Parenting an Only Child: the Joys and Challenges of Raising Your One and Only Paperback – August 14, 2001

This book was fantastic! I am the mother of an only child and have a difficult time finding ANY information about only children, especially parenting. I only seem to find children's books about being an only child, and even those are few and far between. I really enjoyed the way the author discussed and disspelled the myths about only children (which I loved since I have heard them all), and also discussed the special circumstances that come with parenting an only child. There are very few books about there about parenting only children (all of which I have read), but this one is by far my favorite! It's great to keep on hand to reference back to as your only child grows up. Definitely worth the purchase if you are raising or considering an only child. Highly recommended!

The book is easy to read, the author keeps an active voice. I've skipped many chapters since they didn't apply to me. I'm not a single father, I know I want just one child. Its a good read during bath time :)

Got this book for my daughter who is having problems with her only child. The book offers many suggestions as to how todeal with the numerous behavior problems the "only child" might exhibit.

Such a helpful read!

This is an okay read. I agree with other commenters who've said that it's mostly a book about making the choice (or coming to peace with not having a choice) to have only one child. If you're looking for a book about specific techniques for parenting an only, this book will probably be a waste of your time.The first section dispels the century-old myths about only children being spoiled, lonely, lacking social skills, etc., and backs it up with research. This section alone is worth the price of the book for the wealth of ammunition is gives you when people criticize you for not giving your only child the "benefits" of a sibling.The second section is a fairly superficial and at times contradictory survey of parenting advice geared towards parents of onlies. For example, on one page the author suggests that parents of onlies shouldn't play with them too much, and a few pages later says exactly the opposite. I've done a lot of reading on parenting philosophies, and this section came across as disjointed and not well-thought-out in comparison. It's not research-based, or even grounded in any particular philosophy of parenting, but reads like a collection of anecdotes about what worked and didn't for some families. Skip it altogether, or just skim it.The third section is intended to help people make their decision to stop at one (or come to terms with it if you didn't get a choice), and it's mostly helpful. There were lots of things that made me roll my eyes (like the author's assertion that it just isn't possible for a parent to love multiple children equally and with as much intensity as they can love one -- I only have one and that sounds like BS to me), but like with most things, you take what works for you and leave the rest.

I wanted this book to be so much better than it was. I have one daughter, 16 months, and we are seriously considering making her our only. I was looking for some insight to help guide this decision. There was some information in this book that I found helpful, like the discussion of research that shows that only children actually do quite well, and the section of the book that offered specific tips for parenting an only. However, I couldn't get past the overall tone of the book, and in the end I was just irritated. The author goes out of her way throughout the book to make the point that not only is having an only child a valid and good choice for many families, but that having an only child is a SUPERIOR choice and apparently the ONLY choice that a thoughtful parent can make. She's also extremely dismissive of sibling relationships. A number of times in the book, she makes blanket statements about how sibling relationships are more damaging than anything, and that everyone is really better off without siblings. As a person with two siblings, I found this pretty offensive. I don't believe that a person "needs" siblings in order to develop into a healthy adult. But I also know that sibling relationships are not automatically damaging.As I've discovered recently, there is a real need for unbiased information about the pros and cons of stopping at one. I really wanted this book to provide that information. But unfortunately, this book is too flawed, and I can't recommend it.

Great book!

Well, I don't recommend this book. It jumps all over the place and the research is not clear. It just picks and chooses a few nice stories. If you can, just read it at the library if you are curious. It doesn't have depth to it and it seems geared towards moms who work and just don't want more kids to take care of. What if you want only one child or can only have one and you are a Stay at Home Mom? This is not for you. It has a few good phrases. Otherwise it just is like reading opinions of a few people. Get the book The Seven Common Sins of Parenting an Only Child by Carolyn White. That book is much better.