There are parenting books and then there are parenting bibles…
Like perennial fave”What to Expect When You’re Expecting” by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel that dropped off The New York Times paperback best sellers list on Sunday after…..391 weeks – that’s a reign of more than 7 years.
Is this and end of an era indicative of a socio-cultural shift?
Jennifer Schuessler over at TBR ponders whether it’s a case of fewer pregnancies due to the crummy economy. Could be, time will tell. I suspect the Internet might have caught up with the parenting champ. How many of you turn to cyberspace before the book shelf? Especially those of you born after 1980? Or maybe the exhaustive encyclopedia of all things pregnancy and parenting became too exhausting for our increasing short attention spans. Any other guesses?
And here’s something I’ve always wondered. How many of you actually carried out the step-by-step emergency home birth instructions?
LOL! I think it’s just off because people realize that there are better parenting/pregnancy books out there. I hated “What to Expect”. I would worry about people relying too heavily on the internet though… There are so many websites with inaccurate information.
Yes, Michelle, that’s probably part of it too. When I mentionned it to my babysitter she laughed and waved her hand and said something to the effect of “who needs that book” – this a woman who’s mothered and loved many a child. I never much like it either. But you’re right about the internet, lots and lots of misinformation repeated again and again as if truth! Ugghh.
I like your blog too! Thank you for the comment. Would love to continue the discussion via email (michellesamom at gmail dot com).
As for the internet, yes. It's as though if it's on enough websites, people will believe it (whatever "it" is…). Thankfully there are people like you who are trying to give people credible information.
P.S. Have you seen the NY Times article on Dr. Offit's book? I'd be interested to hear what you think of that one. I haven't had the chance to read the book yet, but it sounds like an interesting counterpoint to all the internet hype…
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/health/13auti.html?_r=2&em