Child Magazine must be my longest running continuous magazine subscription. The price is affordable and there are always useful articles and tips in the magazine. I got my first subscription when I was in my third trimester of my first pregnancy and my oldest child is now 7. At every stage, I have found something useful in this magazine.
The contents will appeal to expectant parents eager to learn about parenthood to those experienced parents of pre-teens. There are lots of great parenting articles that are well-researched and well-written. There is always an article that is relevant to my stage of parenting and it is one of the few sources over the years that I have found to provide consistently good and non-judgemental advice.
TYPICAL CONTENTS
The contents of this magazine are very broad. There are articles on parenting, beauty tips for moms, articles about families, recipes, crafts, travel, fashion for kids and moms, decorating and almost anything else you can think of as long as it relates to families.
Recipes: I love the recipes in this magazine and have made several. They are designed with families in mind so they are healthy and easy to make. The entrees tend to be somewhat bland to appeal to a child's more sensitive taste buds yet my husband and I like them as well. The ingredients are always easy to find.
Parenting Advice: Dispensing parenting advice is a big part of this magazine. There are usually at least two beefy articles plus other smaller columns that provide parenting information and advice. I usually find several articles a year that give me something to think about, even if the advice is not for me. The articles cover children of all ages are are usually written by doctors, teachers or other professionals that work with children on a regular basis.
Family Articles: There are also usually several short and one or two long articles on family life. These articles are generally written by or about parents and discuss trends in parenting or difficult issues families may face. Some tell about hurdles particular families overcome, such as a child becoming seriously ill. Some articles are interesting, some are not for me. Almost all of them are well-written. In addition to the articles, Child also had a column by Vicky Iovine, a popular book author, where she dispensed parenting advice in a "Dear Abby" format. I noticed in my most recent issue that her column was absent. I hope this is not a permanent change as this was one of my favorite features of the magazine.
Medical Advice: Sometimes this information is just in small blurbs, sometimes it is a full article. The medical advice may discuss allergies, reactions to immunizations, mysterious symptoms to serious illnesses that parents should be aware of, recent studies and lots of other information. A recent issue had a helpful article on dental care for children. I usually find this information helpful and easy to understand.
Fashion: The middle of each issue usually has a multi-page section devoted to fashions for kids. The clothes are usually adorable, although expensive. There might be something here for a splurge but I usually just move on. Some issues have fashion for moms and maternity fashions as well.
Decorating: Occasionally there is an article and photos on how to decorate children's rooms.
Mom focus: Several pages just for women - whether or not you have a child. There are beauty products and ideas for relaxation and exercise.
Crafts: Crafts are a very small part of this magazine. Expect two pages, at the most, dedicated to crafts. The crafts are usually easy to make and use materials easy to find.
Travel: Occasionally there is an article on a particular location that is fun for families to visit.
Things to buy: Each issues has lots of editor picks for things to buy. The recommendations cover toys, books, clothing, baby items and almost anything else you can think of. I find the recommendations hit or miss. A lot of items are expensive and some of the book and video recommendations have been overstated. I suspect advertising dollars heavily influence the editors.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE
This is one of the most affordable parenting / family magazines out there. You can pay between $10-12 for a one year subscription which is 12 issues.
OTHER INFORMATION
The magazine is printed on glossy paper and is average size. Each issue is around 150 pages.
The customer service number is 1-800-777-0222.
ADVERTISING
Like any other magazine, there are lots of ads. Apparently, Child magazine sells well to families with young children because the majority of ads are targeted to the diaper set.
WEB SITE
The web site is www.child.com. There is a lot of content on the site, however you will find more in the magazine.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
I have had my subscription for over 7 years. I really enjoy the articles and a lot of the other content. The recipes are great. Don't use the editor's recommendations to help you make large purchases as their recommendations are usually colored by advertising dollars.
MY OTHER REVIEWS OF PARENTING AND FAMILY MAGAZINES
Child provides parents of children 12 and younger with the newest thinking, information, and advice they need to thrive in an ever-changing world. In ...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.