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happylilkt's review
4.0
Quick read that challenges some of your assumptions about parenting -- very interesting and I will probably review it again later.
ambergamgee's review
5.0
I graduated with a BA in Early Childhood (with honors) 2 years ago, so I expected a lot of the information in this book to be a refresher for me. Some of it was (especially the chapter on praise) but some of it was shocking and new! I appreciate how this book challenges what we "know intuitively." I believe I'll be making parenting and teaching decisions in the future based on what I learned here.
bkmckown's review
3.5
3.5 stars. The premise was interesting enough and unique. It took awhile to really build up but the ending was good. I love a government conspiracy story.
knitnetic's review
5.0
In their book [b:NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children|6496815|NurtureShock New Thinking About Children|Po Bronson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344270193s/6496815.jpg|6688299], Mr. Bronson and Ms. Merryman examine those logical fallacies that adults apply to child development. In order to explore these situations, they coin the term "Nurture Shock", signifying those times when our instinct to nurture and the science of child psychology disagree.
I must say, I was quite impressed with this book. Mr. Bronson's work serves as an excellent guide not only for parents, but also for teachers and all others who work with children on a daily basis. The chapters each focused on a specific instance of "Nurture Shock": that language DVD's impair infant language development, that lying in teens is a sign of respect, etc. These topics were well chosen and will interest many different groups.
In addition to featuring interesting topics, each chapter was organized in a predictable and accessible manner. Mr. Bronson first established what the nurturing instinct tells us is true; for instance, that teens fight with adults as a means of showing disrespect for them. Then, he introduces a psychological study that seems to contradict these results: perhaps teens who fight with their parents show, on average, a better relationship with their parents than teens who don't. These studies are cited in the text and again in the afternotes for those interested in delving into a topic further. Next, Mr. Bronson examines the biology of the subject at hand: exactly what is happening to the brain at this point in development that causes the observed behavior? Finally, he examines what it would look like to apply these principles in the real world; do you let your teen argue and even, God forbid, win? This structure gives a nice flow to the book and allows the reader to know that her questions about biology/application will be answered soon.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who works with or has children. Several of the observations noted in the book are easy enough to apply. In fact, I have begun to use some of Mr. Bronson's advice and seen noticeable results with my students. Overall, this book was an instructive and enjoyable read.
I must say, I was quite impressed with this book. Mr. Bronson's work serves as an excellent guide not only for parents, but also for teachers and all others who work with children on a daily basis. The chapters each focused on a specific instance of "Nurture Shock": that language DVD's impair infant language development, that lying in teens is a sign of respect, etc. These topics were well chosen and will interest many different groups.
In addition to featuring interesting topics, each chapter was organized in a predictable and accessible manner. Mr. Bronson first established what the nurturing instinct tells us is true; for instance, that teens fight with adults as a means of showing disrespect for them. Then, he introduces a psychological study that seems to contradict these results: perhaps teens who fight with their parents show, on average, a better relationship with their parents than teens who don't. These studies are cited in the text and again in the afternotes for those interested in delving into a topic further. Next, Mr. Bronson examines the biology of the subject at hand: exactly what is happening to the brain at this point in development that causes the observed behavior? Finally, he examines what it would look like to apply these principles in the real world; do you let your teen argue and even, God forbid, win? This structure gives a nice flow to the book and allows the reader to know that her questions about biology/application will be answered soon.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who works with or has children. Several of the observations noted in the book are easy enough to apply. In fact, I have begun to use some of Mr. Bronson's advice and seen noticeable results with my students. Overall, this book was an instructive and enjoyable read.
mdevlin923's review
2.0
Bronson and Merryman outline some aspects of childhood that can affect them later in life, including: praise, sleep, racism, lying, sibling relationships, and language development.
If you are interested in reading scientific studies about child psychology, you might like it. But if you are looking for actual advice on sound parenting strategies; look somewhere else.
If you are interested in reading scientific studies about child psychology, you might like it. But if you are looking for actual advice on sound parenting strategies; look somewhere else.
bibliophile80's review
5.0
Loved it! Borrowed it from the library, but I think I have to buy a copy so I can reread it over and over again. I have completely changed my thinking about raising my kids and already started changing the way I handle certain issues. I would recommend this for any parent, from those with infants to high-schoolers.
rainbowbiscuits's review
5.0
So far this is an interesting read that ultimately wants to challenge the reader to think critically about how our country raises and interacts with children in seemingly "intuitive" or "natural" ways. The chapters are divided by topics, so the book reads as if its a compilation of various essays- make it very easy to pick up and set down frequently.
The two authors are journalists and have an impressive skill for reviewing mass quantities of literature and studies. However, for some of the more quantitative chapters such as the sleep chapter, I am afraid that the authors have confused correlation with cause-and-effect. I suppose I could go back and read all the studies cited to see if a million other factors were controlled for in determining whether or not the number of hours of sleep affects kids. The authors make no note of controlling for other factors and thus go on to make bold claims after stating only correlations. This irks me. We'll see if they continue to do this in future chapters.
So yup, that is my bone to pick. The information is still good food for thought, so I intend to read the whole book.
The two authors are journalists and have an impressive skill for reviewing mass quantities of literature and studies. However, for some of the more quantitative chapters such as the sleep chapter, I am afraid that the authors have confused correlation with cause-and-effect. I suppose I could go back and read all the studies cited to see if a million other factors were controlled for in determining whether or not the number of hours of sleep affects kids. The authors make no note of controlling for other factors and thus go on to make bold claims after stating only correlations. This irks me. We'll see if they continue to do this in future chapters.
So yup, that is my bone to pick. The information is still good food for thought, so I intend to read the whole book.
katieinca's review
5.0
An absolute must-read if you have kids. Some pretty interesting stuff about the brain even if you don't.