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82 reviews for:
Achtung Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children
Sara Zaske
3.91 AVERAGE
82 reviews for:
Achtung Baby: An American Mom on the German Art of Raising Self-Reliant Children
Sara Zaske
3.91 AVERAGE
I’m not a parent, nor likely to be one anytime soon, but I’m always curious about contemporary German memoir (much easier to find WWII memoirs, which are less relevant to my life…). This managed to answer a number of questions that had been floating around in the back of my mind: in particular, why, when I lived in Prenzlauer Berg, did I see so many tiny wee children biking down the pavement with nary a parent in sight? (I’m in a different Kiez at the moment and don’t see as many unaccompanied tinies, but it always made me want to ask Wo sind deine Eltern?) But it’s intentional, as it turns out: as Zaske explains it, while in American culture there’s a heavy emphasis on parental attachment, in German culture there’s more of an it-takes-a-village mentality (i.e., children should have numerous adult role models from a young age, not just family) and also more of an intentional, calculated fostering of independence from a very young age.
This is part research and part memoir, and I think I would have preferred it to skew a bit further in one direction or the other—but even for the non-parentally-inclined, it’s a really engaging read, skating across topics from the aforementioned independence to schooling differences (the ever-present Kita!) to sex ed. Definitely one to pique interest in cultural differences.
This is part research and part memoir, and I think I would have preferred it to skew a bit further in one direction or the other—but even for the non-parentally-inclined, it’s a really engaging read, skating across topics from the aforementioned independence to schooling differences (the ever-present Kita!) to sex ed. Definitely one to pique interest in cultural differences.
Very much like Bringing up Bebe - certainly insightful - but... not as much fun.
** Books 49 - 2021 **
This books to accomplish Tsundoku Books Challenge 2021
4 of 5 stars!
Actually i already want to buy this books when i saw first in Big Bad Wolf 2021 Jakarta However ended with i didn't put this one into my cart. Suddenly in last April 2021 i saw this books again in non fiction section and my curiousity still there haha so for the second time finally i bought this pieces!
Seriously i'm not regret reading this pieces since i've got new perspectives about what is the comparison parenting style and especially education in America and German too!
There are few things in this books that really mindblowing for me such as :
+ I'm speechless when i read sex education being properly introduced to 7-year old children. OMG my countries even doesn't have this. I bought puberty books by myself when i was six grader so it was around me in twelve years old one since my parents really said it was an taboo one =__=a
+ German daycare's system for toddler is really enlighten me since i really love to the idea the kids should be get their freedom to expand their imagination and unfortunately in my country itself still even pre-school kids being taught for writing alphabet and counting numbers somehow it is really sad since they deserve to be self-reliant children and playing as usual kids
+ Leaving kids alone in the outside will be an trouble one for American parents since they will being punished as neglected parents but it is different in german.
+ Kids go to school alone without adults or parents' supervision is really also one of that i admire from german's parenting style. Since yes my country still looks like America nowadays the increasing level of criminality makes the parents really anxious to leave their kids go to school alone.
This books is really an eye-opening for me who still single and maybe will be married someday so this one can be another parenting style reference books :*
Thankyou Big Bad Wolf Jakarta 2021
This books to accomplish Tsundoku Books Challenge 2021
4 of 5 stars!
Actually i already want to buy this books when i saw first in Big Bad Wolf 2021 Jakarta However ended with i didn't put this one into my cart. Suddenly in last April 2021 i saw this books again in non fiction section and my curiousity still there haha so for the second time finally i bought this pieces!
Seriously i'm not regret reading this pieces since i've got new perspectives about what is the comparison parenting style and especially education in America and German too!
There are few things in this books that really mindblowing for me such as :
+ I'm speechless when i read sex education being properly introduced to 7-year old children. OMG my countries even doesn't have this. I bought puberty books by myself when i was six grader so it was around me in twelve years old one since my parents really said it was an taboo one =__=a
+ German daycare's system for toddler is really enlighten me since i really love to the idea the kids should be get their freedom to expand their imagination and unfortunately in my country itself still even pre-school kids being taught for writing alphabet and counting numbers somehow it is really sad since they deserve to be self-reliant children and playing as usual kids
+ Leaving kids alone in the outside will be an trouble one for American parents since they will being punished as neglected parents but it is different in german.
+ Kids go to school alone without adults or parents' supervision is really also one of that i admire from german's parenting style. Since yes my country still looks like America nowadays the increasing level of criminality makes the parents really anxious to leave their kids go to school alone.
This books is really an eye-opening for me who still single and maybe will be married someday so this one can be another parenting style reference books :*
Thankyou Big Bad Wolf Jakarta 2021
This is an excellent book that blends memoir with research to explore differences in American and German culture as relates to parenting. It is readable and informative and would be a great book to spark discussion.
I received an ARC from NetGalley. The book will be available on January 2, 2018.
I received an ARC from NetGalley. The book will be available on January 2, 2018.
There was a lot to like here, though I feel like most of the issues in American children have a lot to do with American parents. And my god, we need to change that. How many people do i know who are crazy-anxious and overstressed as adults?!?! I love the idea of promoting kid independence by starting young and building over time. The weirdest part ever of the US for me is our belief in independence and then lack of it - in testing, in rights of children, in freedom to take vacation, in giving kids rights before they are 18.
This book was pretty good. Definitely wasn’t what I expected but that’s not really a bad thing. It was really interesting to read about the differences in how we raise children here in the USA versus Germany. Really got me thinking on some things especially as I am currently a nanny in the USA.
This book was extremely eye-opening to not only parenting in another country, but just living in another country. Not gonna lie, it kind of made me want to go to Germany.
My issues with this book were that 1. there were SO many references to various studies, articles, various psychologist's/teacher's/parents opinions and 2. I felt like the author got a little preachy at times. I really just wanted facts, like what her kids experience in Germany vs. in the US. However, I don't think there would have been enough for a whole book if she hadn't included how many various opinions, including her own.
Overall, it's worth a read just because it's extremely fascinating. I don't have kids, nor do I plan to anytime soon, and I got a lot out of it.
My issues with this book were that 1. there were SO many references to various studies, articles, various psychologist's/teacher's/parents opinions and 2. I felt like the author got a little preachy at times. I really just wanted facts, like what her kids experience in Germany vs. in the US. However, I don't think there would have been enough for a whole book if she hadn't included how many various opinions, including her own.
Overall, it's worth a read just because it's extremely fascinating. I don't have kids, nor do I plan to anytime soon, and I got a lot out of it.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Solid pop parenting book. I liked the little bits suggesting changes at the end of the major chapters.