Toxic Childhood
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Toxic Childhood: How The Modern World Is Damaging Our Children And What We Can Do About It for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Horribly convincing (INDEPENDENT )
The title has become shorthand for everything that's wrong with children's lives from excessive testing at school to violent computer games, sex, drugs and alcohol. (EVENING STANDARD )
The title has become shorthand for everything that's wrong with children's lives from excessive testing at school to violent computer games, sex, drugs and alcohol. (EVENING STANDARD )
Review
'A fascinating account of the problems facing kids today... it contains solid parenting advice on subjects ranging from diet to childcare.' SAINSBURY'S MAGAZINE 'A splendid book that draws together a vast swathe of the most authoritative research from a whole range of fields and disciplines ... that together explain 'the worsening behaviour of children and the explosion in numbers of special needs pupils' THE MOTHER 'Every parent should read this book, as it does contain a wealth of information you should know' EVENING HERALD
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
120 of 126 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As somebody with extensive experience of Scandinavian childrearing, I was intrigued to see how selectively the author quotes Scandinavian practices in relation to the findings of greater happiness and greater powers of concentration in these children. Scandinavia features prominently in her chapter on education, as a counterpart to the vicious effects of the early British school start and the result-centered education approach, neither of which she approves of. Scandinavian children are happier, they start school later, therefore we have proved the benefits of the late school start. Well, yes, maybe we have, but I notice that in other areas where practices differ between countries, Scandinavia doesn't get a look in. For instance, Scandinavian parents routinely let their children come into bed with them, because they have never been told that this is the sign of bad parenting. How come Palmer doesn't tell us this and relate it to the greater happiness reported by these youngsters? Nor are we informed that virtually all Scandinavian children attend full time day care from an early age (housewives being a virtually extinct species). So how do we know which of these is the decisive factor? Perhaps it's the night time cuddles, Palmer? Or the happy day care centres? Or something totally different that your Scandinavian sources forgot to tell you about. Research your study is not. As every properly qualified researcher knows, to be able to draw accurate conclusions, you have to isolate one factor, everything else being equal. Not tell anecdotes about a child looking grumpy on the steps of the Uffizi and speculate for several paragraphs on her parents' television habits.
There are some good bits here, particularly the chapter on the roaming child, which actually dares to go a little bit further in allowing children independence than most others in the genre. But an awful lot of the book is just platitudes.
And I was not impressed by the constantly reoccurent suggestions that bad child rearing practices, the wrong way of speaking to children etc etc is something you predominantly find in working class families. Now ThAT is an attitude you won't come across in Scandinavia. Perhaps that's why they're happier?
There are some good bits here, particularly the chapter on the roaming child, which actually dares to go a little bit further in allowing children independence than most others in the genre. But an awful lot of the book is just platitudes.
And I was not impressed by the constantly reoccurent suggestions that bad child rearing practices, the wrong way of speaking to children etc etc is something you predominantly find in working class families. Now ThAT is an attitude you won't come across in Scandinavia. Perhaps that's why they're happier?
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was tempted to begin by saying that anyone who reads this book probably doesn't need to, but maybe there are parents out there who would find it useful. Parents who sense that something is wrong with childhood, but can't put their finger on it and would like some clues as to where to begin putting it right. Simple measures like taking the TV out of children's bedrooms, and aiming for the 'authoritative' (as opposed to 'authoritarian') style of parenting. This is a fairly authoritative book, anyway. Sue Palmer has done a lot of research. She puts her views and advice across in a readable style. For those who find it a bit skimpy there are plenty of references at the end of each chapter for further reading and web sites to visit. It's a bit of a rant, and I felt it was getting rather repetetive towards the end (hence only four stars), but Palmer does put her case across very convincingly, and I for one wouldn't disagree with her. I certainly wouldn't write her off as being illiberal or old fashioned, despite her yearning for 'old fashioned' values and advocacy of greater state support for parenting. Not sure about the 'mind the gap' section at the end of each chapter. These sections were supposedly intended to relate the advice in the main body of each chapter to the lives of the poorest families in western societies, but I thought they were a bit unnecessary and slightly sinister. As someone who brought up children twenty and more years ago, now has grandchildren, and works with children and families, I could relate to this book, and thought it full of good advice and ideas. Anyone could benefit by reading it, but it is aimed primarily at parents of young children. I hope that lots of them will read it, and put the advice into practice. As it says at the end of the book, 'We might even be in time to save the world.'
50 of 55 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ever heard someone talking disparagingly about the "youth of today"? Ever thought that kids today seem unable to hold a conversation, behavioural disorders seem to by on the rise and that the old - fashioned adage of respecting your elders has withered away?
Sue Palmer neatly labels this as "toxic childhood syndrome" - and we soon see how apt this diagnosis is as she produces a mind - boggling cocktail of causes, consequences and potential cures.
Ingredients such as sleep deprivation, family time, television and advertising and others are placed under the microscope, and you could say that this book is a societal autopsy which yields alarming results. Sue Palmer treads with caution, however, in urging us to resist the common temptation to brazenly lay blame in one area, (ie the parents). What arises from these factors is a vicious circle of epic proportions.
Importantly for a book with so much to offer, her findings are laid out in bite - sized sections. More importantly still, Palmer keeps a tight reign on herself and never digresses into the patronising tone that often accompanies books on this topic. Each chapter is succinctly rounded up with practical suggestions that can be adopted to suit the needs of individual children.
Her many years of experience in education are obvious from the start, and they provide a solid grounding for her thorough research. Fluent writing and sparse touches of humour maintain the reader's interest and while never light - hearted, Toxic Childhood makes very accessible work of what could easily become depressing subject.
Whether or not you are a teacher, youth worker, parent or anyone else who comes into contact with kids, this book is both an uplifting battle - cry and an essential tool in our understanding of the children of today and of tomorrow.
Sue Palmer neatly labels this as "toxic childhood syndrome" - and we soon see how apt this diagnosis is as she produces a mind - boggling cocktail of causes, consequences and potential cures.
Ingredients such as sleep deprivation, family time, television and advertising and others are placed under the microscope, and you could say that this book is a societal autopsy which yields alarming results. Sue Palmer treads with caution, however, in urging us to resist the common temptation to brazenly lay blame in one area, (ie the parents). What arises from these factors is a vicious circle of epic proportions.
Importantly for a book with so much to offer, her findings are laid out in bite - sized sections. More importantly still, Palmer keeps a tight reign on herself and never digresses into the patronising tone that often accompanies books on this topic. Each chapter is succinctly rounded up with practical suggestions that can be adopted to suit the needs of individual children.
Her many years of experience in education are obvious from the start, and they provide a solid grounding for her thorough research. Fluent writing and sparse touches of humour maintain the reader's interest and while never light - hearted, Toxic Childhood makes very accessible work of what could easily become depressing subject.
Whether or not you are a teacher, youth worker, parent or anyone else who comes into contact with kids, this book is both an uplifting battle - cry and an essential tool in our understanding of the children of today and of tomorrow.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Strikes a blow against middle class complacency!
As an experienced educator, Sue Palmer is appalled by the apparent decline in children's ability over the last twenty years. Read more
Published 5 months ago by L. Botwright
Very informative book
this book is great and really opened my eyes to the stuff we forget that is going on around us
Published 9 months ago by Nosheena
The book every parent needs! URGENTLY!
I was completely bowled over by this book. Thank you Sue for a book which I hope will change the world we live in at the moment. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Roslyn Young
A must read for new parents
An ex-teacher friend recommended this book. It is simply essential reading if you have little ones. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Elizabeth Harris
Essential reading for every politician
Every politician should be questioned on the issues raised in this book. Its content is of good balance and derived from the real world.
Published 13 months ago by Peter Gaywood
A practical guide to raising healthy happy kids
I love this book - I often worry about the harmful effects of modern life - junk food, tv etc - and this book sets out the dangers in a logical argument. Read more
Published 18 months ago by EllieTheBeeEater
Recommend
We were recommended this book by the deputy head teacher at my son's future pre-school when we went for an induction evening. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Sellie
Toxic Childhood
If you are really committed to giving your children the best possible start in life or, if like me, you have that nagging feeling all is far from well in modern Britain, then this... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Mrs. Julia Winter
Reasons for illness and misbehaviour in children
Toxic Childhood: How the modern world is damaging our children and what we can do about it, by Sue Palmer, Orion Books, 2006, 368 ff. Read more
Published on 3 Sep 2009 by Dr. H. A. Jones
Delighted that SOMEONE has brought the subjects up for DISCUSSION
I am a writer, teacher for 30 years (from nursery age to GCSE,from specialist dyslexic school to private prep, both in UK and abroad). Read more
Published on 29 Jan 2009 by D. K. Taylor
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
