Scientific Secrets for Raising Kids Who Thrive

Start by considering physical activities that can contribute to mental development; for instance, the value of getting kids involved in activities that promote self-awareness and self-control such as tae kwon do or yoga. Learn principles of science that should be kept in mind when sifting through the flood of available advice and information about parenting.

Can infants do math? Is there a window of early brain development that - if missed - can doom a child to a life of mediocrity? Explore the wealth of evidence suggesting that even very young infants are seeing, hearing, thinking, feeling beings, and gain tips for creating enriching experiences for your baby.

Here, get tips for making sure your baby - and you - get all the sleep you need. Learn simple ways to comfort a newborn, methods for training your baby to self-soothe, and measures to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Discover sleep's relationship to cognitive development and the importance of a consistent bedtime.

How do you get your child to eat vegetables? Gain tips for dealing with finicky eaters, and encounter several studies that have revealed your body can tell you what it needs. Exposure to a nutritious food - even if your child doesn't enjoy it now - increases his or her future desire for it.

Teaching your baby sign language can help her communicate long before she speaks her first word. Learn simple signs you can teach your baby, plus other tips for promoting language development, including why you should begin having "conversations" with your baby right from birth and reasons you should use "Motherese" when you do.

As you turn to the science of molding the behaviors of children, discover why reward and punishment - while intuitive strategies - can produce less than optimal results. Learn what the research says on why hitting doesn't work as a behavioral deterrent and produces major side-effects down the road.