Although parenting approaches change, attitudes about only children remain stuck in the past. The negative stereotypes lonely, selfish, bossy, spoiled, socially maladjusted make parents think their child will be at a disadvantage when compared to those who grow up with siblings.
The Case for the Only Child debunks the myths, taking into account the many chang-es the nuclear family has experienced in the face of two-family incomes, women who have children later, and the economic reality of raising children in our modern world. Combining often-surprising findings with real-life stories, compassionate in-sight, and thought-provoking questions, Dr. Susan Newman provides a guide to help you decide for yourself how to best plan your family and raise a single child.
My Thoughts: I saw this book on a blog a few years ago before I had Julia and thought it sounded intriguing. Since the hubs and I are considering being 'one and done', I thought it might be a good time to pick this one up.
I liked and disliked this book. I thought the author made a lot of good points as to why there is nothing wrong with only having one child and how research has disproven some of the old myths of the spoiled, bratty only child. She brought up a lot of different, valid reasons that people have for choosing to not have more than one child and I found those sections to be the most interesting.
However, the author seemed very defensive and almost disparaging of people who do have more than one child. I understand that it is hard to deal with a lot of the rude comments some people make when you say you are only having one, but the author acted like she had a major chip on her shoulder. It felt like she went off on tangents which made the book drag on and bore me.
Overall, I think there was some useful information in the book but it would probably be one to skim rather than read cover to cover. 3 stars.
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