Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs

"WhatkindofpersondoIwantmychildtobe?"Therearehundredsofbooksthatgiveparentsadviceoneverythingfromweaningtotoilettraining,fromdisciplinetonutrition.Butinspiteofthisoverwhelmingamountofinformation,thereisverylittleresearch-basedadviceforparentsonhowtoraisetheirchildrentobewellroundedandachievetheirfullpotential,helpingthemlearntotakeonlife'schallenges,communicatewellwithothers,andremaincommittedtolearning.Thesearethe"essentiallifeskills"thatEllenGalinskyhasspenthercareerpursuing,throughherownstudiesandthroughdecadesoftalkingwithmorethanahundredofthemostoutstandingresearchersinchilddevelopmentandneuroscience.Thegoodnewsisthattherearesimpleeverydaythingsthatallparentscandotobuildtheseskillsintheirchildrenfortodayandforthefuture.Theydon'tcostmoney,andit'snevertoolatetobegin.In"MindintheMaking,"EllenGalinskyhasgroupedthisresearchintosevencriticalareasthatchildrenneedmost:(1)focusandselfcontrol;(2)perspectivetaking;(3)communicating;(4)makingconnections;(5)criticalthinking;(6)takingonchallenges;and(7)self-directed,engagedlearning.Foreachoftheseskills,Galinskyshowsparentswhatthestudieshaveproven,andsheprovidesnumerousconcretethingsthatparentscando--startingtoday--tostrengthentheseskillsintheirchildren.Thesearen'tthekindsofskillsthatchildrenjustpickup;theseskillshavetobefostered.Theyaretheskillsthatgivechildrentheabilitytofocusontheirgoalssothattheycanlearnmoreeasilyandcommunicatewhatthey'velearned.Thesearetheskillsthatpreparechildrenforthepressuresofmodernlife,skillsthattheywilldrawonnowandforyearstocome."MindintheMaking"isatrulygroundbreakingbook,onethatteachesparentshowtogivechildrenthemostimportanttoolstheywillneed.AlreadyacclaimedbysuchthoughtleadersasT.BerryBrazelton,M.D.,DavidA.Hamburg,M.D.,AdeleFaber,andJudyWoodruff,"MindintheMaking"isdestinedtobecomeaclassicintheliteratureofparenting.