Prize Draw and Book Review: How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm

How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm: Parenting wisdom from around the world, by Mei-Ling Hopgood.

 

How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm is Mei-Ling Hopgood’s account of not only her own adventures in parenting but also details her extensive research into parenting practices across the world. From Buenos Aires to Japan she recounts the various differing cultural approaches to such parenting dilemmas as sleep-routines, potty training, playtime squabbles and healthy eating.

Some of her findings are both enlightening and heart-warming and as a mother of a somewhat spirited toddler it, at times, made me stop and reconsider some of my own parenting strategies. Chapter two, ‘How the French Teach Their Children to Love Healthy Food’ was a particular favourite. I will certainly be adopting the rule of ‘not having to like everything but having to try it at least twice’ with W.

A particular highlight for me was Chapter 3, ‘How Kenyans Live Without Pushchairs’. I myself cannot stand to see three and four year olds being wheeled around like babies when they are perfectly capable of walking good distances.

Chapter eight describes ‘How the Japanese let Their Children Fight’ which is not as gruesome as it sounds. The practice of sometimes just letting kids work things out for themselves, without anyone getting hurt, does make me wonder if in The West we are perhaps too quick to interfere in our own children’s battles.

I must confess to losing some sympathy with the authors own parenting struggles when it transpired, a few chapters in, that not only does she work from home but also employs a nanny. However, I then gave myself a quick slap and reminded myself that parenting is a huge challenge, no matter what your situation, which is exactly the point of this book.

In contrast I found her truthful account of her own recovery from miscarriage, and later experience of an ectopic pregnancy, truly saddening and deeply poignant.

She has done a great deal of research in putting this collection of parenting wisdom together and, despite her constant referencing feeling at times quite laboured, it is still an enjoyable read and there is plenty to make any parent give their own current strategies some thought.

To try it out for yourself I am giving away a copy of this book to five lucky readers so, to be in with a chance of winning your own copy, simply leave me a comment with your best parenting tip AND enter the prize draw via the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

This prize draw has been listed on The Prizefinder.com