Brain Rules for Baby

Brain Rules for Baby, How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five by John Medina is an outstanding book.  Medina is a developmental molecular biologist and dad who writes about the best science and advice about parenting that is available for you and your child. Things you do now, from pregnancy through early childhood affect the rest of your child’s life.  He gives very clear and simple methods you can use at home, for free, to put your child on a healthy path to learning and happiness.

For example:  

  • The primary concern of the child’s brain is survival.  Learning will not happen if a child or person feels unsafe.
  • Rather than praise your child for being smart, praise their effort.
  • When a real live person talks to a baby, even in the earliest days, the child’s linguistic skills increase a lot.  By the time that child enters school their reading, spelling and writing abilities are much better than those of children who’ve been raised in a less verbal environment.
  • Children who engage in guided open-ended activities have been shown to be more creative, better at language, better at problem solving, less stressed, better at memory and more socially skilled.  For ideas of how to encourage this type of play you can also go to the website that describes a Tools of the Mind classroom.
  • Aerobic exercise increases a child’s executive function scores by 50-100%!!!
  • Pressuring children to learn something before they’re ready is harmful.
  • Children who learn to regulate emotions have better, deeper friendships than those that don’t.
  • “When warm, accepting parents set clear and reasonable standards for their kids, then offer them praise for behaving well, children present strong evidence of a internalized moral construct, usually by age 4 or 5.” (p. 236)
  • “Parents who provide clear, consistent boundaries whose reasons are always explained generally produce moral kids. “  (p 245)

All of these, and many other points are explained in easily understood language in the book.  Though written by a scientist, the book is accessible to anyone interested in raising healthy, happy educated children!