Parenting, Inc.: How the Billion-Dollar Baby Business Has Changed the Way We Raise Our Children
by Pamela Paul
book data
190 ratings,
3.41
average rating, 78 reviews
(more data...)
edit
published
March 31st 2009
by Holt Paperbacks
(first published April 1st 2008)
details
Paperback, 320 pages
isbn
0805089241
(isbn13: 9780805089240)
description
<DIV><DIV><DIV><DIV>
"An entire industry preys on parental anxiety . . . Paul tries to lead us out of the catastrophizatio
…more
find at:
Amazon • WorldCat • more options…
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »
friend reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
other reviews (showing 1-20 of 318)
All ratings
|
5 stars (18)
|
4 stars (75)
|
3 stars (68)
|
2 stars (24)
|
1 star (5)
|
avg 3.41
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
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 ...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 ...more
Like this review?
yes
(6 people liked it)
1 comment
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
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
Read in April, 2008
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.
Like this review?
yes
(2 people liked it)
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
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 thos...more
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in February, 2010
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 ...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 ...more
Like this review?
yes
(5 people liked it)
2 comments
Read in April, 2009
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 discu...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2008
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
p...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
p...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
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
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in July, 2008
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.
Like this review?
yes
(1 person liked it)
add a comment
Read in August, 2009
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
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in August, 2009
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...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...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2009
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
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in July, 2009
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...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in January, 2009
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 microbusinesse...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 microbusinesse...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in October, 2008
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...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...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in August, 2008
recommends it for:
Current & future parents
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...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in June, 2008
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. ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
Read in May, 2008
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 ...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 ...more
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
recommends it for:
parents, expectant parents, anyone
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 enr...more
Read in December, 2008
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.
Like this review?
yes
add a comment
to-read
(on 93 people's shelves)
parenting (on 15 people's shelves)
currently-reading (on 15 people's shelves)
non-fiction (on 11 people's shelves)
nonfiction (on 9 people's shelves)
library (on 2 people's shelves)
money (on 2 people's shelves)
2010-reads (on 1 person's shelf)
pregnancy-birth-babies (on 1 person's shelf)
More shelves...
parenting (on 15 people's shelves)
currently-reading (on 15 people's shelves)
non-fiction (on 11 people's shelves)
nonfiction (on 9 people's shelves)
library (on 2 people's shelves)
money (on 2 people's shelves)
2010-reads (on 1 person's shelf)
pregnancy-birth-babies (on 1 person's shelf)
More shelves...
