NurtureShock

New Thinking About Children

By: Po Bronson, Ashley Merryman

Narrated by: Po Bronson

Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Personal Development, 2010

In a world of modern, involved, caring parents, why are so many kids aggressive and cruel? Where is intelligence hidden in the brain, and why does that matter? Why do cross-racial friendships decrease in schools that are more integrated? If 98% of kids think lying is morally wrong, then why do 98% of kids lie? What's the single most important thing that helps infants learn language?

NurtureShock is a groundbreaking collaboration between award-winning science journalists Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. They argue that when it comes to children, we've mistaken good intentions for good ideas. With impeccable storytelling and razor-sharp analysis, they demonstrate that many of modern society's strategies for nurturing children are in fact backfiring - because key twists in the science have been overlooked.

Nothing like a parenting manual, the authors' work is an insightful exploration of themes and issues that transcend children's (and adults') lives.

©2009 Po Bronson (P)2009 Hachette

Critic reviews

"A provocative collection of essays popularizing recent research that challenges conventional wisdom about raising children...[Bronson and Merryman] ably explore a range of subjects of interest to parents... Their findings are often surprising." ( Kirkus)

Interesting Listen Sing Song Narrator

Would you listen to NurtureShock again? Why?

I liked all of the interesting, myth-busting information in this book. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone just starting down the parenting trail or even us seasoned parents who need to re-evaluate what works and doesn't.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked all the well-documented information on studies that supported the claims the author makes.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narrator was a little sing-songy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me think and discuss the content of the book with friends, who, in turn, want to read the book. That's the best kind of book for me.

Very helpful, extremely well written

What did you learn from NurtureShock that you would use in your daily life?

Much of the research that was presented was helpful. My children are getting more sleep which has helped both behavior and learning. We are also seeking to use praise that builds character which has proven successful. This is a great book and very practical.

Statistics, Statistics, Statistics

Not a bad listen, but you can get overwhelmed by all the statistics and studies that the author writes about. He states one study then contradicts the findings by another. The information is good, and can be useful, but I am having a hard time listening to the book and taking it in. I would find this book to be better suited for me as a reference (hard cover) rather than a good listen.

Hire a professional narrator

I could not believe how terrible the reading of this novel was. The narrator sounded like he was reading a Dr Seuss book to me. He was placing emphasis and excitement in the strangest places.

That said, there's a lot of good information in this book. Be careful, though, because there's also a lot of mistaking correlation for causation. Just because 2 things move together does not mean one causes the other.

Wow!

Every teacher and young parent should read this book. In fact, every adult who works with children should read it.
Every chapter in this book reveals a whole set of new revelations about child development and how parenting strategies and teaching strategies influence that development. Bronson and Merryman share new information about the negative impact on motivation of praising a child's intelligence or other inherited traits vs the positive impact of praising their strategies, hard work, attitude, and other traits under their control. They share research evidence about the surprising (to me) amount of lying children do and the surprising inability of most parents and teachers to detect it reliably. They don't ignore strategies to teach them honesty either. The developmental window for learning words and speech patterns and the importance of interactive, verbal communication between parent and infant during that window makes up a chapter. Do you wonder at the rebelliousness of teens? Are you aware of the multiple ways in which sleep quantity and quality affect growing children? This book is filled with answers based on current and recent research. I'm thinking of buying a few hard copies and distributing them among the teachers at my school. I can't recommend it strongly enough.
The reader has a pleasant, conversational style that is very easy to listen to.

I wish it were even longer

This book has a lot of great information but presents it in a way that keeps you engaged. The information is sufficiently clear, without being overly forceful in the authors interpretation of the data. The author flies at a appropriate level of detail to keep it informative and interesting, but not belabor any points or get lost in superfluous detail. I really enjoy this type of book and NurtureShock did not disappoint. Some great opportunities to reflect and question my own approach to parenting and life in general.

Helps end Outpatient Emotional Support (OES)

I've raised kids and I've seen kids being raised. The kids that are told they can do anything or a 'special' constantly need to be 'propped' up by their parents. They're some of the most whiny and insecure people while their growing up and once their grown up. In the book 'Millionaire Next Door' they discuss parents doing 'Outpatient Economic Support'. Now parents are doing 'Outpatient Emotional Support'. The parents put 'affirmation notes' in the kids bags, lunches and text them to them. I see 'kids' coming into the work force all the time thinking that they company 'owes' them. Or they should be promoted just because they showed up. I see them not able to stand up for themselves when a boss says their wrong. They're not able recover after they lose a promotion or a discussion. Here we see where we believed as parents that teaching our kids there are not winners & losers was a losing proposition all around. We need to be honest, consistent and teach our kids that their going to lose. We need to teach them that yes they have natural gifts and then they must work on the non-developed gifts they have. Instead we teach them to 'do what they love' and that will get them by. Will it? The kids that get ahead are the ones that are taught to work hard to get ahead.

Fascinating and compelling

This book is a fascinating account of the latest science in child development. It is absolutely a must read book for any parent who is trying to interpret the onslaught of "expert" advice out there about child rearing. It is refreshing after reading so many books that claim to have all of the answers to read something that is honest about how much weight to give various scientific findings. The style is candid, straightforward, and easy to understand. As to the narration, I was nervous when I saw that it is narrated by the author, but Po Bronson does a really nice job. The narration is enthusiastic and captivating. It almost makes you feel like you are having a conversation with the author himself. I highly recommend this book. If you are anything like me, you won't regret it!

Great book. loved the summary

this is a must read/listen. great all the way through but the summary is the most important, children are different from adults and what works on adults doesn't always work on children the same way.

great book all around!

Good

This book was very eye-opening. It's funny how counterintuitive the truth can be at times. I think all pregnant parents should read this book--very interesting.