Brain Rules for Baby

How to Raise a Smart and Happy Child from Zero to Five

By: John Medina

Narrated by: John Medina

Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

What’s the single most important thing you can do during pregnancy? What does watching TV do to a child’s brain? What’s the best way to handle temper tantrums? Scientists know.

In his New York Times best seller Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina told us how our brains really work—and why we ought to redesign our workplaces and schools. Now, in Brain Rules for Baby, he shares what the latest science says about how to raise smart and happy children from zero to 5. This book is destined to revolutionize parenting. Just one of the surprises: The best way to get your children into the college of their choice? Teach them impulse control.

Brain Rules for Baby bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice. Through fascinating and funny stories, Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and dad, unravels how a child’s brain develops--and what you can do to optimize it.You will view your children—and how to raise them—in a whole new light.

You’ll learn:

• Where nature ends and nurture begins
• Why men should do more household choresWhat you do when emotions run hot affects how your child turns out
• TV is harmful for children under 2
• Your child’s ability to relate to others predicts her future math performance
• Smart and happy are inseparable
• Pursuing your child’s intellectual success at the expense of his happiness achieves neither
• Praising effort is better than praising intelligence
• The best predictor of academic performance is not IQ. It’s self control
• What you do right now—before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and through the first five years—will affect your children for the rest of their lives.

Brain Rules for Baby is an indispensable guide.

©2010 John Medina (P)2010 Pear Press

highly recommend for research based parental deci

great. informative and still entertaining. highly recommended for the research based facts presented in an entertaining, and digestible, manner

Recommend to any expecting or new parent

Lots of scientifically supported advice in here. Love how there is tips for spousal relationships too, as that is so critical to kids development and I learned a lot from that section. Also loved the focus on empathy and emotion.

Very enjoyable and informative

Would you consider the audio edition of Brain Rules for Baby to be better than the print version?

I really enjoy listening to the author perform this book. He makes some really corny jokes, but the material is good. My main take away is that I need to play structured make-believe with my baby/kid, get him into music classes and provide consistent rewards/punishments. Not exactly groundbreaking stuff, but it doesn't hurt to hear it along with the support of lots of studies.

Great book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. I have recommended this book to numerous people, and also insisted that the head of curriculum at my son's daycare/pre-school read it.

What other book might you compare Brain Rules for Baby to and why?

Why Gender Matters and Boys Adrift would be similar in that they are an empirical analysis of child/developmental issues.

Have you listened to any of John Medina’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. I have listened to Brain Rules. They are both great (and have independent material, so they are both a great read).

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Husbands---be nice to your wives!

Very valuable information

The content was very informative with practical examples.

I wasn't crazy about the narrator but this is very subjective, and I would still listen to the book for the information.

I would definitely recommend this book to all parents and caregivers.

Got More Out of it than I Could Have Imagined !!!

Would you listen to Brain Rules for Baby again? Why?

I did listen to it again! Right after I finished it the first time. I wanted to listen for the other books he referenced and details I might have missed.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how it challenged me to be a better mom, wife and person in general, yet did not make me feel like I had to

Have you listened to any of John Medina’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I have not, but I thought he was great.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked a few of the stories he told relating to real life parenting.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend to other caretakers of kids, not just the parents. Ex: Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Babysitters...

worth the listen

Informative, interesting, I would recommend to friends/family. Easy to follow, never found myself drifting off.

Great book!

Great up to date information and it was fun listening to the author. He's funny and very enthusiastic.

every parent should hear this

opened my eyes to so many things. going to listen to again and again since there is so much good information. make my husband listen too!

Neuroscience for the nursery

If you are pregnant or planning a family, I thoroughly recommend this book, which accessibly presents,the latest in research concerning the development of intelligence, happiness, and good behavior in children.

If you, like me, are already the parents of a child old enough, to run, jump, count to 10, and arbitrarily meet at least half of your parental requests with an indignant "NO!", then I also thoroughly recommend this book-- with a bit of a disclaimer: brace yourself before reading. The "rules" in question amount to a pretty tall order, and he doesn't exactly mince his words about the possible effects of not following them.

The first priority of any brain, he points out, is not to learn. It is to be safe. This has been the goal of our brains since the earliest days of human evolution, and the vestiges of ancient evolutionary pressures and needs remain with us still. Stemming from this understanding, and supported by research, Dr. Medina recommends that parents place a high priority on marital harmony, empathic discipline, stress reduction during pregnancy, and avoidance of "hyperparenting".

Second, humans are deeply social creatures-- this means that we learn best by being held, spoken to often, sung to, and read to-- it also means turning off the cell phones, computers and TV, and engaging in imaginative "guided play" on a daily basis.

This is a good book, and I am compelled to apply Dr. Medina's recommendations to my own parenting practice.

I would, however, suggest two more books, for the sake of balance. The first is "Into the Minds of Babes" by Lisa Guernsey, which offers more research specifically relating to TV, and which I believe presents a more balanced view.

The second is "The Shelter of Each Other" by Mary Pipher, which offers a more holistic, anthropological perspective on many of these issues-- which considers the experience of the parents and the culture as well, and in which the "Voice of Science" is a little less... imperious.