i wanted to get for 2 kids. not worth it. $20 book saved me over $600. better in my pocket! thanks!
nice thing about portland is they have lots of the things people in Ca and NY pay $1000's for, but for cheaper (lactation consultants $150, instead of...more
nice thing about portland is they have lots of the things people in Ca and NY pay $1000's for, but for cheaper (lactation consultants $150, instead of...more
Aug 06, 2011
Amy
added it
The writing style leaves a little something to be desired in this book, but the information is interesting. Mostly presented simply as a list of ridiculous and luxurious things people can and do buy for their children, there wasn't a lot of discussion about what this culture of consumption can do to children. It did make me realize how much baby gear we have, even though I thought we weren't buying very much. It ends with a section on the positive aspects of modern parenting which was nice. Even...more
Good book but it shows that most of the things that we are told we need to be good parents are just meaningless expenses. I'll definately change what things and why I buy them when it comes to shopping for my children. I also like the point the author makes re:experts and what we buy- they are teaching us to ignore our instincts and buy into the fear that if we don't buy tons of items or enroll our children in classes for each day of the week we are depriving them of opportunities and future suc...more
As a new mom, this book sent my head spinning. It was an excellent read with lots of great information about the parenting industry. This is less of a memoir, but more of a picture of what is going on in society today. Paul tosses in a few of her own personal anecdotes.
After devouring the book, it left me wondering: Why do we need so much stuff for our babies? Why do we end up feeling incompetent? What happened to just loving your children unconditionally?
I wrote a more extensive blog entry ab...more
After devouring the book, it left me wondering: Why do we need so much stuff for our babies? Why do we end up feeling incompetent? What happened to just loving your children unconditionally?
I wrote a more extensive blog entry ab...more
This book is great affirmation and support for those intent on simple old-fashioned parenting. It's a gulp of fresh air for parents who find themselves paranoid that a simpler childhood may somehow hold their kids back. It's a wake-up call that children today are being deprived of true childhoods because we're all so worried about them being competitive for college admissions boards. It's a sad well researched story about how we're so easily led by marketers in our desperate hopes to do best by...more
this book talks about the insanity going on around raising children these days. So many things ring true with what I observe happening at my teaching job and with people I observe. I seriously couldnt read too much in one sitting because it was such troubling material. A lot of it just seems too ridiuclous and far fetched to be true, but it is. I havent been able to stop thinking/talking about what i read so I suppose that makes it a good book. I only wish there was a sequel that explained how t...more
This was a very eye opening book to see what large amounts of money people are willing to spend on their kids to make up for them not being around, or their lack of skills, or time. I didn't realize how much we outsource parenting in this day and age, not just in day care, but in all the people that are there to assist us through camps or coaching on things such as potty training, thumb sucking, planning parties, etc. Such an interesting book. It just reminded me of how we are supposed to be in,...more
I really liked this book and it helped me relax a bit about how I've planned to raise our kid: without a lot of crap from the store and too-early educational intervention. I wonder how the parenting consumer culture will change over the next few years due to the economy.
Although the book does not discuss this issue, it once again made me mourn the upcoming implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which means no more re-sold items and the death of microbusinesses making han...more
Although the book does not discuss this issue, it once again made me mourn the upcoming implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which means no more re-sold items and the death of microbusinesses making han...more
Oct 07, 2008
Cheri
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
mothers and fathers, or those getting ready
At times helpful and illuminating, this book fell apart for me because of the lack of structure.
The author, Pamela Paul, catalogs the various ways parents get sucked into a buying frenzy for their kids - from lavish $800 strollers to a flurry of Mommy and Me "developmental" classes. She does a great job of exploring the various toys and gadgets and things sold to parents - in fact, sometimes too good. It honestly feels overwhelming - an avalanche of goods.
What wrecked it for me was a more clea...more
The author, Pamela Paul, catalogs the various ways parents get sucked into a buying frenzy for their kids - from lavish $800 strollers to a flurry of Mommy and Me "developmental" classes. She does a great job of exploring the various toys and gadgets and things sold to parents - in fact, sometimes too good. It honestly feels overwhelming - an avalanche of goods.
What wrecked it for me was a more clea...more
This was a well written and researched book about modern parenting. It presented information on baby gear, baby classes, toys, videos, clothes, furniture, "parenting professionals", etc. - and basically how todays parents are falling prey to marketers and made to think they need all this stuff, all these classes, and all this professional help to be good parents and raise successful children. This is nothing many parents probably haven't already read about somewhere else, but I still really enjo...more
A must read for all parents and to be parents. I just finished this book in three days. Paul discusses how parenting has become a business from kids wearing $100+ designer jeans to parents outsourcing potty training and sleep. Her chapter on video games and tv targeted as educational tools was eye-opening. She reminds us how necessary it is to follow our intuition as parents and gives us confidence to use common sense instead of allowing the media and businesses to prey on our insecurities. She...more
I am grateful that the author of Parenting, Inc took the time to research consumer parenting culture. It seems that parenting has shifted from a role and responsibility to a lifestyle, with required extravagant purchases and outsourcing.
This book debunked many myths that contemporary parents believe. The best chapter outlined why educational and developmental toys are a waste of money. The claims on these toys are not proven and, in some cases, the advent of sophisticated toys that do everythin...more
This book debunked many myths that contemporary parents believe. The best chapter outlined why educational and developmental toys are a waste of money. The claims on these toys are not proven and, in some cases, the advent of sophisticated toys that do everythin...more
This was a thorough overview of the baby/toddler industry that has developed. Paul provides background research on a lot of the products that are marketed to parents as educational and deemed "essential"-- not usually so. I would recommend this book to any new or expectant parent. The volume of products marketed to parents is huge and overwhelming and this book provides some insight. This book is not perfect. There are moments when Paul is snarky and rude. She ridicules parents for enrolling the...more
Jan 31, 2011
Maria Ping
added it
I enjoyed this quick read. I can't say that it informed me of anything I didn't already know (although I had no idea you could hire a professional baby namer). It seemed like it was mostly focused on the upper class or upper middle but you can see how the same things filter down to the regular parents out there. This can be an eye opening book to someone not familiar with all things baby or new to parenthood. It's so easy to get carried away with the latest "it" gadget, bag, stroller, etc.
I learned a few things about how companies market to parents, and some of my thoughts and suspicions were affirmed.
When you have your first child, you are swamped with information, and it is really an educated guessing game as to what is "best" and what you "need". Paul explores some of the hot topics, like: classes for babies, computer games, television for babies, and toys for babies. Her anecdotes are relatable, and her statistics are interesting.
When you have your first child, you are swamped with information, and it is really an educated guessing game as to what is "best" and what you "need". Paul explores some of the hot topics, like: classes for babies, computer games, television for babies, and toys for babies. Her anecdotes are relatable, and her statistics are interesting.
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From the author's website:
Pamela Paul is an author and journalist who writes about social and cultural issues, demographic trends, consumer culture, psychology and health, and family. Her first book, The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony, was named one of the best books of 2002 by The Washington Post; her second book, Pornified, was named one of the best books of 2005 by The San Francis...more
More about Pamela Paul...
Pamela Paul is an author and journalist who writes about social and cultural issues, demographic trends, consumer culture, psychology and health, and family. Her first book, The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony, was named one of the best books of 2002 by The Washington Post; her second book, Pornified, was named one of the best books of 2005 by The San Francis...more
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Feb 09, 2009 12:54pm