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

Insightful and Entertaining

There were a few audio issues with the recording but nothing that really gets in the way, or is persistently annoying. This book is full of great advice that is founded in well documented research. I already knew quite a bit of what he was talking about, as research is my profession, but he had insightful pieces of information I had not yet heard of and made connections I hadn't thought of. 10/10 would reccomend.

If you read Dr. Twenges book "the impatient woman's guide to getting pregnant" this is like the parenting version of a funny and interesting meta analysis. If you like Twenges work you will definitley like this book.

Amazing

I really loved this book, highly recommend. All based on research but applicable to everyday life.

This is the best parenting book ever

I did not expect much when I got this book, and boy was I in for a great surprise. I love the fact that all the parenting advice is based on science, and makes utter, common sense. So many aha moments, and I wanted to stop driving and write notes at times!
The reading of the book was awesome, and really injected the joy and humour.
I loved the audio version so much I had to order the book as well, which I had to import as it is not for sale in my country!
Highly recommend this book!

I loved this book!

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

Yes! My son was just born. I took so many notes on the Audible iPhone app and will either "read" this book again sometime in the next year (on 1.5 speed, since I've already finished it) or around the time of my next child's birth.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

As a new parent that normally prefers to read social psychology (as it pertains to adults), I doubted I would enjoy this book very much. But the book surpassed my expectations by far and is now one of my favorite books on human behavior. Why? Because instead of just explaining how the brain works (like other books I've read and liked), from this book I get to know how it develops!

John Medina is obviously very intelligent, but from his lively narration and story telling, the reader/listener gets to like him as a person. He is very entertaining.

Sincerely, this book prepares me for childhood. I know when and how to set rules, how to punish when necessary, what parenting styles have been scientifically demonstrated to be more effective and how to create a happy, healthy and intelligent baby.

I look forward to reading Medina's other book, Brain Rules.

Hey Dr. Medina! (I'm sure you'll read your reviews), I look forward to reading your future books under the following titles:
- Brain Rules for Kids
- Brain Rules for Teenagers

I will need them!

Excellent book!

Indeed an excellent book full of facts, data and actionables. Totally recommended especially for new parents.

Good content

I liked what was being said bit feel the reader was a buddy a few beers in at the sports bar. (Pretty sure the reader even passes gas at 10:20 of Chapter 6).

Good content though that I found useful.

Loved it

Awesome book with incredible advice. Thank you John Medina! Lots of great tips throughout the book

Definitely one to keep for future re-listening

I bought this for my husband during our pregnancy days when we were "dividing and conquering" the books on pregnancy and parenting. It would be an understatement to say he loved this one. I heard him quoting passages to family and friends, and lingering in the car after he pulled into the driveway. He wants to gift this book to all his parent-to-be friends and is keeping his set of CDs in the car for future re-listening.
What he liked most was how much hard science goes into the recommendations in this book. And I have to agree that this sets this book apart from many other parenting books out there.
Really a great purchase and one you'll find informing your parenting decisions right from the start (there's good info starting from being good parents during pregnancy through later years). Easily digestible with nuggets you'll be drawing on for years to come.

Must read

This is a must read for every expecting couple or parent of young children. My child is 2 and I found this book very relevant to my child rearing practices. I would even recommend that you read the first part only while pregnant and then tackle the second part when your child reaches one year old.

Great

What made the experience of listening to Brain Rules for Baby the most enjoyable?

Really interesting! This book does a great job of telling you what the science actually says about the development of a child's brain while also making it interesting and enjoyable. The advice given here can be applied in a reasonable way too. I plan to listen to it again.