The ABC of Child Care

The author of this book has spent over thirty years working with children of all ages in a variety of settings including boarding schools and children’s homes. He does not hold a degree in psychology or have letters after his name. He gained all his paper qualifications while he was doing the job. For those who think paper qualifications are required the author does hold a certificate of qualification in social work but does not draw on this for the purposes of this book. The qualification he does have to write this book is experience. He has worked with difficult maladjusted those with learning difficulties as well as so called ‘normal’ children. In this book he attempts to pass on that experience to parents in a clear and straightforward manner without the jargon of psychology. Not everyone will agree with his opinions and methods. There is much disagreement even between childcare experts but where an issue is controversial the author has tried to give an unbiased view of each opinion. It is then up to you the parent as to which method to use. Every child is different even identical twins so what works for one child may not work for another. You may sometimes find it necessary to use different methods for each child. This book does not have all the answers. No book ever yet written on childcare does. However the author hopes you will find some guidance in these pages. How you manage your child is ultimately yours and your partner’s decision as long as it complies with the law in your country and if the ideas in this publication do not work for your child then don’t be afraid to try something different. The main thing is to find what works but also remember that what works in the short term may not work in the long run and ultimately may not be the best method. The book is in an alphabetical format to make it easy to look up a particular problem but you can either use it as a reference book in this way or read it cover to cover. It’s your choice.