What do the best supported scientific studies have to tell us about how to raise a smart, moral, happy child? Not as much as the shelves upon shelves of parenting books would imply.

Brain Rules for Baby focuses only on the parenting advice that can be backed up by research. As Medina points out in his conclusion, whether you're concerned about baby's intelligence, morality, or happiness, or your relationship with your spouse, much of this research comes back to two key principles: the importance of empathy (both having it as a parent and developing it in your child) and the importance of responding to your child's emotional world.

The book has lots of specific tips, but the summary version is that most gimmicky parenting techniques are just that -- gimmicks. Interact with your child person-to-person and it doesn't matter what you're listening to. Let them have open ended, creative play where they lead the way and don't stress if they aren't learning another language.

There are a lot of specific tips which are valuable, but the key thing to remember is that you can't make your baby smart (or happy or good). You can just make your baby feel loved and safe, and in that environment their natural curiosity will take over and lead to the rest. ( )

Great book! Gives valid evidence from peer-reviewed research on what works and what doesn't. The emphasis is on developing empathy, emotional regulation, and executive function skills. I learned a lot. Would go as far as to say it's the best book on child-rearing I have ever read. I could do without the multiple (I think more than 10, maybe even 20) references to our "evolutionary roots" in an attempt to explain human brain. Seriously, if you don't know, just say you don't know :( ( )

Less scientific discussion than I was expecting, but very sensible and an easy read. ( )

Wonderful, straightforward, & engagingly written for parents-to-be, parents, or grandparents like me who want to encourage my amazing grandbabies!!! Written with current cultural references, excellent real life anecodotes, and yes the latest brain research findings, BUT not so scientific that we mere mortals can grasp the concepts. Best of all, written with humor and insight into the incredible challenges facing all parents to raise a child well. Author is a UW professor developmental molecular biologist, and yes a parent himself. Arranged to help readers take away key concepts & practical tips for putting such ideas to immediate use with the little darlins' .... bought one for my son & his wife when they were expecting; bought one for myself; bought one for my daughter, mother of two, and a doula. Is there a youngster in your life? Go buy this book now... seriously. ( )

In this book, Medina offers up a scientific perspective on raising children and nurturing the minds of newborns and infants. His book follows and instructs parents on the best care for their babies, aged zero to five. Have gone through a number of lackluster parenting books both as a new parent and as a librarian, I can readily say that this is one of the better books out there. Medina’s points boil down to a couple major elements. His points, all scientifically backed by studies, are not all that much different from Pamela Druckerman’s Bringing Up Bebe. My inner Francophone feels justified.

Read more at: http://thenovelworld.com/2013/11/04/brain-rules-for-baby-john-medina/ ( )