Parenting Inc.

Your mom probably never had a diaper wipe warmer or thought about how ergonomic your stroller was. Nor was she bent on getting you into a private school at age three. In just one generation, raising a child has become a commercial—not to mention expensive—endeavor.

Pamela Paul explores the way marketers have exploited the need a parent feels to keep up with the Joneses in her new book, Parenting Inc. From baby sign language classes to educational games and high-priced clothing, moms and dads are being convinced that to be a good parent means having as many amenities as possible.

As a new mom making tons of daily choices, you’ve got a lot to juggle and some of this is probably ringing true. How do you feel about the “big business” of child rearing? [NPR]