I couldn't find any book club questions-- so I posted on Mayim Bialik's Facebook page and she didn't know of any either-- so I've crafted the ones I'm interested in hearing the answers to.
I started out calling her "Dr. Bialik", but then I keep hearing her singing, "You gotta live a little! Love a little! And let you poor heart break a little!" from Beaches... and so I called her Mayim.
Now, to be upfront: I am a Jewish vegetarian mother who co-sleeps and nursed both babies--- but I came to this book with equal parts relief (co-sleeping, haven't spent a night away from my kids, cured my oldest's pinkeye with the youngest's breastmilk) and skepticism (elimination communication, gentle discipline-- I use 'time out' A LOT over here), so I think my questions are somewhat balanced!
1. What was your knowledge of Attachment Parenting (AP) before you read this book?
2. What struck you the most about this style of parenting?
3. Do you think your perspective and stance on this book would have been different if you read it before you had children? What might your reaction have been before you had kids versus after becoming a parent?
4. What parts of AP resonated with you as a mother?
5. In the book Mayim mentions (re: sex/imtimacy) that no matter how you parent, trying to get your life back to 'before' isn't really an option. Do you agree? Is there pressure to 'get back to normal'?
6. What parts --if any-- of AP do you disagree with? Why do you disagree? Do you feel those things could work for other families?
7. Do you agree with Mayim--- that our culture convinces us we need a lot of "stuff" for our kids? What is your family's definition of "too much stuff"?
8. In the book, Mayim stresses that AP is not "all or nothing"--- do you think that lessens the pressure (or judgement) some moms feel? Is it true?
9. Why do you think parents seem to have trouble accepting other parents' styles? In your own circle, do you feel there is judgement about the right/wrong way to parent? Are there some "givens"?
10. Have you ever kept some of your parenting choices a secret because you knew friends wouldn't understand--or simply because you didn't want to explain them?
11. What would you tell a young parent (if asked of course) the best parenting advice is? What was the best advice you got?
12. Did this book make you more open to (or accepting of) AP, or less? In what way?
13. What can we do to make the parenting community more collaborative and less competitive?
14. What was your biggest takeaway after reading this book?
