I bought "Child Behavior" in 1990. I read about it from a magazine. "Child Behavior" gives advice on problems of child behavior, from age 4 weeks to ten years. This book has helped me stay ahead of every stage my children would soon enter. I would read about a stage not believing it would happen, the WHAM! there they go! When I heard my first "I HATE YOU!" I didn't have a breakdown feeling like I was the worst parent in the world. Instead, I cracked up laughing to myself because I had read about this stage and couldn't imagine my children actually saying this! "Child Behavior" has kept me ahead of every stage and makes me feel like a great parent because I am prepared. My children appreciate this, because then I don't freak out thinking no other children act this way! People see me react to these stages thinking I have a lot of patience. I explain to them, I am just prepared from reading "Child Behavior."

I've read all the other books in this series. Usually, these books have insightful information about a child's developmental stages. This book tries to do the same; however, I think that the authors grouped too many age groups together. There's a BIG difference between ten-year olds and fourteen-year olds. Much of the information seemed dated (it was from the 1970s).

This book gives you both physical and emotional milestones of children in this age group separated by gender. It maps how to read your child's moods and changes. As well as physical changes in devlopment--like the inherent clumsiness of puberty. I read or re-read sections when I get to a new stage with each my 3 children. This book has warned me of danger spots--especially emotionally and calmed my concerns when I could see it was 'just normal'. I've read each book from 1 year to 14 and found them to be fabulous mounds of information.

Information is provided about the common developmental traits of ten to fourteen year olds. This book is intended to be used as a handbook for parents. It is easy to read, not a dry textbook. Your child is changing. (You know this SO well!) What might be next? Areas of development presented include physical, social, emotional, school life, interests, and ethics. I refer to my copy often as a sixth grade teacher and the proud parent of a fourteen year old.

As parents we all require occasional assistance when it comes to parenting. We seek advice from friends, family members, doctors, and other "experts," and if you're like me, you reach for a book. My five-year-old is delightful in most ways, but I'm concerned that he should take more initiative and accomplish additional simple tasks on with limited guidance. In fact, it seems he has been conditioned to wait for my wife and me to perform simple tasks for him and, therefore, he has been "taught" to be helpless in many situations. For this reason, I sought a book to give me a few ideas on everyday responsibilities that five-year-olds ought to be accomplishing on their own.

I bought "Your Five-Year-Old" by Louise Bates Ames after it was recommended to me by an expert in positive discipline.

The book is very short, at 111 pages, and is divided into ten chapters:

1.Characteristics of Age Five
2.The Child and Others
3.Routines, Health, and Tensional Outlets
4.Discipline
5.Accomplishments and Abilities
6.The Child's Mind
7.School
8.The Five-Year-Old Party
9.Individuality
10.Stories from Real Life

It also includes appendixes on good toys and books for five-year-olds and also books for parents of five-year-olds.

Because I have more reasons to dislike the book than to find it appealing, I'll begin by sharing my complaints. My first criticism is that the book is dated, having been written in 1979. The time period of when the book was authored leaves the contents with many outdated notions, many of which I would have overlooked had they not been so irritating. Firstly, the father-child relationship is referred to only a few times, and primarily in a stereotypical manner. Conversely, the mother-child relationship is referenced in much detail throughout the text. Secondly, there is a disparaging reference to Indians, albeit as shared by a little girl from a nightmare. Thirdly, the book recommends that a five-year-old ought to be able to walk alone two blocks to a store. Not that crime against children is any worse now than in the late Seventies, but what parent in his or her right mind would let a child of this age do this? (Am I wrong?) Fourthly, and perhaps trivially, when it comes to common activities for five-year-olds, many are dated, such as listening to records.

My second criticism of the book is that it gave me no new ideas on how to have my son initiate and complete more simple tasks on his own, which was my purpose for buying the book.

On the positive side, the book can be read in a few hours. Secondly, it contains several enchanting pictures of smiling five-year-olds. The "Accomplishments and Abilities" chapter does give the reader some indication as to whether your five-year-old is on track, but the substance is primarily common sense.

All said, I doubt this book will provide much enlightenment to parents looking for suggestions such as I sought.

I enjoyed reading the book especially the sections on school readiness and how a 5 year old child's mind works. This is a good book for parents to read in light of the tendency to push children academically and socially before they are ready developmentally.

When you know what behaviors are "normal" for your child's age you can relax, stop the worry, and focus on appropriate solutions. This whole series of books accurately defines the ages and stages of children. These books keep your expectations realistic and allow you to avoid anger caused by a lack of understanding of your child's developmental stages.