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The Wonder Weeks: How to Turn Your Baby's 8 Great Fussy Phases into Magical Leaps Forward
Your Baby's Developing Mind: What a Wonder-ful World!
In The Wonder Weeks, you'll discover the specific dates during their first 14 months when all babies take eight major developmental leaps. And you'll learn how to help your baby through the eight great "fussy phases" that mark these leaps within a week or two.
Wonder week by wonder week, you'll see how your baby's mind is developing. Now you will know which games and toys are best for your baby during each key week and how to encourage each leap forward. Calendars, charts, and checklists help you track your baby's progress-- and finally make sense of his fussy behavior.
This is a baby book like no other. It will be your indispensable guide to the crucial "wonder weeks" of your baby's first year.
In The Wonder Weeks, you'll discover the specific dates during their first 14 months when all babies take eight major developmental leaps. And you'll learn how to help your baby through the eight great "fussy phases" that mark these leaps within a week or two.
Wonder week by wonder week, you'll see how your baby's mind is developing. Now you will know which games and toys are best for your baby during each key week and how to encourage each leap forward. Calendars, charts, and checklists help you track your baby's progress-- and finally make sense of his fussy behavior.
This is a baby book like no other. It will be your indispensable guide to the crucial "wonder weeks" of your baby's first year.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
2596 people are currently reading
3119 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 592 reviews
January 30, 2013
Highly recommended.
The bad:
* Overuse of quotes that provide no real substance or purpose
* Super repetitive - the book could have just said "and now your baby will be fussy" instead of going on for page after page about how "the baby is overwhelmed" and "the baby is scared" and "the baby's world is changing" etc etc etc, each time trying to phrase it in a new way as if there's an actual difference.
But, the good:
* It identifies the changes your baby's brain is going through. It's helpful to know what the baby is figuring out, but it's also interesting in general to think about the ways we learn and change - things that seems obvious actually have to be learned.
* By giving an age range when these things happen, parents aren't blindsided when the baby suddenly turns into satan. Or, as more often happens, you'll read this AFTER the baby's gone nuts, and will feel vindicated by the book's explanation.
* Fun games are included, to help you stimulate the baby's new skills.
It's a good resource book to be picked up and skimmed through when your baby hits the next milestone. Just skip over the (way too many) quotes and the description of why the baby is fussy.
The bad:
* Overuse of quotes that provide no real substance or purpose
* Super repetitive - the book could have just said "and now your baby will be fussy" instead of going on for page after page about how "the baby is overwhelmed" and "the baby is scared" and "the baby's world is changing" etc etc etc, each time trying to phrase it in a new way as if there's an actual difference.
But, the good:
* It identifies the changes your baby's brain is going through. It's helpful to know what the baby is figuring out, but it's also interesting in general to think about the ways we learn and change - things that seems obvious actually have to be learned.
* By giving an age range when these things happen, parents aren't blindsided when the baby suddenly turns into satan. Or, as more often happens, you'll read this AFTER the baby's gone nuts, and will feel vindicated by the book's explanation.
* Fun games are included, to help you stimulate the baby's new skills.
It's a good resource book to be picked up and skimmed through when your baby hits the next milestone. Just skip over the (way too many) quotes and the description of why the baby is fussy.
May 22, 2013
This book missed a week: the one where it was supposed to go through an editor. Good Lord. This was redundant, excessive, contradictory -- you name it. As a sleep-deprived parent, this was the last thing my brain needed.
March 28, 2013
There are so many Baby Books out there about parenting styles, baby's sleep, what So-and-So thinks about your baby that in the end, it's tempting to avoid baby books altogether!! What's refreshing different about The Wonder Weeks is that it doesn't tell you HOW to raise your baby. It simply provides a little guide as to why your baby is changing and gently reminds you that "It's all going to be okay".
I loved reading about the developmental changings and it was such a rewarding experience to see those changes coming to life in my little boy. The speed at which babies grow and develop is astounding and it still boogles my mind how much they have to learn in their first year.
It was good to know approximately when the fussy periods for my son might arrive and to give myself permission to take it easy during those weeks. In the book, there are lovely excerpts from other Mums' experiences and I really enjoyed reading these maternal snippets. The suggested games to help your little one through developmental leaps also reminded me to be creative and have fun with my little one.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this to any first time Mum, especially if she doesn't have a huge support network and just needs some tools to keep her sane.
I loved reading about the developmental changings and it was such a rewarding experience to see those changes coming to life in my little boy. The speed at which babies grow and develop is astounding and it still boogles my mind how much they have to learn in their first year.
It was good to know approximately when the fussy periods for my son might arrive and to give myself permission to take it easy during those weeks. In the book, there are lovely excerpts from other Mums' experiences and I really enjoyed reading these maternal snippets. The suggested games to help your little one through developmental leaps also reminded me to be creative and have fun with my little one.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this to any first time Mum, especially if she doesn't have a huge support network and just needs some tools to keep her sane.
October 20, 2014
Keeps us sane when the baby is not.
February 12, 2018
A few chapters into this, I found out that the supposedly empirical research this book is based on is not taken seriously by the academic community, isn’t reproducible, and the author was fired from university because of his unwillingness to accept scientific criticism. So, I’m not finishing this book. There is enough unfounded parenting advice out there.
August 30, 2012
Ugh. I'm about halfway through the book, and it's clear that I'm not going to be able to finish this one.
It does have some useful information on babies' development. And some ideas of age-appropriate activities (though most will be pretty familiar to anyone who has been around babies).
But these "predictable phases" seem over-exaggerated. My first child was the fussy one, and she never seemed to have the highs and lows that I would have predicted from this book. My second is more laid back, and he doesn't seem to have these obvious rocky periods, either.
Or maybe these phases are more common to babies of parents who don't practice "attachment parenting." Which brings me to my next beef...
The book seems to be about half quotes from parents. The best of which fail to be particularly illuminating. And the worst of which...well, read this book if you want to hear a mom (yes, moms, this book is very gender-biased) griping about being "irritated by her son's slow coordination" because he doesn't crawl or pull up ahead of schedule, being irritated by her daughter standing in her crib crying, putting her 26 year old baby in bed whenever she gets fed up with her wanting to be picked up, getting angry about her 25 week old's "tantrums," shaking her baby, complaining that her baby doesn't lay peacefully in his crib...and on and on. And most of these comments just stand there, without any comment on their appropriateness or how the baby and the mama's needs might be better met. At least the authors mentioned that babies shouldn't be shaken after quoting a mom who shook her baby. And the authors have commented a number of times that it is unacceptable to hit a baby.
And I guess that's my problem right there. I am not the target audience for this book. It is directed toward people who need to be told that it's not okay to slap a baby.
Parenting can be hard work. I get that. If some moms need to feel not so alone in their negative (and often developmentally inappropriate) feelings towards their babies, than this book might make them feel better.
But I have no desire to muck about in this negativity.
It does have some useful information on babies' development. And some ideas of age-appropriate activities (though most will be pretty familiar to anyone who has been around babies).
But these "predictable phases" seem over-exaggerated. My first child was the fussy one, and she never seemed to have the highs and lows that I would have predicted from this book. My second is more laid back, and he doesn't seem to have these obvious rocky periods, either.
Or maybe these phases are more common to babies of parents who don't practice "attachment parenting." Which brings me to my next beef...
The book seems to be about half quotes from parents. The best of which fail to be particularly illuminating. And the worst of which...well, read this book if you want to hear a mom (yes, moms, this book is very gender-biased) griping about being "irritated by her son's slow coordination" because he doesn't crawl or pull up ahead of schedule, being irritated by her daughter standing in her crib crying, putting her 26 year old baby in bed whenever she gets fed up with her wanting to be picked up, getting angry about her 25 week old's "tantrums," shaking her baby, complaining that her baby doesn't lay peacefully in his crib...and on and on. And most of these comments just stand there, without any comment on their appropriateness or how the baby and the mama's needs might be better met. At least the authors mentioned that babies shouldn't be shaken after quoting a mom who shook her baby. And the authors have commented a number of times that it is unacceptable to hit a baby.
And I guess that's my problem right there. I am not the target audience for this book. It is directed toward people who need to be told that it's not okay to slap a baby.
Parenting can be hard work. I get that. If some moms need to feel not so alone in their negative (and often developmentally inappropriate) feelings towards their babies, than this book might make them feel better.
But I have no desire to muck about in this negativity.
December 13, 2022
Een ok boek over de ontwikkeling van je kindje de eerste 1,5 jaar. Het is leuk om te lezen wat je kind komende tijd allemaal zal leren. Waarschijnlijk dan hè, want het hoeft helemaal niet zo te lopen. Ik heb genoten van de nieuwe vaardigheden en ze doen een leuke poging om ouders zich te laten verplaatsen in de verbeeldingswereld van baby’s en dreumesjes. Ze hebben hun hart duidelijk op de goeie plaats, maar ik heb teveel op- en aanmerkingen om dit een goed boek te vinden. Het is mij een raadsel waarom praktisch elke ouder hierbij zweert. Daarover meer na mijn eerste punt van ergernis. Ook ik heb mij door dit boek soms vastgehouden aan de duidelijkheid en voorspelbaarheid van sprongetjes, maar even vaak wel als niet heeft mij dat geholpen omdat het dan heel anders was dan in het boek.
Naast dat dit een sprongsgewijze beschrijving van de ontwikkeling in de eerste 18 maanden beschrijft, lijkt dit boek meer een normalisering van ergernis richting je kind. Hier zomaar wat quotes van een random pagina:
“Hij kan nu veel meer begrijpen en ook doen en natuurlijk denkt hij dat hij de hele wereld aan kan. Als je daardoor geïrriteerd raakt en hem wilt bijsturen, bedenk dan dat hij jou zeker zo irritant vindt.”
“Ze willen rechtop zitten, overal bij zijn, aan alles meedoen zolang ze daar zin in hebben, en vooral alles hebben wat ze zien. Veel ouders vinden dat niet zo leuk.”
“Je zou kunnen zeggen dat er nu voor het eerst sprake is van iets van een machtsstrijd tussen ouder en baby.”
“Bijna alle ouders ergeren zich als hun baby wild graait en grijpt naar alles waar hij bij kan.”
“Niets is meer veilig. Ouders vinden dat steeds vervelender worden.”
Nou zeg, helemaal niet! Normaliseer die ergernis naar je baby niet! Hoe kom je er bij. Dit boek probeert hiernaast juist het ‘vervelende’ gedrag begrijpelijk te maken met die sprongetjes maar doet met die quotes en steeds de nadruk op ergernis van ouders wat mij betreft het tegenovergestelde.
“De meeste ouders vinden dat hun baby best wat voorzichtiger kan zijn en rekening kan houden met een ander.” Let wel, dit staat dus bij het hoofdstuk voor het sprongetje van 4,5 maand. ??? Hoezo vinden de meeste ouders dat? Ik betwijfel het. Als de meeste ouders die inderdaad vinden moeten ze misschien inderdaad dit boek maar kopen.
“Aan het einde van iedere hangerige fase valt het steeds meer op dat moeders die borstvoeding geven, willen stoppen. Een van de reden daarvoor is dat een baby de hele dag aan de borst wil. De moeder raakt daardoor geïrriteerd en begint de borst te weigeren. Dat pikt haar baby niet en voor je het weet is er ruzie.”
Ik lees die delen van ervaringen van ouders gewoon maar niet meer want bij de helft staat ongeveer dat de ouder weer eens boos is geweest. Waarom, in godesnaam, noemen ze al die slechte opvoedtechnieken en gebrek aan emotieregulatie bij ouders? Boos worden op je baby van 4 maanden als die geen rekening met jou houdt? Als dit ergerende ouders moet geruststellen dan ben ik juist verontrust. Misschien zijn het de zwangerschapshormonen nog maar ik verdraag dit echt slecht. Ik begin zo te vermoeden dat ik de doelgroep voor dit boek misschien niet ben.
En dan mijn tweede kritiekpunt die ik eigenlijk belangrijker vind dan bovenstaande. Als dit een ‘wetenschappelijk’ boek is, vreet ik mn hoed op. Ik heb geen hoed. Maar bij wijze van spreken. Je zou kunnen zeggen dat dit boek losjes op wetenschap is gebaseerd. En die wetenschap zou ik ook met een korreltje zout nemen. Iedereen die wetenschap bedrijft die weet dat je niet zo veel kan zeggen over de conclusies van een onderzoek van 1 onderzoeker en als het onderzoek niet gereproduceerd kan worden moet je je al helemaal afvragen in hoeverre je conclusies mag trekken. En al helemaal als dezelfde onderzoeker ook een boek over zijn eigen onderzoek schrijft. Ik vind het verbazingwekkend hoe standaard dit boek is geworden en hoe iedereen (echt IEDEREEN met een baby) het over sprongetjes heeft. Ja het kan houvast geven want de mentale en lichamelijke ontwikkeling wordt er wel soort van accuraat in beschreven, al vind ik de auteur niet heel betrouwbaar. Maar deze houvast kan ook een bron van angst worden als je ziet dat er een megasprong aan zit te komen. Oh god, daar gaan we weer denk je dan. Terwijl het net zo goed heel erg mee kan vallen. De auteur van dit boek geeft ook bij elk sprongetje aan dat je baby een aantal kenmerken kan gaan vertonen bij het begin van het sprongetje. Dit zijn allemaal vage dingen zoals: slecht slapen, hangerig zijn of meer huilen. Daarnaast zegt hij erbij dat niet iedere baby dezelfde kenmerken vertoont, en jouw baby kan er ook heeeeel anders op reageren. Dus dan klopt het gewoon altijd. Lekker makkelijk. Dit is een soort van de horoscoop onder de babyboeken. Hoe algemener je voorspelling, het zal altijd kloppen. Ik durf te wedden dat je baby ook tussen de sprongetjes in dezelfde dingen laat zien. En ik voorspel ook dat er een belangrijk persoon in jouw leven is waarvan de naam met de letter M begint. Zie? Ik kan het ook.
Voor meer info en achtergrond over dit boek, zie:
https://www.trouw.nl/cs-b361efcd
I rest my case. Anyway, wel een aardig boek om een beetje een beeld te krijgen van de ontwikkeling van je kind. Niet meer en niet minder. En hou op met die sprongetjes.
Naast dat dit een sprongsgewijze beschrijving van de ontwikkeling in de eerste 18 maanden beschrijft, lijkt dit boek meer een normalisering van ergernis richting je kind. Hier zomaar wat quotes van een random pagina:
“Hij kan nu veel meer begrijpen en ook doen en natuurlijk denkt hij dat hij de hele wereld aan kan. Als je daardoor geïrriteerd raakt en hem wilt bijsturen, bedenk dan dat hij jou zeker zo irritant vindt.”
“Ze willen rechtop zitten, overal bij zijn, aan alles meedoen zolang ze daar zin in hebben, en vooral alles hebben wat ze zien. Veel ouders vinden dat niet zo leuk.”
“Je zou kunnen zeggen dat er nu voor het eerst sprake is van iets van een machtsstrijd tussen ouder en baby.”
“Bijna alle ouders ergeren zich als hun baby wild graait en grijpt naar alles waar hij bij kan.”
“Niets is meer veilig. Ouders vinden dat steeds vervelender worden.”
Nou zeg, helemaal niet! Normaliseer die ergernis naar je baby niet! Hoe kom je er bij. Dit boek probeert hiernaast juist het ‘vervelende’ gedrag begrijpelijk te maken met die sprongetjes maar doet met die quotes en steeds de nadruk op ergernis van ouders wat mij betreft het tegenovergestelde.
“De meeste ouders vinden dat hun baby best wat voorzichtiger kan zijn en rekening kan houden met een ander.” Let wel, dit staat dus bij het hoofdstuk voor het sprongetje van 4,5 maand. ??? Hoezo vinden de meeste ouders dat? Ik betwijfel het. Als de meeste ouders die inderdaad vinden moeten ze misschien inderdaad dit boek maar kopen.
“Aan het einde van iedere hangerige fase valt het steeds meer op dat moeders die borstvoeding geven, willen stoppen. Een van de reden daarvoor is dat een baby de hele dag aan de borst wil. De moeder raakt daardoor geïrriteerd en begint de borst te weigeren. Dat pikt haar baby niet en voor je het weet is er ruzie.”
Ik lees die delen van ervaringen van ouders gewoon maar niet meer want bij de helft staat ongeveer dat de ouder weer eens boos is geweest. Waarom, in godesnaam, noemen ze al die slechte opvoedtechnieken en gebrek aan emotieregulatie bij ouders? Boos worden op je baby van 4 maanden als die geen rekening met jou houdt? Als dit ergerende ouders moet geruststellen dan ben ik juist verontrust. Misschien zijn het de zwangerschapshormonen nog maar ik verdraag dit echt slecht. Ik begin zo te vermoeden dat ik de doelgroep voor dit boek misschien niet ben.
En dan mijn tweede kritiekpunt die ik eigenlijk belangrijker vind dan bovenstaande. Als dit een ‘wetenschappelijk’ boek is, vreet ik mn hoed op. Ik heb geen hoed. Maar bij wijze van spreken. Je zou kunnen zeggen dat dit boek losjes op wetenschap is gebaseerd. En die wetenschap zou ik ook met een korreltje zout nemen. Iedereen die wetenschap bedrijft die weet dat je niet zo veel kan zeggen over de conclusies van een onderzoek van 1 onderzoeker en als het onderzoek niet gereproduceerd kan worden moet je je al helemaal afvragen in hoeverre je conclusies mag trekken. En al helemaal als dezelfde onderzoeker ook een boek over zijn eigen onderzoek schrijft. Ik vind het verbazingwekkend hoe standaard dit boek is geworden en hoe iedereen (echt IEDEREEN met een baby) het over sprongetjes heeft. Ja het kan houvast geven want de mentale en lichamelijke ontwikkeling wordt er wel soort van accuraat in beschreven, al vind ik de auteur niet heel betrouwbaar. Maar deze houvast kan ook een bron van angst worden als je ziet dat er een megasprong aan zit te komen. Oh god, daar gaan we weer denk je dan. Terwijl het net zo goed heel erg mee kan vallen. De auteur van dit boek geeft ook bij elk sprongetje aan dat je baby een aantal kenmerken kan gaan vertonen bij het begin van het sprongetje. Dit zijn allemaal vage dingen zoals: slecht slapen, hangerig zijn of meer huilen. Daarnaast zegt hij erbij dat niet iedere baby dezelfde kenmerken vertoont, en jouw baby kan er ook heeeeel anders op reageren. Dus dan klopt het gewoon altijd. Lekker makkelijk. Dit is een soort van de horoscoop onder de babyboeken. Hoe algemener je voorspelling, het zal altijd kloppen. Ik durf te wedden dat je baby ook tussen de sprongetjes in dezelfde dingen laat zien. En ik voorspel ook dat er een belangrijk persoon in jouw leven is waarvan de naam met de letter M begint. Zie? Ik kan het ook.
Voor meer info en achtergrond over dit boek, zie:
https://www.trouw.nl/cs-b361efcd
I rest my case. Anyway, wel een aardig boek om een beetje een beeld te krijgen van de ontwikkeling van je kind. Niet meer en niet minder. En hou op met die sprongetjes.
July 15, 2014
Unlike many of my friends, I don't find the Wonder Weeks particularly helpful. I have the app, and I thought maybe I'd be a convert if I read the book. Spoiler alert: the book is all filler. I think most of the text is culled from a Wonder Weeks message board or something. I wish there was more info about cognitive development and less enumeration of various ways that babies can act fussy.
March 5, 2016
The information provided here is useful, however the whole book is kind of a waste of time and money, unless you are reading it ahead of time during your pregnancy. I started it with my 9 week old and realized two things:
1) This isn't new information. Everything in this book was something I already read via many (free) parenting apps.
2) It is the same information week after week. It's wonderful information - it allows you some comfort that what your child is experiencing is normal, expected, and temporary. However the "symptoms" and "advice" never differ in each wonder week so once you read one week you don't really need to read the rest. And finding out when those weeks are can be Googled within a few minutes.
I would recommend saving your time and money and not reading this book. It's not bad, it's just not really necessary.
1) This isn't new information. Everything in this book was something I already read via many (free) parenting apps.
2) It is the same information week after week. It's wonderful information - it allows you some comfort that what your child is experiencing is normal, expected, and temporary. However the "symptoms" and "advice" never differ in each wonder week so once you read one week you don't really need to read the rest. And finding out when those weeks are can be Googled within a few minutes.
I would recommend saving your time and money and not reading this book. It's not bad, it's just not really necessary.
September 11, 2025
Wat een bevalling. Sterker nog, de daadwerkelijke bevalling doe ik liever nog een keer over dan dat ik dit boek nog eens lees. Hier en daar informatief maar voornamelijk ontzettend repetitief. Als er tijdens redactie 4/5e van het boek geschrapt was, had dat niks afgedaan aan de inhoud. Verder zit het boek boordevol quotes van ouders. Als je deze quotes mag geloven is je kind 80% van de eerste anderhalve jaar van zijn of haar leven stront irritant. Ik zou haast denken dat het boek deels bedoeld is als anticonceptiemiddel.
January 6, 2014
I was expecting to enjoy this book thoroughly. When my child was 5 weeks old and constantly crying and wanting to nurse, I frantically Dr. Googled what the heck was different about that day from all the days before. I found the Wonder Weeks site and lo and behold, "discovered" that my kid was preparing for a mental leap. Sure enough, a few days later he was back to his normal self and in addition, he was doing some new things that he hadn't done before.
When the book was ordered for the library, I decided to check it out since I'm still not sure what I'm doing and this is my one shot at parenting (so I better get it right!).
I like the introduction to each section and new things that parents should be looking for with each leap. It's amazing how much happens in the first year, and the book outlines this nicely.
I admittedly skipped to the section that pertains to my child's current age and he's kind of (or should be) in between mental leaps at the moment. Plus, he's been sick for two weeks straight, so is he getting up at night because he's getting ready for a mental leap, or is he just recovering from a stomach bug? I feel like this is something the reader needs to commit to from the beginning in order for the philosophy to make any sense.
Also, there are a lot of complaints about how the book is stuffed with real-life parent quotes. I found a problem with this too, but not for the reasons that many other reviewers note. I started freaking out when a number of the parents with kids younger than mine talked about their child crawling and doing things that my kid hasn't mastered yet. While I know he is on his own timeline and is developing normally, I couldn't help but compare and worry, and it just brought up a lot of insecurities, as if anything that I am doing with him could possibly make my seven month old magically start crawling. I don't know. There is so much variation in what is considered "normal" for stuff like this, but it still brings out a lot of insecurities.
So, other than the basic information on the leaps themselves, I didn't find this book super helpful. Again, if I had followed this from the beginning, it might work more for me, but I'm just having trouble placing where my child fits.
When the book was ordered for the library, I decided to check it out since I'm still not sure what I'm doing and this is my one shot at parenting (so I better get it right!).
I like the introduction to each section and new things that parents should be looking for with each leap. It's amazing how much happens in the first year, and the book outlines this nicely.
I admittedly skipped to the section that pertains to my child's current age and he's kind of (or should be) in between mental leaps at the moment. Plus, he's been sick for two weeks straight, so is he getting up at night because he's getting ready for a mental leap, or is he just recovering from a stomach bug? I feel like this is something the reader needs to commit to from the beginning in order for the philosophy to make any sense.
Also, there are a lot of complaints about how the book is stuffed with real-life parent quotes. I found a problem with this too, but not for the reasons that many other reviewers note. I started freaking out when a number of the parents with kids younger than mine talked about their child crawling and doing things that my kid hasn't mastered yet. While I know he is on his own timeline and is developing normally, I couldn't help but compare and worry, and it just brought up a lot of insecurities, as if anything that I am doing with him could possibly make my seven month old magically start crawling. I don't know. There is so much variation in what is considered "normal" for stuff like this, but it still brings out a lot of insecurities.
So, other than the basic information on the leaps themselves, I didn't find this book super helpful. Again, if I had followed this from the beginning, it might work more for me, but I'm just having trouble placing where my child fits.
April 27, 2018
I hate this book. Most importantly, apparently none of their findings have been able to be replicated. Yet every parent swears by these wonder 'weeks' (that are actually endless). It's not a phase if all fussy behaviour in or out and sorta kinda maybe around an incredibly nebulous time frame can be ascribed this developmental leap. It's all too easy to pretend like your baby might not have other needs that should be met (such as being overtired, under or over stimulated etc) when you can blame it all on the almighty leap.
It's also totally sexist and sets up a lot of nonsense expectations for baby boys vs girls. And why are only mothers addressed in this book, as if a father might not have a hand in raising their baby?
It's also totally sexist and sets up a lot of nonsense expectations for baby boys vs girls. And why are only mothers addressed in this book, as if a father might not have a hand in raising their baby?
December 18, 2021
The book consists half of information that is constantly repeated and brings little added value and half of quotes that are supposed to represent the majority of parents. The comments are a reflection of completely overwhelmed, emotionally deprived and insensitive parents who passively aggressively treat their babies or even abuse them. The parents' comments are presented as legitimate and natural without going into the background (their own upbringing, traumas, etc.). No wonder we have a highly traumatized society, created by lack of warmth, care and love. Moreover, the information about the growth phases is partly wrong. Terrible book.
December 11, 2019
Am Anfang noch recht informativ und zum Schluss eigentlich nur noch viele Wiederholungen bezüglich des Verhaltens während des Schubs.
July 21, 2021
3.5? 4? hrm
the concept is really interesting and i don’t doubt the science on the brain growth and that it can affect your child both to fussiness and to new capabilities… i do sort of question the break down of the new skills and perceptions and only now can they do this! but also, it is very wonder inducing at just how much a child has to learn. this book only talks about the first ten leaps, but leaves you with, everyone’s brain keeps changing even into adulthood. the complete mystery of what’s truly happening (i would say even as a baby but especially after y e a r s of life and learning), wow. only the Lord knows and i’m okay with that.
the beginning says, we recommend you look to each leap when it’s relevant, we didn’t really write this to be read straight through, etc. well i read it straight through and it was pretty repetitive, whole excerpts and phrases reused every chapter… which by the end they realized and the Very Last leap they decided, hey you know this stuff, we’re going to skip on ahead.
every leap was broken down into: timing, description, fussy signs from your child, fussy signs from yourself, (a weird warning that feeling an urge to shake your baby is normal but only harmful if you act upon it??,) new skills! the description expounded, games to help them learn, toys to use, timing. (and lots of personal anecdotal snippets from a handful of parents, which i started skipping because my library loan was due soon and the stories were just giving you examples and confirmation of what the book was saying… at this point if i want affirmation that i am not the only one with a kid that cries, i just have to google our generic situation and it’s bound to have already been shared and discussed.)
maybe the only thing that seemed useful to me is the timing. knowing my child’s brain is growing exponentially and changing how their world is, and that they might be upset and need comfort and patience at this specific period. but you could also do that… at all times.
otherwise… your baby will grow, the new skills could happen at any time, the games are pretty common, toys can be anything, babies fuss, it’s stressful for you, and it’s not actually okay to think about shaking your baby.
the concept is really interesting and i don’t doubt the science on the brain growth and that it can affect your child both to fussiness and to new capabilities… i do sort of question the break down of the new skills and perceptions and only now can they do this! but also, it is very wonder inducing at just how much a child has to learn. this book only talks about the first ten leaps, but leaves you with, everyone’s brain keeps changing even into adulthood. the complete mystery of what’s truly happening (i would say even as a baby but especially after y e a r s of life and learning), wow. only the Lord knows and i’m okay with that.
the beginning says, we recommend you look to each leap when it’s relevant, we didn’t really write this to be read straight through, etc. well i read it straight through and it was pretty repetitive, whole excerpts and phrases reused every chapter… which by the end they realized and the Very Last leap they decided, hey you know this stuff, we’re going to skip on ahead.
every leap was broken down into: timing, description, fussy signs from your child, fussy signs from yourself, (a weird warning that feeling an urge to shake your baby is normal but only harmful if you act upon it??,) new skills! the description expounded, games to help them learn, toys to use, timing. (and lots of personal anecdotal snippets from a handful of parents, which i started skipping because my library loan was due soon and the stories were just giving you examples and confirmation of what the book was saying… at this point if i want affirmation that i am not the only one with a kid that cries, i just have to google our generic situation and it’s bound to have already been shared and discussed.)
maybe the only thing that seemed useful to me is the timing. knowing my child’s brain is growing exponentially and changing how their world is, and that they might be upset and need comfort and patience at this specific period. but you could also do that… at all times.
otherwise… your baby will grow, the new skills could happen at any time, the games are pretty common, toys can be anything, babies fuss, it’s stressful for you, and it’s not actually okay to think about shaking your baby.
October 25, 2017
I’m still not sure I believe in Wonder Weeks. Someone called it “baby horoscope” because it isn’t real but seems real because of confirmation bias: the descriptions are vague enough for any parent of a screaming baby to think “oh it must be a leap” as a way to find a reason for the screaming. I think that description is probably true.
I also find the style of this book annoyingly repetitive with an excessive number of cutesy quotes that just repeat what had already been said. Some of them also seem fake, with the descriptions being unrealistic for a baby of the age they’re describing (for example, a nine month old “running off” or “walking around picking things up” - babies of that age can’t run or walk well enough to gather things along the way!). The unrealistic anecdotes may also be alarming for parents who think it’s normal, for example, for 6 month olds to say dozens of words; it’s not!
However, learning about the stages is interesting and I see the value in parents having something to help explain their baby’s behaviour. Let’s say it’s useful but only because of the placebo effect!
I also find the style of this book annoyingly repetitive with an excessive number of cutesy quotes that just repeat what had already been said. Some of them also seem fake, with the descriptions being unrealistic for a baby of the age they’re describing (for example, a nine month old “running off” or “walking around picking things up” - babies of that age can’t run or walk well enough to gather things along the way!). The unrealistic anecdotes may also be alarming for parents who think it’s normal, for example, for 6 month olds to say dozens of words; it’s not!
However, learning about the stages is interesting and I see the value in parents having something to help explain their baby’s behaviour. Let’s say it’s useful but only because of the placebo effect!
August 11, 2019
Ich empfehle dieses Buch jeder neuen Mutter, weil es Informationen hat, die Mann sonst nirgends sonst findet: das das Leiden (in weinen) des Kindes zu bestimmten Perioden mit Wachstumsschüben zu erklären sind. Mein Sohn war ca. eine Woche früh und am anfang hat er haargenau alle Schübe eine Woche später erlebt. Das Buch gibt Infos darüber was sich entwickelt und wie man das Baby helfen/fördern kann.
Es wird viel ziemlich oft wiederholt, was ein bisschen nervig ist, aber nach den ersten 4 oder 5 Wachstumsschüben kann man einfach darüber hüpfen.
Es wird viel ziemlich oft wiederholt, was ein bisschen nervig ist, aber nach den ersten 4 oder 5 Wachstumsschüben kann man einfach darüber hüpfen.
March 27, 2021
While offering a few interesting basic insights of child development, this book basically devalues and ridicules babies' basic needs. In every chapter the authors emphasise how tiring and exhausting and annoying babies supposedly are in their "phases". Where they should inspire parents to comfort and soothe their babies they merely ask them to bear with them. It's hard to believe such things are still so popular.
One of the few books I won't even give away for another reader. It'll go into the recycling bin, and good riddance.
One of the few books I won't even give away for another reader. It'll go into the recycling bin, and good riddance.
October 26, 2016
I'm grateful for this book--if nothing else, it assured me that those random flows of fussiness aren't because I'm a bad parent or because my baby is actually the mayor of Crazytown. She is being fussy because she's actually doing something amazing. She learns more in a day than I do in a year, I swear. Must be exhausting. 3 stars because it is very repetitive and could use some solid editing.
May 16, 2017
Very VERY very repetitive. I found it helpful in the beginning, but once past the first few leaps it felt like the chapters were the same thing over and over and over. The app is much more concise, and while still repetitive it is significantly less so.
February 6, 2019
I am not sure how any parent survives the first 20 months of their child's life without this knowledge, but man am I glad it's available!
December 21, 2020
Gemengde gevoelens, laat ons het daar op houden :)
June 30, 2023
Lang getwijfeld tussen of ik dit boek nou 2 of 3 sterren zou geven, uiteindelijk op 2 uitgekomen. Vooral vanwege het feit dat ik er teveel herhaling en overlap in vond zitten. De logica in hoe men tot 10 verschillende sprongen is gekomen wil ik ergens nog wel volgen, maar vond het niet nodig om hier ruim 500 bladzijden voor te lezen. Het opschrijven van verschilende gedragingen op bepaalde data vond ik leuk. Vooral om in de toekomst terug te lezen. Ook de hoeveelheid voorbeelden van andere ouders was voor mij een overkill.
July 17, 2023
Viena no visnoderīgākajām bērnkopības grāmatām, ko esmu lasījusi. Palīdzēja paredzēt un saprast daudzus kāpumus un kritumus pašā sākumā, kā arī piedāvāja noderīgas rotaļas, lai vieglāk apgūtu jaunās prasmes vai tikt galā ar jaunajām bailēm.
Vienīgais mīnuss - varēja būt plānāka. Daudz kas atkārtojas, bet ja lasa par katru lēcienu atbilstošajā laikā, tad ir ok.
Vienīgais mīnuss - varēja būt plānāka. Daudz kas atkārtojas, bet ja lasa par katru lēcienu atbilstošajā laikā, tad ir ok.
September 23, 2025
See oli suureks abiks, et aru saada, kuidas mu beebi parasjagu maailma kogeb. Meil läks see päris täppi, äpp aitas ajaraamidel kergelt silma peal hoida. Natuke liiga kordavaks läksid ühel hetkel need, mida vanem tunneb jne osad raamatust ja nii palju neid näidistsitaate jms poleks ehk ka raamatu pikendamiseks vaja olnud. Lõppu jõudes vastasin ka peatükid beebi unest, mis oleks alguses ilmselt kasulikud olnud, kui ma oleks teadnud, et see osa seal on.
May 4, 2017
Die Phasen haben rein zeitlich bei uns meist gestimmt, allerdings halte ich einige der beschriebenen Fähigkeiten für das jeweilige Zeitfenster für komplett unrealistisch. Kinder, die mit anderthalb Jahren schon Puzzles mit 20 Teilen legen oder mit 8 Monaten Wörter nachsprechen? ja klar... ganz zu schweigen von den vielen Praxisbeispielen, bei denen man sich fragt, ob die Eltern ihre Babies wirklich so behandeln. Das Kind steckt gerade mitten im Sprung und will am liebsten auf dem Arm sein? geht gar nicht,es war so nervig,dass man es ins Bett stecken musste. ernsthaft???
Dann natürlich in jedem Kapitel wieder endlose Wiederholungen, woran man merkt, dass das Kind gerade einen Entwicklungsschub macht. Hat man nach einem Jahr sicher noch nicht mitbekommen,dass es anhänglicher wird, schlechter schläft oder isst etc. Darum muss man das jedes Mal wieder auf ein paar Seiten schreiben.
Die Erläuterungen,was sich im Hirn des Kindes so alles verändert, finde ich auch ziemlich abstrakt. "Welt der Systeme","Welt der Prinzipien" usw. - darunter kann ich mir trotz der breiten Erläuterungen wenig vorstellen.
Gut finde ich aber prinzipiell die Auflistung möglicher Interessen bzw Fähigkeiten. Auch wenn manche weit hergeholt sind, reflektiert man sein Kind noch Mal anders und es fallen einem Dinge auf, die man sonst gar nicht mehr wahr nimmt.
Das Buch ist in meinen Augen kein Must have für junge Eltern, die wichtigsten Infos findet man auch anderweitig und der Rest ist eh nur mäßig.
Dann natürlich in jedem Kapitel wieder endlose Wiederholungen, woran man merkt, dass das Kind gerade einen Entwicklungsschub macht. Hat man nach einem Jahr sicher noch nicht mitbekommen,dass es anhänglicher wird, schlechter schläft oder isst etc. Darum muss man das jedes Mal wieder auf ein paar Seiten schreiben.
Die Erläuterungen,was sich im Hirn des Kindes so alles verändert, finde ich auch ziemlich abstrakt. "Welt der Systeme","Welt der Prinzipien" usw. - darunter kann ich mir trotz der breiten Erläuterungen wenig vorstellen.
Gut finde ich aber prinzipiell die Auflistung möglicher Interessen bzw Fähigkeiten. Auch wenn manche weit hergeholt sind, reflektiert man sein Kind noch Mal anders und es fallen einem Dinge auf, die man sonst gar nicht mehr wahr nimmt.
Das Buch ist in meinen Augen kein Must have für junge Eltern, die wichtigsten Infos findet man auch anderweitig und der Rest ist eh nur mäßig.
May 19, 2020
Sehr empfehlenswert, wenn man herausfinden will warum der kleine Sonnenschein mal wieder verrückt spielt und wie man am Besten mit dem Ganzen umgeht. Das Buch erklärt verständlich die vorübergehenden Verhaltensveränderungen der Kleinen und bietet Raum für Eltern ihre Frustration in Verständnis und Toleranz zu verwandeln. Die zeitlichen Angaben zu den Verhaltensauffälligkeiten konnte ich nicht genau auf meine Kleine anwenden, aber jede der Phasen kam zu seiner Zeit. Das Buch bekommt leider keine fünf Sterne, weil es oft Wiederholungen gab, ohne die man das Leseerlebnis weniger mühsam hätte gestalten können.
May 5, 2024
Re-read with baby #2-- this time from the very beginning. Very insightful and helpful for parenting.
Original review- joined this one late in the game, so I won't claim that I "read" the whole thing, but I found it pretty helpful to normalize many of the odd changes in behavior that would come seemingly out of nowhere. The descriptions were pretty spot on and helped me to take a deep breath and chill out. :) I will say the "personal testimonials" were a bit overdone (ok...we get it...Aidan AND Emma AND Charlie, etc. ALL did it). Would definitely recommend to parents of little ones.
Original review- joined this one late in the game, so I won't claim that I "read" the whole thing, but I found it pretty helpful to normalize many of the odd changes in behavior that would come seemingly out of nowhere. The descriptions were pretty spot on and helped me to take a deep breath and chill out. :) I will say the "personal testimonials" were a bit overdone (ok...we get it...Aidan AND Emma AND Charlie, etc. ALL did it). Would definitely recommend to parents of little ones.
March 4, 2019
After over a year reading it, I have now a better understanding of all the leaps and developments the babies go through. Important milestones and developmental changes, the book really helps with ideas and what to observe during those leaps.
Unfortunately one of the most useful chapters (Sleep) is at the end, and I should have started with that! Plentiful of valuable information in there, that could have settled my expectations before learning it the hard way. My advice (if you acre a new parent)? Start with that chapter.
Unfortunately one of the most useful chapters (Sleep) is at the end, and I should have started with that! Plentiful of valuable information in there, that could have settled my expectations before learning it the hard way. My advice (if you acre a new parent)? Start with that chapter.
December 24, 2022
The book is full of repetitive fillers and its really hard to find any useful information. It just repeats obvious things on and on. You will waste precious hours of sleep by reading repetitive recommendations that you didn't need to read to know. Repetition is central to this book. Maybe it should be called The Repetitive Weeks. Did I mention this book is very repetitive? I just want to make it clear to you how repetitive this book is. This review is better understood if read at least five times.
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