From Grandma to You: Childcare Wisdom for a New Generation

by Joan Hellstrom, Connie Ray, Susan Findlay

When it comes to babies and child-rearing, few sources are more reliable, experienced and downright loving than Grandma. Featuring the counsel of over 60 grandmothers and a trusted pediatrician, these never before published recommendations, solutions, and sanity-saving techniques have benefited hundreds of grandmothers, mothers, and daughters. Readers will get time-tested advice on everything from food schedules (what to eat and when), to attachments (how to handle pacifiers, blankies, bottles, and thumbs), as well as effective, natural remedies for a host of ailments. Each chapter provides a section for mothers to record their thoughts and what their own mom said, making this an essential collection of tidbits, tricks, and tried and true measures from the women who know best.

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 2006

Reviews

[Robin King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the new edition of this book and it is absolutely the best little book of advice I have read. Though much of the advice is is decades old, it still applies to today. I couldn't help laughing and tearing up a bit at some of the anecdotes that hit close to home. I think grandmas would get a kick out of this and moms will be thanking you.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning more about what our mothers and grandmothers were taught about childcare. I loved the photographs throughout--moms with their kids in all decades. Some of the childcare advice is timeless and helpful. My favorite advice: "Whether nurturing her first, second, or tenth baby, all new mothers need love and assurance." Other advice was clearly dated and has long since been shown by the medical establishment to be ineffective, or in some cases, downright harmful (like applying a mustard plaster or rubbing whiskey on a teething baby's gums). So in the end, I guess I wasn't sure whether the authors were trying to compile tidbits of motherly wisdom handed down through the ages as a curiosity or whether they were trying to offer real parenting advice. Perhaps some of both?

[Cami]

4.5- The second edition of this book is great! It's divided into short sections by subject which made it easy to read a bit here and there (which, as a busy mom, is how I end up reading most books these days). Grandmas give great advice, and this book is no exception! I thought it was so fun to read varying advice on the same subject (unlike most parenting books that only give advice from one point of view or school of thought). This way of giving advice also helped me remember that we're all doing our best, and there's very rarely only one right way to do something.

I probably wouldn't have thought to buy this book for myself, but now I'm sure glad I read it! I think any mother could find helpful advice in this book, because there are so many varying bits of advice. Overall a great read that I'm sure I'll go back to in the future when I need an extra boost of motherhood strength!