From reviews of Toxic Childhood
Excellent book… practical, sensible and eminently attainable advice on how to detoxify childhood.
Deborah Orr, The Independent
A super child-rearing manual, founded in science, bolstered by much reading, a lot of interviews and a long career in education.
Times Educational Supplement
Sue Palmer’s Toxic Childhood is extensively researched, fluently written and easily read. It is a guidebook for parents, grandparents and all who care about present and future generations, as well as being an academic work in its own right.
Tribune
A splendid book that draws together a vast swathe of the most authoritative research from a whole range of fields and disciplines … that together explain ‘the worsening behaviour of children and the explosion in numbers of special needs pupils’.
The Mother magazine
A brilliant book, Toxic Childhood, demonstrating how deprived children bear the brunt of rapid social change, and the knock-on effect this has on Britain’s streets, schools and crime rate.
The Week
I could not put it down. It seemed to pull together all my worries about young children growing up in a fast changing world, and yet…the book is in fact very positive. The research it has drawn upon makes it a very powerful read. And, of course, it is written by a good writer in a very accessible way.
Early Childhood Practice
A fascinating account of the problems facing kids today…contains solid parenting advice on subjects ranging from diet to childcare.
Sainsbury’s magazine
All too often we are told what is wrong with society/parenting/environment and more, but seldom told how we can so something to redress the balance…. This is what the author set out to do, and she has succeeded. Read Toxic Childhood.
www.familyonwards.com
Almost every page in this book raises something compelling about the way we are treating children. It is a worrying book, but not unhopeful or unhelpful, and everyone concerned with children can rest assured that Sue Palmer is on their side.
Carousel magazine
Both refreshing and honest….objectively considers an array of disciplines surrounding childhood and their underlying side effects. Then it integrates them and develops a clear and common goal for parents and others alike to jointly tackle the toxic environment that children are being exposed to….Blame is not an issue of this book; it is about change and investing in the pivotal emotional needs of the young.
What About The Children?
A great book. MyChild magazine
Every parent should read this book, as it does contain a wealth of information you should know.
Evening Herald
Absolutely essential reading for anyone who has, or who works with, children. It’s like Eric Schlosser (author of the exposé Fast Food Nation) for parenting.
Lovereading.co.uk
One of the most talked about books on the market… teems with perceptive observations and sound advice.
Family Bulletin
One of the most inspirational books I have ever read…a must-read for all parents.
The Coffee House, mumsnet.com
Comments from readers
A terrific book… and so timely.
Anne Fine, author and former Children’s Laureate
One of the most powerful books of the year
David Willetts, Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Just what we all need to be reading. The levels of anxiety about our children are reaching new highs and we desperately need this kind of careful analysis.
Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
This is a compelling book, well-researched and authoritative, with powerful messages in each of the chapters, and practical suggestions that are both helpful and realistic.
Marion Dowling, President of The British Association of Early Childhood Education
Essential reading for all those who work with children. It has fascinating and sometimes startling revelations about the damaging influences on the young within our society and offers some practical and very readable ideas and recommendations for all those who endeavour to give children the very best we can.
Gervase Phinn, author
Very well written and well researched.
Mick Brookes, President, National Association of Headteachers.
Sue Palmer brings together the information parents need all in one place – research that reinforces what most parents really believe. We're under so much pressure to sign up to a status quo that so often feels wrong; this gives us the courage to seek the best for our children.
Wendy Thomas, mother, Southampton
As a teacher with 15 years experience I can only agree about the devastating effect our lifestyles are having on children today. Many of the chapters had me in tears! The book should be made compulsory reading for all politicians, health visitors, social workers, teachers and parents!
Julia Colley, teacher, Essex
Anne Fine provided the following preface for the book:
More and more of us have begun to wonder, with real anxiety, just what it is that has gone so horribly wrong with childhood. How can we face the future with confidence if we lose faith with the way most of the children around us are raised? In this book, Sue Palmer tackles a range of areas and issues that affect growing bodies and minds. Bravely, she gives us the unvarnished, and often startling, facts. More cheeringly, she then offers us ways to think afresh about a host of matters to do with young people, their health, their upbringing and their education, which we would - both as individuals and as a community - be very foolish indeed to either ignore or dismiss.
previous page
|