A lot of people forget that Bronson Alcott was an important Transcendentalist, and that Louisa May grew up in the salons and Chatauquas led and joined by her father and his cohorts.

This book and its sequel (Rose in Bloom) are a product of the
child-rearing theories of this school, mostly promulgated by men, and often childless men. Louisa May provides some critical commentary, but a lot is simply accepted without analysis.

That said, there's some useful stuff herein. I forget which of these books contains the warning against the dangers of 'hobble-skirts', which prevented young women from taking free strides, even in emergencies, but it's a worthwhile warning, anyway.