The author is not a professor or even an associate professor: he is just a pediatrician – the most ordinary, who graduated from an ordinary medical institute. And this book was written for ordinary people who live an ordinary human life. Which theoretically creates conditions for future mutual understanding[1]. The author addresses this book to parents – those who have already become parents, and especially to those who are just about to become them. This is not a textbook, not a collection of recipes and instructions, not an encyclopedia and, God forbid, not a guide to diagnosis and treatment! Most likely, this is a medium-sized guidebook that should help you avoid many problems. The main thing is a little common sense, a little logical thinking - and we will agree on everything.

A huge number of works on a similar topic have been written all over the world. It is not surprising that, having spent money on the purchase of another "work", future or already established dad and mom want, first of all, to find out what the features of this work are, and whether they exist at all.

There are three such features:

The first feature is the ability to implement recommendations. After all, hundreds of books on child care and upbringing are written in such a way that the very process of communicating with a child is perceived in isolation from real life. Such "trifles" as a hungry dad who came home from work, shops and clinics, disappeared hot water, a broken iron, a wise mother-in-law, another pregnancy, the number of days until payday, etc. are not taken into account.

The second feature is that, having a higher medical education, the author himself does not always understand everything in smart works designed for a "wide readership". Therefore, he tried very, very hard to make the book as accessible as possible, but not primitive.

The third feature, perhaps the main one, is that I am not just saying "do it this way" – I am trying to convince you that this is exactly what you should do.

It should be noted that modern parents quite rarely take on the entire burden of responsibility for the child's health. Allegedly, the state approach to this issue is that the district doctor is generally responsible for the child's health. But the answers to most of the "children's questions" are given at family councils, where mom and dad – as the least experienced people – are assigned an insignificant role. On the one hand, this is quite understandable. On the other hand, it is mom and dad who always turn out to be "extreme" if the child is sick or misbehaves. At this point, relatives, acquaintances and, of course, grandparents will not fail to notice that it was necessary to obey the elders.

In connection with the above, I draw the attention of mom and dad to the following points:

– looking around, you will easily see that neither you nor your friends are distinguished by iron health. Therefore, the phrase uttered by a mother-in-law or mother-in-law: "I raised three" is not a weighty argument.

– что бы ни советовали Вам друзья, родственники и знакомые, запомните главное: не спать ночей, бегать по аптекам и больницам будете Вы и только Вы!

– Вы ведь прекрасно знаете: переделывать (перевоспитывать, переучивать) намного сложнее, нежели поступать правильно с самого начала. Поэтому не доводите своего ребенка до такого состояния, когда только самые решительные меры позволят Вам преодолеть возникшие сложности. Лучше уж с самого рождения выбрать правильное направление: это и проще, и дешевле, и приятнее.

– Если же с самого рождения не получилось – не знали или думали что знаете, не хотели, не понимали – помните: взяться за ум никогда не поздно, но чем раньше тем проще.

Здоровье наших детей в большинстве случаев не устраивает ни родителей, ни педиатров[2]. И это вдвойне неприятно с учетом того, что по количеству детских врачей мы оставили далеко позади не только Бангладеш, но и Соединенные Штаты Америки.