A PARENT’S VIEW

I was asked to write this review because I am a mother of two children. A PhD in biochemistry is of no parenting help whatsoever, and I was no better prepared for the challenge of protecting my children than any other parent, regardless of their educational level. One child is a rambunctious 3-year-old boy; the other a so-far placid 3-month-old girl. For my first child, information about safety issues came from general “baby” books commonly read by first-time mothers. I read the lists of “what not to do” to prevent injury with the same care and intensity as when I was preparing to defend my dissertation. When my second child was born, however, I found I had forgotten most of what I had read. I then read “From Crib to Kindergarten” by Dorothy Drago.

For me, Drago’s approach is highly effective. I think most parents want to understand why precautions need to be taken rather than simply to be given lists of “what to do or not to do” to prevent an injury. The real value of this book is that she is able to communicate in a variety of ways that I think would appeal to a diversity of readers and reading styles. The book is unusually accessible and can be used both as a text and a reference guide by parents with …