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ovenbird_reads's review against another edition
5.0
This book on pregnancy and parenting from birth to age 5 was incredible. It doesn't sugar coat the challenges that come with having a child and yet maintains a sense that wonderful things can happen through hard work and dedication. This book is not just about how to raise a child but how to reenvision yourself--making parenthood part of your essential identity. It's about balance and parenting that is political, active, and maybe even radical. Jessica Mills presents a careful account of the things that will come up when you have a baby--gender roles, the TV debate, how to balance your own needs with that of your child and your partner if you have one. She presents concrete strategies for addressing everything from cloth diapering to girls who want to be Princesses but always encourages the reader to use only what makes sense in the context of their own family, to mix and match, and to constantly tailor and revise approaches to mesh with their own values. I really enjoyed this book and believe it will be very helpful in the future if I have a child of my own. While I didn't agree with every tactic or strategy I got the sense that Mills would be totally okay with that. She asks you to question and push against entrenched ideas of what it means to be a parent and how to relate to your child.
megatsunami's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this collection of essays and writings about being a punk, anarchist mom. Just the title alone was validating! My subcultural/ non-mainstream affiliations are a little different than hers so I didn't always relate to the specific dilemmas she had (e.g. going on tour with her punk band with kid in tow) but I still appreciated hearing about parenting from a non-mainstream angle.
I felt the baby chapters didn't offer as much original content, as they had a lot of safety and informational guidelines about baby care which I could get from other sources. Also, the author is really into natural birth, cosleeping, babywearing, etc. and although she shared her own struggles with some of these things, her ultimate attitude about them was a little self-righteous. The toddler/ older child chapters were more interesting to me. Some of pieces I most appreciated:
- "The Baby Gender-Coding Phenomenon" (I like when she suggests that, as an experiment, you try dressing your baby up in differently "gendered" clothes on different days and notice people's reactions)
- The Great TV Debate (I liked the approach the author and her partner took, which was a more nuanced way of interacting with TV to help promote media literacy and critical thinking)
- A Typical Day With My Preschooler (nice to read about someone else's spirited, energetic girl who is fun-loving but can be a handful!)
- "Organizing Childcare for the FTAA Protests" and "Three Generations March for Choice" (useful and thoughtful reflections on including kids in protest activism)
- "Who Gives A Shit About Kids and Cursing?" (appreciated the challenge to traditional assumptions that kids cursing is uniformly bad)
- "Slave to Fashion" and "Setting Up An Art Center" (liked how the author explored some ways of giving her child free choice, while also talking about the dilemmas and how hard it was at times)
- "Mom, I Want to Go to Real School!" (reflections on sending her child to regular public school and some of the reactions they had as parents)
I felt the baby chapters didn't offer as much original content, as they had a lot of safety and informational guidelines about baby care which I could get from other sources. Also, the author is really into natural birth, cosleeping, babywearing, etc. and although she shared her own struggles with some of these things, her ultimate attitude about them was a little self-righteous. The toddler/ older child chapters were more interesting to me. Some of pieces I most appreciated:
- "The Baby Gender-Coding Phenomenon" (I like when she suggests that, as an experiment, you try dressing your baby up in differently "gendered" clothes on different days and notice people's reactions)
- The Great TV Debate (I liked the approach the author and her partner took, which was a more nuanced way of interacting with TV to help promote media literacy and critical thinking)
- A Typical Day With My Preschooler (nice to read about someone else's spirited, energetic girl who is fun-loving but can be a handful!)
- "Organizing Childcare for the FTAA Protests" and "Three Generations March for Choice" (useful and thoughtful reflections on including kids in protest activism)
- "Who Gives A Shit About Kids and Cursing?" (appreciated the challenge to traditional assumptions that kids cursing is uniformly bad)
- "Slave to Fashion" and "Setting Up An Art Center" (liked how the author explored some ways of giving her child free choice, while also talking about the dilemmas and how hard it was at times)
- "Mom, I Want to Go to Real School!" (reflections on sending her child to regular public school and some of the reactions they had as parents)
mxae's review against another edition
3.0
This book is far less radical for us American punk parents than it was when it was published, but is still good to add you a diverse list of pregnancy and child stewarding books. Like almost every other parenting and birth book out there, this one is a reflection of the author's views, but sometimes tries to seem as if it more generally represents a punk standard.
Might be triggering for folks on issues of gender and anti-femme sentiment, as well as heteronormativity.
By today's standards it's lacking an antiracist element too.
For other books in this vein try rad families.
Might be triggering for folks on issues of gender and anti-femme sentiment, as well as heteronormativity.
By today's standards it's lacking an antiracist element too.
For other books in this vein try rad families.
coldinaugust's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome. Re-reading it aloud with my (not immediate, guys!) future co-parent.
je55ilo's review against another edition
3.0
One of my long list of books I read while I was expecting Bea because I was so excited and didn't have enough people to talk to about how excited I was. :-P Good perspective that isn't the typical flowers and rainbows maternity stuff that goes old in five minutes.
kingweirdo's review against another edition
4.0
I read a couple dozen books during my pregnancy looking for a parenting book that resonated with me, matched my values, and was also an entertaining read, and this was the ONLY one that fit the bill. This book is a natural extension of DIY punk ethos and anarchist community-building, and a great parenting resource.
latlansky's review
3.0
so far her birth experience was quite parallel to mine...need a clearer head to move on to her epilogue about it.
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