Basic book develops Mrs. Sproul's ""basics"" of child care, namely proper od, adequate rest, exercise and love- there cannot be too much love, only the wrong kind. To theory in general (i.e. listening to your child to read his responses- he shy, jealous, resistant, etc.; providing the right habitat for his emotional and spiritual and intellectual growth;) Mrs. Sproul has little new to add. But her book is more valuable on specifics; on physical care from every angle-- eyes, teeth, earing, speech; on accidents (17,000 children are killed a year and 150,000 crippled) and their prevention; on diet. As such, this is a supplementary child care book with ome all-around advice which is acceptable but assumes that the mother who knows est doesn't know too much to begin with.