Just Average

This book is an excellent reference for any medical concerns a parent might have, and also does well in addressing concerns such as diet, exercise, and TV watching. However, too often the authors' advice reflects western parenting prejudice and does not present research representing opposing viewpoints--although it pretends to do so. For instance, in the 13th month or so, a hypothetical question is, "Why should I wean my baby if we're both enjoying nursing still?" The reply? "Oh, you don't have to...it's your choice...but here's all the reasons why you should." And then they go on to list twelve benefits of early weaning and absolutely none of the benefits of nursing a toddler! If the authors gave even the tiniest disclaimer ("In our opinion...") I wouldn't be so hard about this, but they present every answer as gospel truth.

In other words, whether or not you will benefit from this book depends on the state of your parenting philosophy. I prefer "The Baby Book" for advice about toddler behavior and needs.

Good Info

These books are nice for first time parents. Nice to have general information to use. Great for a baby shower gift.

Very Comprehensive---but Lacks an Easy Access Topic Format

My wife and I feel that the WHAT TO EXPECT TODDLER YEARS belongs in every new parent's library along with the other 2 books in the series. They have truly been our "parenting bibles." There is a great deal of useful information in this comprehensive reference guide about 1's, 2's and 3's, and we especially like the medical advice offered. However, we are sometimes disappointed when we attempt to quickly look up insight and answers to specific behavioral questions that continue to pop up with our 2 and 3 year-old daughters. Since the chapter format is organized by months of age instead of topics, we sometimes become frustrated searching for the guidance we need at the moment scattered under different months of age. Additionally, when we do find the information, we often want more depth and more tips to try for each misbehavior. However, we do realize that no one book can have it all-even one with over 900 pages! Recently, my wife found a very helpful pocket-guide in her OB's waiting room, called appropriately- THE POCKET PARENT. It is filled with hundreds of sensible quick-read bulleted suggestions to many of the behavior concerns that we have with our children. "The Pocket Parent" is published by the same publisher (Workman) and is exclusively written for parents of 2's, 3's, 4's, and 5's. The many topics are in an A-Z format, sprinkled with a good dose of compassion and humor that we find helpful and comforting. This totally up-beat book does not preach (no should's or dont's) and is a great little companion for the more encyclopedic "What to Expect Toddlers". "The Pocket Parent" recognizes that the parents are the real experts with their children. The authors suggest that each parent filter the advice through their own personalities and parenting styles and select those strategies that seem to be a good fit for their family. It addresses such common concerns as Bad Words, Bedtime, Biting, Fears at night, Gimmes, Lying, Morning "Crazies", Separation Anxiety, Sibling Rivalry, Tantrums, and Whining . I found myself chuckling as a read some of the brief anecdotes (many specifically about dads) that I coincidently just encountered with my own kids. Both of these reference guides continue to ease our anxieties and frustrations while building the confidence necessary to make good choices as parents. We highly recommend both of these books for your home library to refer to again and again especially when you're in need of some sensible information or just a caring verbal hug that everything is going to be OK.