The report has been generally well received by parenting groups, the government and the media industry.

Get together regularly with family and friends, or join a parenting group.

There are regular parenting groups for mothers of newborns to 1-year-old olds, frequent author signings and children's concerts throughout the year.

"We've started a parenting group," Dr. Hale said.

When I told some people I was going to a parenting group, they looked at me and said, 'Are you having trouble with your child?'

K.P.T. was reminiscent of my first parenting group, where new mothers got together to trade war stories about their most horrifying and humiliating moments.

Other parenting groups offer little help.

It has been made available to schools and parenting groups for no charge.

Susan Kasarsky spent $2,000 a year long before her children reached school age to participate in a parenting group at a temple with a preschool she liked.

But parenting groups said many mothers found maternity units so busy, noisy and poorly staffed that they were desperate to be discharged as soon as possible.