Menlo Park, CA — July 19, 2001 - The Dr. Spock Company, the leading parenting media company, today announced the results of a national survey that show more parents are concerned with their child's emotional well-being, discipline and behavioral problems, than are concerned with sex and violence, issues which receive far more coverage in the media.

According to The Dr. Spock Parenting Poll, which is based on a national random sampling of adults, parents most identified their child's emotional well-being (66 percent) and discipline or behavioral issues (57 percent) as significant challenges that they face as parents. However, less than half of the parents surveyed (48 percent) confirmed sex and violence as a top concern.

"The media need to realize that although they may choose to sensationalize sex and violence, more parents are concerned about the real 'bread and butter' of parenting - the issues they face on a daily basis," said Robert Needlman, M.D., vice president of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at The Dr. Spock Company.

Parents Faced with Little Help from ExpertsThe Dr. Spock Parenting Poll also showed that more parents rely on themselves or their family and friends, rather than pediatricians and other experts, for parenting information and advice. A full 85 percent of parents said that they trust their own instincts for most of their parenting information or advice.

Four out of five parents (80 percent) named their own parents or close family members and friends as a source for most of their parenting information or advice. Yet, less than half (45 percent) of parents identified pediatricians or other experts as a primary source.

"In this era, when experts are seemingly ubiquitous, many parents nonetheless rely on their own instincts to guide their parenting," said Dr. Needlman. "Dr. Benjamin Spock empowered parents to trust themselves, by giving them simple, expert advice and reassuring them that common sense plays an important role in parenting. His main message still strikes a chord with today's parents."

About The Dr. Spock Parenting Poll
The Dr. Spock Parenting Poll is a periodic look at issues and challenges faced by American parents. The poll is sponsored by The Dr. Spock Company, the leading parenting media company, and is based on a nationally representative sample of more than 1,000 adults. Opinion Research Corporation International of Princeton, New Jersey conducted the interviews for the current poll, based on a survey developed by Leflein Associates, Inc. The telephone interviews were conducted April 19-22, 2001.

About The Dr. Spock Company
The Dr. Spock Company is the trusted source for the latest expert advice, information, and, inspiration on raising happy, healthy children. The company blends the timeless philosophies of world-renowned pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock with up-to-date parenting information from leading authorities in parenting and children's health, delivering its expert information via print, broadcast, and online media. The Dr. Spock Company, which is backed by Zesiger Capital Group and CNC Partners, is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif.