Smart Parenting, Smarter Kids

Everyweeknewdiscoveriesaboutthebrainmakethenews,oftenpromisingparentsthelatest“right”waytonurturetheirkids’developingbrainsandbehavior.Andeverydaythere’sanewtechnologythatdemandsyourchild’sattention,anewgameortoythatpurportstomakeyourkidsmarter,andanewsnackpromisingtobehealthyaswellastasty.How’sabusyparenttomakeheadsortailsofalltheseclaims?YouturntoDr.DavidWalsh,anexpertattranslatingtheheadline-making,cutting-edgefindingsintopracticalsuggestionsforparentingtoday.Inhispreviousbestseller,WhyDoTheyActThatWay?,Walshshowedhowtomanagethedifficultteenageyearsbyunderstandinghowtheadolescentbraindevelops.Nowhe’swrittenacompleteguidetoparentingfrombirththroughtheteenyears,withrecommendationsthatwillhelpmaximizeanychild’spotential.SmartParenting,SmarterKidsdoesn’tjustdescribenewresearchfindingsorexplaininterestingbrainfacts.Itequipsparentswithusableinformationacrossarangeoftopics,likeexercise,nutrition,play,sleep,stress,self-discipline,emotionalintelligence,andconnection.Somediscoveriesinneuroscienceconfirmage-oldparentalwisdomwhileothersmaypromptyoutomakeimmediatechanges.Stillotherbraindiscoverieshelpexplainbehaviorsthathavepuzzledparentsforever,likewhyfriendly,easygoingkidscanbecomewithdrawnandsullendragonsovernightwhentheyenteradolescence,orwhygirlsandboystendtohavesuchdifferentclassroomexperiences.Filledwithhelpfulquizzesandchecklistsforeasyreference,SmartParenting,SmarterKidsgivesspecificadviceabouthowtomakethebestdaycare,preschool,andschoolingdecisionsforyourkids;forexample,howtodealwithstressfuleventsasafamily,andhowtomanageyourchild’sinternetandmediause.Andallthesefindingsacrossdifferentfieldsofresearchworktogetherinreachingthesamegoal:Whenchildrenareguidedtoeat,sleep,play,exercise,learn,andconnectwithothersinhealthyways,theirmindsblossomandtheyareabletoreachtheirfullpotential—academically,socially,physically,andemotionally.Thesereal-lifeapplicationsinDr.Walsh’snewbookputscienceintopracticewithapersonalplanthatexplainshow(andwhy)youcanparentwiththebraininmind.