How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm

And Other Adventures in Parenting

By: Mei-Ling Hopgood

Narrated by: Barbara Hayman

A tour of global practices that will inspire American parents to expand their horizons (and geographical borders) and learn that there’s more than one way to diaper a baby.

Mei-Ling Hopgood, a first-time mom from suburban Michigan - now living in Buenos Aires - was shocked that Argentine parents allow their children to stay up until all hours of the night. Could there really be social and developmental advantages to this custom? Driven by a journalist’s curiosity and a new mother’s desperation for answers, Hopgood embarked on a journey to learn how other cultures approach the challenges all parents face: bedtimes, potty training, feeding, teaching, and more.

Observing parents around the globe and interviewing anthropologists, educators, and child-care experts, she discovered a world of new ideas. The Chinese excel at potty training, teaching their wee ones as young as six months old. Kenyans wear their babies in colorful cloth slings - not only is it part of their cultural heritage, but strollers seem outright silly on Nairobi’s chaotic sidewalks. And the French are experts at turning their babies into healthy, adventurous eaters. Hopgood tested her discoveries on her spirited toddler, Sofia, with some enlightening results.

This intimate and surprising look at the ways other cultures raise children offers parents the option of experimenting with tried and true methods from around the world and shows that there are many ways to be a good parent.

©2012 Mei-Ling Hopgood (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

They do what?!

Soooooo interesting how other people in the world do it differently. Honestly it made me stress a lot less about making sure to do things “right” thank you!

Interesting book. Not the best narrator imo

A very interesting collection of parenting practices around the world. Not my favourite narrator, but was ok and I got used to her.

Interesting, engaging and a relaxing listen

Where does How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I thought it was a good listen- the author kept the book interesting with lots of facts and information, but also kept my interest by mixing in her own life stories- I found it to be linear and made me want to keep listening (whereas Brining Up Bebe became obnoxiously redundant and felt like a drawn out article)

What other book might you compare How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm to and why?

A smarter, more interesting and less redundant "Bringing up Bebe"

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me breath a little easier- its so easy to get caught up in the parenting battles (this method vs. this method or you'll end up with a psychopath)- it was a good reminder that different cultures raise their children in different ways, and so ultimately there isn't "one way"- for a preggo first time mom (the number 1 target for unsolicited parenting "musts") this book was a great read (listen)

Any additional comments?

interesting, not too heavy, and will leave parents feeling like they can "do it"!

Every parent should read this one!

Loved it! I love the unbiased look at different parenting practices in cultures around the world. I felt the narrator sharing each tid bit of information with enthusiasm and curiosity while still allowing the reader to decide for themselves of this would be something that would work for them. A trait I find essential in a great parenting book. Will be reading again.

Entertaining food for thought

I found the very entertaining and serious food for thought on how culture drives parenting ideas of what’s best for baby. It challenges typical American parenting norms. “Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry”.

A holistic and global review of childrearing

I'm 15 weeks pregnant and an avid traveler. Tgis book had amazing looks into different cultures while weaving in the authors story and specialist views. love it!

Useful but Hunt, Gather, Parent is better

Books like these are invaluable exposure to alternative parenting ideas. You will certainly find some of them useful. But I found myself constantly skipping ahead and feeling the author was beating a dead horse before I was half way through a chapter (each chapter explores one concept). It was worthwhile for me though just for the tip about wiping a baby with oil (look up La Petite Crème if you are in the USA). Would recommend skipping ahead often in this book and first listening to Hunt, Gather, Parent.

Started out interesting...

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

If the author left the last few chapters out of the book

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

If the book was a bit less preachy towards the end.

Would you be willing to try another one of Barbara Hayman’s performances?

There is an audio bug with this book which affected the quality of her voice.

Any additional comments?

The first few chapters were really interesting. In a nutshell, using her own experiences the author discussed how parenting is contextualized by culture and how cultures can "borrow" different practices. She entertains the notion of different parenting-styles within a culture instead of a one-size fits all approach. But then the book trailed off ending in a rant about "what's wrong with today's societal values". I could almost picture the author shaking her finger while she professed her displeasure about how society values beauty and sports above brains. Too bad. This book had so much promise

Narration is not good

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The narration was not good at all. Maybe it was a technical difficulty on this particular book-I haven't listened to anything else with this narrator so I can't say. I couldn't listen to this book at all because the narration was so awful. Flat, robotic, I had to stop the book when I was just barely into it. I can't say how the story is because I couldn't listen to it.

Would you be willing to try another one of Barbara Hayman’s performances?

No. The narration was so bad I couldn't listen to it.