Today I tossed out the "Final Renewal Notice" for one of my favorite magazines. I’ve been a subscriber to Parenting for over 5 years but I think I’ve finally started to outgrow this publication. However, for most of my life as a parent, this has been a very valuable resource for me.
I was talked into subscribing to this magazine and several more like it when I was pregnant with my first child. Like most new parents, I was anxious about my upcoming role as a parent and wanted as much support and information as I could get. Through my childbirth preparation class, I was offered temporary free subscriptions for a variety of child and parenting magazines. Parenting is the only one I kept and paid for when the free subscriptions ran out.
Typical Sections and Departments
Although the sections do vary somewhat from month to month, there are some that seem to be offered on a fairly regular basis:
~~Editor’s Notes: I often scan this short introductory page just to see what new features are included in the magazine. It also tends to set the tone for the issue and gives me something to think about, like last month’s "In Praise of Doing Less" which emphasized the importance of making sure you child has plenty of free, unstructured time to do what they want – "nothing time" they call it.
~~Your Letters: As in most magazines, the letters are readers reactions to previous issues and articles. It seems that Parenting does a pretty good job of including both praising and critical letters.
~~Parenting Reporter: This one to two page section usually includes a couple of brief recent research topics and the results of a Parenting poll from their web site (www.parenting.com). Being a research-oriented person myself, I always make sure I read this page. Last month it covered, very succinctly, the research on the "Mozart effect" (no, listening to Mozart will not necessarily increase your baby’s intelligence). This month’s issue addresses the research on the negative correlation between TV watching and quality of life within a family. This section is one of my favorites.
~~Children’s Health: This section includes around 7 or 8 brief child health-related topics. For example, this month they covered how to support a newborn’s head, keeping track of immunizations, foods to avoid the first year, pinkeye, toddler headaches, and hazards with portable bed rails. There’s always something worthwhile to read here.
~~Answers from Dr. Sears: This is actually an extension of the Children’s Health section and offers some basic reader questions and physician answers on topics like cradle cap, sleep needs of children, cat-proofing sandboxes, etc.
~~Children’s Safety: This back-to-back page is printed in heavier stock and is serrated on the edge so it can be pulled out and kept as a handy reference guide. Recent topics include protection during winter months and food poisoning.
~~Your Health: This generally covers health-related issues for women or couples, such as stress relievers, menstrual problems, and marital concerns. Not much here to interest men, but that’s true for most of the magazine.
~~Whole 9 Months: For the pregnant mothers, this section addresses issues such as exercise during pregnancy, pain relief during labor, fetal movement, and postpartum bleeding.
~~Beauty & Style: Since I have neither, I generally skip this section.
~~Work & Family: In contrast, I have both of these so this section is very relevant to me. It includes a host of useful tips for the working parent, including choosing daycare, job-hunting tips, working at home, and problems at work.
~~Reality Check: Another Q & A section, touting "Mom-tested answers to your toughest questions." For example, this month they tackle the tricky question of what to do when your preschooler starts fiddling with his private parts in front of others. The advice given seems to be pretty balanced and sane.
~~PlayTime: This section provides quick and innovative play activities for children of different ages. Although I haven’t tried many of these strategies, they look like they could be worthwhile, especially for stay-home parents who are with their kids all day long.
~~Money Matters: Financial topics such as paying for family leave and tax tips for parents are covered here.
~~Reviews: Another one of my favorites, this section reviews the latest software, books, and music for kids in different age categories.
~~CyberSmarts: This is a brand new section this month, dedicated to understanding children and computers. Looks like it is pretty relevant, especially since my kids spend hours on the computer every week.
~~What’s Cooking?: Includes easy, healthy recipes like Couscous and Vegetables or Tortellini Florentine.
~~Buying Guide: This page gives prices and ordering information for different kid products and clothes featured throughout the magazine, just in case something caught your eye and you just have to have it.
~~Last Word: This last page of the magazine is devoted to a humorous look at parenting. This is always worth a look.
Typical Articles
In addition to all the departments listed above, Parenting magazine offers a variety of full-length, in-depth articles. The articles for this month illustrate the typical themes pretty well.
o New Parents’ 8 Most-Asked Questions
o Get Snippy! – Guide to trimming your child’s hair
o 3 Easy Stages: A Guide to Potty Training
o Imagine That! - Encouraging your toddler’s first flights of fantasy
o Good Kids, Bad Kids – Tips on how to praise children
o Blankies & Bears – How security objects help kids feel safe
o Choosing the Right Kindergarten
o Living Dangerously – Children without health insurance
Best Features of Parenting Magazine
For years, the first page I went to when I opened Parenting was the "By-the-Ages Index." For each age group, there is a page and topic index for relevant information in that month’s issue. The age groups are: Birth to 6 months, 6 months to 1 year, 1 to 2 years, 2 to 3 years, 3 to 5 years, and 5 to 8+ years. I’ve found this index to be an extremely valuable and quick resource on information relevant to my children’s specific ages.
As for my favorite departments, I always make a point of checking out Parenting Reporter, Children’s Health, Work & Family, Reviews, and Last Word. In addition, I try to read as many of the full-length articles as my busy schedule will allow. The information is almost always current, accurate, and effectively communicated.
Why Not Renew?
If I like this magazine so much, why am I saying goodbye? Part of it is just a time issue. I find that I don’t seem to have as much time to read as I used to and then, when I can read magazines, I’m more drawn to my Mac World and Mac Home. Guess I'm really a wannabe computer geek deep down inside….
My main reason for discontinuing my subscription (or letting it run out) is that I seem to have outgrown this magazine. Although my kids are all the prime age for this periodical (21 months, 3 years, and 5 years), I feel like ’ve read most of this stuff before – and I have. They don’t recycle articles but they do tend to recycle topics. Articles on pregnancy, caring for the newborn, discipline, and potty-training seem to be in virtually every issue. I know that’s not quite true, but it seems that way. These are all important things to know about, especially the first time through, but after awhile the repetition gets tedious.
Another minor complaint I have about Parenting is that it is definitely geared towards mothers, even though the name implies parents in general. The articles about or by fathers are few and far between. Of course, many of the full-length articles about issues like discipline and potty-training are relevant to both parents. I’ve caught my husband thumbing through this magazine on a number of occasions when he is having lunch (the magazine lives on our kitchen table along with a huge pile of catalogs and bills). I’ve never heard him complain about the female-focus of this magazine so I guess it’s not a huge drawback.
Finally, the constant advertising gets a bit annoying. I know that the advertisement is what supports the magazine but I still get tired of wading through it. I also get fed up with the multitude of subscription cards that are inserted throughout the magazine. The first thing I do when I get my new issue is open it up and shake it to get out all the loose cards.
Recommendation
I would strongly recommend Parenting for all new and prospective parents, as well as those going through the childhood stages for the first time with their child. It’s the best parenting magazine available in my opinion, and the cost is minimal ($14.97 for one year, 10 issues).
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