Help-Parenting class might be using Happiest Toddler on the bLock

[Dana Joy]

I searched here- MDC and read the Amazon reviews. And I'm not finding consise reasoning about what is wrong with this book. I thought I'd put it out there to see what you guys came up with. So far my problems are the whole child development mimics evolution thing - Toddlers are little cave men) , the manipulation, the punitive - locking a child in his room thing, and the toddler ease thing. But I'm not able to put my thoughts in order and hoped you guys would help me.
Dana

[joyful mama]

hmmm...interesting. I read The Happiest Baby on the Block (same author?) and really loved it. He spoke about how mama's milk and cosleeping is best :tu, totally supported slinging a baby,too. I was actually thinking of picking that book up. So :popcorn

[fancifulfrog]

:popcorn

[Marsha]

I actually liked the book. And the Happiest Baby. The evolution I can understand offends some people, but it is mostly like tongue in cheek. And don't you think some of our ancestors perhaps DID live in caves and had more limited verbal abilities? Shrug. I do, so that part didn't bother me. I thought he and his books were VERY loving and respectful of babies and toddlrs, I bought them for my sisters as they are young twentiesomethings having their first babies.

[MomToDM]

I can't remember a whole lot about the book but I do remember that I liked it, except for the evolution. I could not ever bring myself to talk to ds that way, I just don't have it in me :shrug . I don't remember much about any punishments, he's very for preventing problems or dealing with them on the childs level. JMO

[AmyDoll]

I liked it too :shrug I bought it for my MIL who babysits frequently for her other toddler grandbaby. It really helped her deal with meltdowns and big feelings.
The evolution thing was different than my thinking but I could understand where he was coming from, thinking back to my classes in Neuropsychology. I don't remember what all he got into with the monkey thing - but I remember thinking about the different parts of the brain and believing that bc Toddlers don't use higher reasoning they probably aren't using "higher" parts of their brain either.
I thought Karp had a pretty good grasp on toddler development and appropriate expectations. I don't remember him calling toddlers manipulative or using too much beyond reflecting feelings and distraction/redirection.