The Searses (The Baby Book; The Pregnancy Book), a pediatrician and a nurse, offer advice on emotional and psychological child-raising issues like discipline, morality, responsibility and self-confidence. The authors promote "attachment parenting"—a philosophy that emphasizes parental responsiveness and sensitivity to children's psychic states. Geared to parents of toddlers through teens, the book offers a broad description of the developmental process, as well as plenty of specific guidelines for each stage—everything from how to choose toys and play mirror games with your infant to tips for keeping teens off drugs. The chapter "Raising a Moral Child," for example, opens with a section on how children learn to make moral choices, then suggests specific leadership activities and "think-before-you-act drills" that parents can do with their children. While most of the advice is about psychological development, there's also a section on nutrition and health. The approach is authoritative yet friendly, often citing the antics of the Searses' own eight children. Sidebars highlight bite-sized tips and information about the latest scientific studies. The Searses' straightforward, thorough advice will probably be appreciated by today's busy parents. (Mar.)
Forecast:Previous buyers of books in the Sears Parenting Library will likely want this volume as well. With national TV appearances,
The Successful Child should sell strongly.
