Winnicott On the Child

October 15, 2002
Before Benjamin Spock and T. Berry Brazelton made a name for themselves, Winnicott (l896-1971) was considered the best pediatrician/psychoanalyst writing about children. The Briton made over 50 broadcasts for the BBC between 1939 and 1962 and wrote more than 20 works. Collected here for the first time in one volume are 26 of his best-known essays, all of which were previously published in one form or another. Spock, Brazelton, and Stanley Greenspan wrote introductions for each of the three sections ("Babies and Their Mothers," "Talking to Parents," and "The Child in the Family"). Winnicott is not an advice-dispenser; rather, he offers insights and observations into babies' emotions and intellect. He places high value on the role of a mother in nurturing her child's psychological development. While his style is conversational and gentle, he quietly probes the ideas of trust, security, jealousy, and early relationships. The result is worthy reading for mothers, students of child development, and others seeking something deeper than a quick-fix handbook.-Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA