Spock is a writer. Child and care. Why Spock became a pediatrician

The book of the most famous pediatrician in America, Benjamin Spock, "The Child and Care for Him" ​​tells about the correct interaction between children and their parents. The book is written in simple and accessible language, which makes reading easy and fun. Many parents learned something useful and informative from this work, which they successfully applied in practice. However, it should not be forgotten that this work was written more than seventy years ago, when the views and methods of doctors were somewhat different from those that are accepted now. Therefore, some of the facts and statements of Dr. Spock may be outdated and irrelevant. Designed for a wide range of readers.

Benjamin Spock's book, The Child and its Care, simply and naturally introduces the reader to many of the fundamental aspects of raising children. The author freely talks even about those things that many parents cannot even admit to themselves. Not the last role in the story is psychology, which the author successfully applies to many situations. What to do if the child constantly cries or is naughty all the time? When should complementary foods be introduced? How will the constant connivance of the parents affect the baby? Do parents have the right to personal desires or should their whole life revolve around the baby? How to deal with various complexes in a child and how to avoid their appearance? These and many other questions can be answered by reading this book. But even the famous pediatrician himself makes a special emphasis on the fact that no one knows better than the parents of their child. Therefore, what exactly will be best for your baby is up to you to decide, and the tips from the book "Child and Care for Him" ​​are intended only to help solve some problems and explain the situations that many parents face.

Child and care

Preface to the Russian edition (1970)

The fate of Dr. Benjamin Spock is unusual. The celebrated pediatrician, whose book The Baby and Care has sold 20,000,000 copies in the United States and serves as a desk guide for American mothers, has decided to take responsibility for how children raised with his advice act when they reach adulthood. .

Before his eyes is the Vietnamese adventure of the US ruling class.

Burnt towns and villages... destroyed crops... napalm-stricken children, women, old people... the cruelty of American soldiers... But the heroic people of Vietnam are not broken.

The whole world has seen with its own eyes that a people cannot be brought to its knees if it fights for its independence, for its freedom, for the happiness of its children.

Could a humanist, a pediatrician who devoted his whole life to protecting the health of children, get past the dirty war in Vietnam? And he becomes an active fighter for peace. He did not hesitate to declare that the war in Vietnam was hopeless from a military point of view, vicious from a moral point of view, and doomed to defeat from a political point of view. Isn't it scandalous that America spends crazy money on the war and does nothing to end poverty at home.

Dr. Spock, along with other progressive figures in America, signs an appeal to the Americans, in which he declares his duty to provide moral support and material assistance to young Americans who refuse to join the army under threat of imprisonment. American lawyers publicly stated that Dr. Spock and his associates had the right to agitate against military service, since American citizens should not participate in an illegal and unjust war, and that they have the right to oppose their government waging such a war. Participation in it is a serious international crime.

Dr. Spock is about 70 years old. He travels all over the country, giving lectures, in which he tells not only about how to care for children, but also about how to save their lives, save them from death in the war. He speaks to those who raise children, uses his book, his advice.

Parents! Do your best to bring peace to Vietnam, urges Dr. Spock.

And his call is not fruitless. Young progressive America understands where the Vietnamese adventure of American monopolies is leading, and returns hundreds of their draft cards or publicly burns them.

The U.S. government was prosecuting Dr. Spock for conspiracy to induce U.S. youth to refuse to fight in Vietnam.

The American Humanist Association unanimously awarded Benjamin Spock the honorary title of Humanist of the Year for his tireless work against the war.

Such is Dr. Benjamin Spock, who, according to the world community, personifies the honor and conscience of America, and whose book we bring to the attention of the Soviet people.

Preface to the second edition (1971)

The first edition of B. Spock's book aroused great interest among the Soviet reader. This is explained by the fact that the problems of raising children concern people of all countries, of all ages. There is no person who would remain indifferent to this responsible and difficult task.

B. Spock is an American pediatrician with extensive life experience. He knows well what difficulties parents expect when raising children, what difficult questions arise in this case. This is how he begins his book: "Soon you will have a baby." Dr. Spock sets the task - to tell about how to raise a child, starting from the day of his birth. All parents are interested in how to ensure that the child is healthy, what needs to be done for this, what measures to take if he is sick, how to determine that he is unwell.

The author pays much attention, as it were, to trifles: how to find out why the child is crying, how to calm him down, how to feed him. But such trifles make up a complex of education, so advice is very valuable, especially for parents who have not previously encountered children.

Advice to parents to observe the formation of the child's psyche is very important. The book touches upon problems, gives recommendations to parents of "difficult" children.

Dr. Spock knows well that it is not enough to raise children, they must also be brought up correctly, one cannot cripple their vulnerable psyche. That is why he is so actively opposed to the aggression of the American imperialists in Vietnam, quite rightly believing that such a war can bring nothing but grief and misfortune to the families of both the Vietnamese and the Americans.

V. V. Kovanov Academician of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, Deputy Chairman of the Soviet Peace Committee, Professor

Dear Parents! Most of you have the opportunity, if necessary, to see a doctor. The doctor knows your child and only he can give you the best advice. Sometimes he only needs a look and one or two questions to understand what is happening with your child.

This book is not intended to teach you how to diagnose or treat yourself. The author wants to give you only a general idea of ​​the child and his needs. True, for those parents who, due to exceptional circumstances, find it difficult to get to a doctor, some sections give advice on first aid. Better the advice of a book than no advice! But one cannot rely only on a book if one can get real medical help.

I also want to stress that everything in this book should not be taken too literally. There are no similar children, just as there are no similar parents. Diseases in children proceed differently; The problems of upbringing also take on different forms in different families. All I could do was describe only the most general cases. Remember that you know your child well, and I do not know him at all.

About parents

trust yourself

1. You know a lot more than you think.

Your baby will be born soon. Maybe he was already born. You are happy and full of enthusiasm. But if you don't have enough experience, you may be afraid that you won't be able to handle childcare. You have heard a lot of talk about raising children, you have read special literature on this topic, you have talked with doctors. The problem of caring for a child may seem too complicated for you. You find out how the child needs vitamins and vaccinations. One friend tells you that you need to start giving eggs as before, because they contain iron, and another that you have to wait with eggs, because they cause diathesis. You are told that a child can be spoiled if you take him in your arms often, and that, on the contrary, you need to caress him a lot. Some say that fairy tales excite the child, while others say that fairy tales have a beneficial effect on children.

Don't take too literally everything your friends tell you. Don't be afraid to trust your own common sense. Raising a child will not be difficult if you do not complicate it yourself. Trust your intuition and follow the advice of your pediatrician. The main thing that a child needs is your love and care. And it is much more valuable than theoretical knowledge. Whenever you pick up a baby, even if you do it awkwardly at first, every time you change his diaper, bathe him, feed him, talk to him, smile at him, the child feels that he belongs to you and you to him. . No one in the world but you can give him that feeling. You might find it surprising that when studying child rearing methods, scientists have come to the conclusion that good, loving parents intuitively choose the most correct decisions. Moreover, self-confidence is the key to success. Be natural and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Parents are people too

2. Parents have their own needs.

Books about child care, like this book, talk primarily about the many needs of a child. Therefore, inexperienced parents sometimes fall into despair, having read about the huge work that they have to do. It seems to them that the author stands on the side of the children and blames the parents if something goes wrong. But it would only be fair to dedicate as many pages to the needs of the parents, the failures they constantly face, their weariness, the insensitivity on the part of the children, which hurts the parents so painfully. Raising a child is long and hard work, and parents have human needs just like their children.

3. Children are "easy" and "difficult".

“What, what,” you ask, “quietly remove the vomit and leave the room?” Today, many pediatricians consider the principles of education of the reformer Benjamin Spock not only controversial, but also partly harmful, although some 50–60 years ago, according to the book "Baby and Care" raised by our parents and ourselves. And let them argue about the method of education according to Spock to this day, young mothers in different parts of the world read with rapture and absorb every word of the famous pediatrician.

Still, every parenting principle recommended by Dr. Spock helps to avoid the age-old battles between parents and children and help new mothers to believe in their own strength. “In fact, parents know more than they think, and this knowledge is in itself a good foundation for education. The main thing is not to forget about it," Spock said. And this testament of a pediatrician to young parents can rightly be called the main idea of ​​​​his method of education.

"So simple!" will talk about the main ideas of Dr. Benjamin Spock and try to figure out whether modern claims to the theory of education of the eminent pediatrician are justified.

Benjamin Spock

In the 50s of the last century, it was Dr. Spock's voice that gave mothers confidence that they knew for sure that they were raising their child correctly, and that they could even enjoy the process. The book "The Child and the Care of Him", which was published on July 14, 1946, opened a new era in the difficult science of education, and its sales were inferior in number only to the Bible.

Benjamin Spock offered American mothers a set of basic guidelines for childcare: how to feed, heal, bathe, educate. The doctor argued that common sense should be used in dealing with a child, observing the harmony between excessive tenderness and excessive severity.

• Parents are people too
  As rightly pointed out Dr. Spock, most books on childcare are devoted exclusively to the child, while his parents are not paid attention at all. Reading such literature, newly-made parents are immediately faced with the idea that motherhood and fatherhood are the end, everything, finita la comedia. Benjamin Spock argued that one should not sacrifice oneself to a baby, giving him all his free time and energy. Ultimately, this will simply make both mother and child unhappy.

A young mother has every right to experience negative feelings towards her child, for example, to be angry with him, and has the same right not to worry later that she is supposedly a bad mother. Life after the birth of a child, according to Spock, should be eventful and complete, because parents are also people who have so much to do: to become successful mom and dad, raising a healthy and smart baby, to realize themselves professionally and not let the family hearth fade away.

• Don't be afraid to love
  “A child is born to become a reasonable and kind human being. Don't be afraid to love it and enjoy it. It is vital for every child to be caressed, smiled at, loved and tender with him,” writes Benjamin Spock. Scientists have repeatedly proven that an adult needs tactile proximity just as much as food and drink. And the child - even more so!

Modern young parents are now and then afraid to spoil the baby with physical contact, forgetting that this is the best way to show love. Do not be afraid to take the baby in your arms, caress and cradle him, mess with him and nurse him. Only by investing your love, care, affection and honesty in your child, you can get worthy results.

• Follow the feeding schedule
  “The regime is necessary for the benefit of the child, on the one hand, and for the convenience of parents, on the other. The mode saves you time and energy. Flexible mode means reducing the number of feedings to a reasonable amount at more or less certain hours and stopping nighttime feedings as soon as the child is ready for it.

Otherwise, the parents will be too tired to give the child anything more than just food. Since there is no need to follow a strict regimen, you can first obey the requirements of the child, and then gradually establish a regimen that is convenient for both you and him, ”Spock explained.

• Don't spoil babies
  Spock advised mothers to pay attention to infant crying, to take babies in their arms, soothe and try to figure out what was wrong. At the same time, the pediatrician believed that carrying a baby older than three months in her arms would lead to the fact that the baby would simply be spoiled: “If the mother always readily takes the child in her arms as soon as he cries, then after two months he can almost ask to be held in his arms. all the time until he sleeps.

If the mother continues to give in, then after a while the child will realize that his poor, exhausted mother is under his thumb, and will tyrannize her, demanding that he be constantly carried in her arms. Modern psychologists and pediatricians do not agree with this point of view. If the baby asks to be held, he needs emotional contact with his mother. And the absence of such contacts in childhood is fraught with the fact that the child will grow up closed and insecure.

• Let your child be himself
  "Raise your children in love and you won't have to resort to punishment!" Spock argued. Another important way to show love for a child is to respect his wishes. If the baby does not want to sleep during the day, do not force him. Don't want to eat porridge? Do not convince him to eat everything to the last spoon by all means. The desires of children are very natural and intuitive, but do not confuse reasonable desires with banal whims.

"Do not be afraid to fulfill the desires of your child, if they seem reasonable to you and do not make you his slave," said Dr. Spock. At one time, for promoting such views, doctors were accused of condoning permissiveness: it was she who, in the opinion of many then pediatricians and psychologists, gave birth to a generation of people who have forgotten how to respect their elders.

Why is the venerable doctor being criticized now? For the phrase “try not to approach the child as soon as he starts crying. Let him calm down on his own. Sometimes the baby may cry so hard that he vomits. Quietly clean up the vomit and leave the room"? In fact, Spock pursued a completely good goal: to give new parents a chance to survive in completely new conditions for them.

The method of Dr. Spock teaches to appreciate and love the child. But Benjamin Spock's own experience was not as perfect as described in his books.

From a large family

Benjamin Spock is one of six children born in the family of lawyer Ives Spock, and the oldest. That is why, from childhood, he felt responsible to the younger ones and actively helped his mother to take care of his brothers and sisters.

Basic principles - from childhood

The Benjamin family adhered to the principles of healthy eating and hardening. Thus, children did not eat sweets until they were five years old, slept under a canopy on the street in any weather, took an active part in household chores instead of walking with their peers.

fearful child

Benjamin's mother, Louise Mildred, adhered to an authoritarian regime. Children were punished for wrongdoings, and the children were afraid of their mother. Later, Dr. Spock himself will tell about this with sadness: he grew up as a timid child, cowardly not only in front of his mother, but also other people.

ship doctor

Spock always dreamed of being a ship's doctor, because the sea and everything connected with it fascinated Benjamin.

It's Freud's fault

He was not destined to go on a sea voyage: Benjamin read Freud, and his writings had a huge impact on Spock. The idea that illnesses don't happen on their own was haunting, and Spock decided to become a pediatrician. He soon entered Yale University.

Olympic medalist

Spock had excellent physical data and a height of 189 cm. At the university, Benjamin was accepted into the rowing sports team, and he reached considerable heights in this sport: he participated in the Olympic Games in France in 1924 and won a gold medal.

Heart attack

Relations with his mother were not easy throughout Benjamin's life. When he, a medical student, brought his fiancee Jane Cheney into the house, my mother pretended to have a heart attack. However, the father, who was at that moment at home, “successfully cured” his wife’s “heart disease”, but this did not affect Benjamin’s personal life in any way - he married his bride.

Child death and syphilis

A young family experienced a tragedy - the death of their newborn child. Spock's mother stated that the daughter-in-law and her pedigree were to blame, because, as she found out, the father of Benjamin's wife had syphilis. After this scandal, Benjamin and his wife stopped communicating with Louise Mildred and moved to New York.

weirdo doctor

This is how many parents of young patients reacted to Benjamin Spock. They were confused by the point of view of Dr. Spock, who said that a child is a person, he must be respected, not burdened with work and given the opportunity to enjoy childhood. In those days, children were prepared for hard work from an early age, and no one thought about the personality and the impact of punishment on the psyche. As a result, the doctor had few patients, but they talked and wrote about him.

Best-seller

The situation changed when Benjamin Spock released a series of books. Each of them was addressed to parents, they talked about the psychological aspects of education, how to care for children. One of the books - "The Child and Care for Him" ​​- became a bestseller.

Theory and practice

In theory, "how to raise children," Benjamin was strong, in practice, not at all. He himself admitted that he was overly strict with his children and never kissed his sons. Perhaps this is how his mother's genes and her authoritarian position towards education acted on him.

Doctor son

Despite the coldness of relations with his father, the eldest son John followed in the footsteps of Benjamin and became a doctor. The younger one chose the path of an architect.

glory test

When Spock became a famous doctor, his wife began to be jealous of his fame and lean on alcohol. Benjamin was over 70 when the family finally broke up.

young wife

Less than a year after the divorce, Dr. Spock decided to marry again. The 73-year-old groom found himself a young bride, who was just over 30. Some say she married him for love, others say that the bride was looking for fame.

Beloved grandson

Fate brought Spock together with his grandson Peter, son of Michael, and the old man's heart melted. He wholeheartedly imbued with his grandson. However, Peter committed suicide, the doctors stated that the 22-year-old boy suffered from depression. The 79-year-old Benjamin survived the death of his beloved grandson with a heart attack and stroke and blamed his son Michael for everything, who “launched” the child.

Money for society

Benjamin Spock's books were a resounding success, for example, "The Child and Care" was released in 40 languages ​​with a circulation of 50 million copies. This book brought Benjamin millions, but the material side of the issue was of little interest to him. He gave money to hundreds of charitable foundations, signed bills without looking, and by old age his multimillion-dollar fortune was dissolved.

Fatal disease

To fight cancer, which was discovered in Benjamin at the end of his life, he needed $ 10,000, but the famous doctor did not have that kind of money. The eldest son Michael tried to help his father, but he did not accept help. Spock's wife tried to collect the amount by appealing to the doctor's admirers, but did not have time. Spock died at the age of 94.

Benjamin Spock is a famous pediatrician who wrote the wonderful book The Child and its Care in 1946. As a result, it became a bestseller. Few people know about Benjamin Spock himself, his biography and personal life. From this article you will learn all the details about the famous doctor.

Benjamin Spock: biography (briefly)

In New Haven, the family of the famous lawyer Ives Spock had six children. The eldest of them was born on May 2, 1903. It was Benjamin Spock, who had to help Mildred's mother Louise take care of her younger brothers and sisters. Therefore, he was used to raising children and taking care of them from an early age.

After graduating from high school, Spock entered an in-depth study of English language and literature. He liked to read a lot and was regularly engaged in self-education. Plus, he had excellent physical data, and he began to get involved in sports. Benjamin even in 1924 competed at the Olympic Games in rowing in France and won a gold medal. As a result, he became an Olympic champion and more than once pleased his family with his achievements.

Although Spock was well versed in languages ​​and literature, he dreamed of becoming a doctor. He succeeded. At Yale, he went to medical school and in 1929 became an aspiring physician. No one suspected that in the future he would be a famous not only doctor, but also a writer. That was Benjamin Spock. His biography is long, but we will touch on the most important moments from his life.

Childhood

Benjamin Spock's mother carefully watched the children and brought them up exactly as the family doctor advised. She did not give her babies sweets until at least 5 years old. It was believed that not only the teeth were spoiled, but also the internal organs of the child.

In the Spock family, all the children slept outside, under a canopy, regardless of the weather. The doctor said that from this the children become more resilient, stronger, have excellent health. Mildred Louise wouldn't let her play with the neighborhood kids. She asked for help around the house.

Benjamin Spock recalled his childhood with a certain regret. After all, instead of having fun with peers, riding slides and running around the streets, he had to change diapers, prepare bottles for his younger brothers and sisters, boil pacifiers, etc.

All six children were not afraid of their father, they always told him the truth and consulted in everything. But they were very afraid of my mother and constantly lied, because she punished them for the slightest offense. After such an upbringing, Benjamin became afraid not only of his parents, but also of teachers, policemen and even animals. As the future doctor recalls, he was brought up as a moralist and a snob. All his life he struggled with his character.

Spock spoke of his mother with fear and warmth at the same time. He said that his parent always knew what was best for her children, and she did not allow anyone to argue with her. When Benjamin was in school, his mother passed him to a boarding school. She liked that there the children slept in the fresh air in any weather.

Personal life

While Spock was in medical school, a very important event happened in his life. The future doctor brought home the bride. At first, the parents accepted the girl well. However, when Benjamin and his fiancée closed in the room, my mother tried to fake a heart attack. But the guy and the girl were very lucky that there was a father at home who protected them from the hysteria of the parent. Moreover, dad gave the student family $1,000 a year. Benjamin Spock's personal life was much more successful when he got married. After all, he could no longer obey his parents, but be an independent person.

Mildred Louise was very offended by her son that he decided to marry without her advice. So she decided to find out what family her daughter-in-law came from. It turned out that the father died of syphilis. However, the son, even after such a statement, did not take the side of his mother.

The moment came when Benjamin and his wife found out they were expecting a baby. However, the newborn died, and the mother could not remain silent, she expressed her opinion. She said that their sexual relationship leads to serious consequences because of Benjamin's father-in-law, who was infected with syphilis.

After such a statement, Benjamin and his wife stopped communicating with their mother and left for New York, where the first practice in pediatrics began.

Benjamin and his family

In fact, the young man had a psychological trauma since childhood. That is why in adulthood he was more demanding and cruel to his children. He had two sons, whom he loved madly, but could not show his tenderness. Benjamin Spock was a very strict father. His sons often avoided his company.

Once Spock admitted to reporters that he never kissed his children. He was sure that his mother's genes played an important role. The young man could not overcome himself, which is why his sons suffered greatly.

For a long time the family lived calmly and measuredly. However, there came a time when Spock became a very famous doctor. As a result, his wife became jealous of his fame and success, gradually began to drink too much. And in 1976, the family finally broke up. The doctor was then 73 years old, but he decided to marry again.

Less than a year after the divorce, Spock was ringed again. What is most interesting, his wife was 40 years younger, but she loved the old man. Although some claimed that she was drawn more to fame than to her husband. As it turns out, the fate of Benjamin Spock was not easy. After all, he had to struggle all his life with his complex and tough character.

Benjamin and sons

The children were very offended by their father, so they did not want to communicate with him, and he did not seek to become close to them. That is why everyone was on their own. The youngest son was named John, he became a famous architect. The elder Michael found his calling in medicine, and it turned out that he followed in his father's footsteps - he became a doctor.

Spock knew nothing of the fate of his sons. He did not even marry them, as custom required. After all, not a single son could ever forgive his father for his cruel attitude towards himself. However, it so happened that Spock began to communicate with the son of Michael, whose name was Peter. In it, he found an outlet and gave his unspent love only to his grandson.

In 1983, on Christmas Day (December 25), Peter committed suicide. He jumped off the roof of the museum. For a long time they could not find the reason for Peter's act. As a result, it turned out that the 22-year-old boy had advanced chronic depression, which he could not cope with. After this incident, Benjamin had a heart attack, which ended first with a heart attack, and then with a stroke. That's when son Michael tried to make peace with his father, but he accused him of his grandson's depression.

Why Spock became a pediatrician

In fact, initially Benjamin dreamed of the sea and wanted to become a doctor on the ship. However, even in his youth, the future doctor read a lot about the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who had a significant impact on his medical practice. It was then that Spock realized that many childhood illnesses do not come on their own. Much depends on upbringing and lifestyle. Then he decided to become a pediatrician.

When the young doctor Benjamin Spock began to accept children, he meticulously asked parents how they raise babies. In the end, he made his own conclusion. It turns out that it is necessary to educate parents first, not children. When mom and dad learn the right behavior, then they will be able to communicate with the kids.

What Spock taught his parents

The novice pediatrician claimed that the child is a person. You can't insult him, especially in public. The doctor taught parents the basics of upbringing, asked them not to force the child to help around the house. After all, I experienced this nightmare.

At that time, many parents believed that children should be prepared from an early age for a difficult adult life. Spock urged them not to take their childhood away from their little ones and chase after the army schedule. After all, many feed strictly on schedule, all sorts of whims are suppressed with the help of punishment. This cannot be done, since the baby closes in on himself from early childhood, his psyche is disturbed.

Apparently, because Spock tried to educate his parents, he had fewer and fewer patients. Although journalists wrote about him all the time. As a result, the young doctor decided to write his first small book about the psychological aspects of pediatrics.

Education system

Since the doctor was deprived of maternal love, and he himself suffered that he could not give tenderness to his sons, he wrote a wonderful book called "The Child and Care for Him." Benjamin Spock's upbringing system is built on parental love, and more on maternal love.

The doctor argued that the behavior of the baby is completely dependent on adults. If he was born, he is constantly punished for the slightest offense, the child in the future becomes a psychologically unhealthy person. From here come depression, suicide and much more.

The pediatrician urges parents to love their children and forgive them everything. After all, no problem is worth children's tears. The stick and the carrot is the ideal parenting system. Be sure to pay as much attention to your little ones as possible, and in the future they will repay you in the same way.

Benjamin Spock: books

The doctor's first edition was called Psychological Aspects of Pediatric Practice. Here he told his parents about the psychoanalyst Freud, arguing that parents should know about his teachings in order to properly educate and raise their kids.

Spock also published a book, A Conversation with Mother. In it, he teaches parents to properly communicate with the child, monitor health, temper. In the same book, the basics of caring for babies are written.

The book "The Child and His Education" talks about After all, many parents still treat their crumbs incorrectly. That is why it will be useful for both mom and dad to read it.

In each book, the doctor focuses on the careful upbringing and care of babies. Do not forget that he went through such a school from childhood and can teach children to understand from an early age.

Another great book written by Benjamin Spock is The Child and Care. It was released in two parts and became a bestseller. This book is still used all over the world today. It contains many entertaining sayings and wise advice that Dr. Benjamin Spock offered. “Child and Care for Him” is a book that teaches parents how to properly not only raise babies, but also feed them, temper them, entertain them, communicate, etc.

The first edition was published in 1946. It began with the lines that no one knows a child better than his parents. The doctor urged to trust only himself and his intuition, and not run around the doctors.