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Back on Track: A Practical Guide to Help Kids of All Ages Thrive
Practical steps based on brain science and development to help kids thrive – post-pandemic and beyond.
Attention, mood, emotions, behaviors, organization, communication, social interactions, learning, and confidence all have one thing in common—the brain. Your child’s brain determines how they take in, process, and react to the world around them, influencing everything, from their thoughts and feelings to actions and interactions.
Brain development is an active process that has no true end point, as the brain continues to evolve and improve throughout life. Yet all too often parents and educators take a passive role in this process, wishing, hoping, and praying for growth and change.
Back on Track is the book for every parent who has worried about their child and wants to create change. It provides an action plan for parents to help their child thrive at school, at home, and at play—from a professional who develops and implements brain-based wellness programs for kids, adults, and athletes and is a mom herself.
This comprehensive, accessible guide will show you how to add purposeful activities to your daily life to positively impact development—from birth through the teenage years.
Attention, mood, emotions, behaviors, organization, communication, social interactions, learning, and confidence all have one thing in common—the brain. Your child’s brain determines how they take in, process, and react to the world around them, influencing everything, from their thoughts and feelings to actions and interactions.
Brain development is an active process that has no true end point, as the brain continues to evolve and improve throughout life. Yet all too often parents and educators take a passive role in this process, wishing, hoping, and praying for growth and change.
Back on Track is the book for every parent who has worried about their child and wants to create change. It provides an action plan for parents to help their child thrive at school, at home, and at play—from a professional who develops and implements brain-based wellness programs for kids, adults, and athletes and is a mom herself.
This comprehensive, accessible guide will show you how to add purposeful activities to your daily life to positively impact development—from birth through the teenage years.
- GenresParentingNonfiction
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 5, 2023
30 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 2, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and the information it has.
September 17, 2023
I've read a LOT of parenting books. I don't mean dozens, but hundreds. I was pregnant during covid and my family was fortunate to be in a position to have me stay home for the entirety of my pregnancy. I filled my days with research, because that's what I do.
'Back on Track' isn't revolutionary for someone who has read as much as I have (both in direct studies and parenting books). A lot of the information reads as truisms - healthy eating, exercise, and sleep are essential, and you'll get a lot farther by meeting your child where they are than by where you expect them to be.
That said, if you don't have the time or interest to devour hundreds of parenting books, this is a great one for a one-stop-shop kind of summary. It does an excellent job of reminding parents that the brain-body connection is huge, and you can't address behavioral and developmental issues without considering it.
My daughter is only 2.5 years old so we haven't introduced screen time yet, but it reminds parents to minimize screentime once they do introduce it. It reminds parents of the important of unscheduled time and the creative opportunity of boredom.
What I like best about this book is that Dr. Jackson combines sharing the 'why' of her recommendations with the 'how' to implement the strategies. It's so helpful for busy parents, especially in households with a primary parent who carries most of the mental load, to have those examples of how to put her advice into practice.
She also includes case studies (though some are so extreme, like a 14 year old kid who couldn't tie his shoes, that they were distancing). I'd love to see more of the hard research behind her recommendations, but it makes sense to keep the book on a summary-level for digestibility and broad appeal.
'Back on Track' is a helpful reminder of some important truths about healthy development. I'll probably keep this on hand to read as a refresher every few years.
'Back on Track' isn't revolutionary for someone who has read as much as I have (both in direct studies and parenting books). A lot of the information reads as truisms - healthy eating, exercise, and sleep are essential, and you'll get a lot farther by meeting your child where they are than by where you expect them to be.
That said, if you don't have the time or interest to devour hundreds of parenting books, this is a great one for a one-stop-shop kind of summary. It does an excellent job of reminding parents that the brain-body connection is huge, and you can't address behavioral and developmental issues without considering it.
My daughter is only 2.5 years old so we haven't introduced screen time yet, but it reminds parents to minimize screentime once they do introduce it. It reminds parents of the important of unscheduled time and the creative opportunity of boredom.
What I like best about this book is that Dr. Jackson combines sharing the 'why' of her recommendations with the 'how' to implement the strategies. It's so helpful for busy parents, especially in households with a primary parent who carries most of the mental load, to have those examples of how to put her advice into practice.
She also includes case studies (though some are so extreme, like a 14 year old kid who couldn't tie his shoes, that they were distancing). I'd love to see more of the hard research behind her recommendations, but it makes sense to keep the book on a summary-level for digestibility and broad appeal.
'Back on Track' is a helpful reminder of some important truths about healthy development. I'll probably keep this on hand to read as a refresher every few years.
February 14, 2026
Early childhood development is so important and not talked about enough at all. Especially in America. I commend the Princes of Wales for her determination in bringing the conversation of early childhood development to the table. Add the mysteries of the human brain to early childhood development mind blown. I have always been an advocate for proper brain health from my days as an athlete and my study to be a master sommelier. You have to have proper fuel to preform, so your brain can be fully functioning in all departments. This book is the recipe for your mind and body to make breakthrus, achieve goals and be well rounded and happy. Back on Track teaches you how this starts as a baby and in the womb. It also reassures us it is never too late to get your brain health on track. So, this book is for everyone. Having trouble focusing, anxiety, depression, ADHA, missing social ques or on the spectrum this book is for you. Also comforting to get conformation on how bad food dyes and screens are for our health as humans. The saying “TV Rots the brain” well guess what it is true AF and we have twice as much screens now. The pandemic ruined humanity. This book is also a guide on how to get back on track from 2 years of no social contact and way too much screen time. Humans need face to face communication or we will fail. Being a navel gazer or screen zombie is extremely bad. How are we going to survive as humans if we don’t meet up , make healthy relationships and make babies. Back on Track has startling statistics from studies done about teenagers after the pandemic regarding literacy, anxiety, depression, isolation, addiction (to social media, video games, alcohol & drugs). I was not surprised by the studies and statistics, but glad to have this book to tell you why these problems are happening.
December 15, 2023
Back on Track is a non-fiction that’s a must read for any parent who is concerned their child is not meeting milestones or have developmental delays or neurodivergence. I took time to go through this book because there was so much information to soak up. And while I listened to the advanced audiobook copy through NetGalley, I also purchased the audiobook and physical book for my husband and I to keep coming back to in reference.
I knew almost immediately that this book would make an impact on our lives, and was exactly what we’d been searching for. We are a family full of neurodiversity, and while my husband and I struggle through some things in life, so do each of our three children in their own ways. We have felt so alone, and like we are on an uphill climb with weight piling higher each day. This book gave us a foundation for the what why and how of trying to help our kids gay back on track with their cognition and development. It also taught us about the Brain Balance Program, and we have started our 9 year old in the program already and are eager to see how things improve for him. We are also working on different tasks the book guided us in for our other two children.
A nonfiction parenting must read! But take your time. There’s so much information.
I listened to the audiobook at varying speeds, starting at 1.25x speed (my normal being 1.75x speed). The audiobook is enjoyable and engaging.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape media for this advanced audio copy. So sorry for my delay as I absorbed all the information!
I knew almost immediately that this book would make an impact on our lives, and was exactly what we’d been searching for. We are a family full of neurodiversity, and while my husband and I struggle through some things in life, so do each of our three children in their own ways. We have felt so alone, and like we are on an uphill climb with weight piling higher each day. This book gave us a foundation for the what why and how of trying to help our kids gay back on track with their cognition and development. It also taught us about the Brain Balance Program, and we have started our 9 year old in the program already and are eager to see how things improve for him. We are also working on different tasks the book guided us in for our other two children.
A nonfiction parenting must read! But take your time. There’s so much information.
I listened to the audiobook at varying speeds, starting at 1.25x speed (my normal being 1.75x speed). The audiobook is enjoyable and engaging.
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape media for this advanced audio copy. So sorry for my delay as I absorbed all the information!
did-not-finish
October 4, 2023Good things about this book include:
• A large variety of concepts
• A long list of examples of activities to try
• Making it feel like it’s attainable
This audiobook was interesting to me since I have a neurodivergent 8-year-old. I liked the idea of exploring how the pandemic impacted kids. What I found difficult in this audiobook format is being able to skip areas of the book that aren't of interest to me - such as the baby milestones. I know the author said that any of these milestones/activities are helpful to review, but at some point, hearing about tummy time or rolling over feels SO LONG ago I wish I could easily skip those parts. I found myself trying to skip forward through infant and toddler times, but couldn't do this elegantly, There were also LOTS of these ideas of activities for much younger kiddos.
There were a only few examples given in the first part of the book, but found myself thinking I wasn't going to remember many of these concepts without more examples. Short memorable stories is the best way for me to process when I read parent books. I did like the lists of things to try at the end of each chapter - making me wish I had a print copy to reference.
• A large variety of concepts
• A long list of examples of activities to try
• Making it feel like it’s attainable
This audiobook was interesting to me since I have a neurodivergent 8-year-old. I liked the idea of exploring how the pandemic impacted kids. What I found difficult in this audiobook format is being able to skip areas of the book that aren't of interest to me - such as the baby milestones. I know the author said that any of these milestones/activities are helpful to review, but at some point, hearing about tummy time or rolling over feels SO LONG ago I wish I could easily skip those parts. I found myself trying to skip forward through infant and toddler times, but couldn't do this elegantly, There were also LOTS of these ideas of activities for much younger kiddos.
There were a only few examples given in the first part of the book, but found myself thinking I wasn't going to remember many of these concepts without more examples. Short memorable stories is the best way for me to process when I read parent books. I did like the lists of things to try at the end of each chapter - making me wish I had a print copy to reference.
March 6, 2024
Amazing how Jackson brought so many specialty areas together into one book. I have read entire books on most of these areas individually, but it was incredible to find someone that could combine all!
I bought the print copy before I was done listening to the introduction!
While I wanted it to be shorter, I do not think there was excessive information or anecdotes I could see taking out!
Since she includes so many important milestones, I feel like you could hand this to any new mom (although it might be a bit overwhelming at that stage)!
It is definitely overwhelming to think about how many different areas I want to work on with my kids, but this gives me a starting point! I handed my husband a copy, and even called the local Brain Balance Center!
I bought the print copy before I was done listening to the introduction!
While I wanted it to be shorter, I do not think there was excessive information or anecdotes I could see taking out!
Since she includes so many important milestones, I feel like you could hand this to any new mom (although it might be a bit overwhelming at that stage)!
It is definitely overwhelming to think about how many different areas I want to work on with my kids, but this gives me a starting point! I handed my husband a copy, and even called the local Brain Balance Center!
October 17, 2023
More than ever parents are experiencing the difficult task of raising children that struggle with attention and focus. Often parents are left scratching their head on why their child struggles and what can be done to help. The book 'Back on Track' does a wonderful job educating the reader about brain development and providing actionable ideas for parents. The author reminds us that change is possible and what we do or don't do makes a difference! The book does a great job providing these practical items parents can incorporate today to positively influence this development. If a parent is wanting to better understand brain development and learn what they can do, this book is a must read!
August 7, 2023
Dr Rebecca Jackson has put together a useful and practical guide, helpful for all parents who are trying to make the best choices they can for their children/s ever changing and developing brains. I found it to be a very useful tool that navigates all ages of development… Even when reading about the infant/toddler ages, I was able to gain a better insight on my older child’s mind. The book was well written and relatable.
I would recommend this book to any parent and or educator.
I would recommend this book to any parent and or educator.
October 14, 2023
Dr. Jackson’s words are a breath of fresh air. I am keeping this book within arms reach as a resource for the parents I work with - and myself. I love that she highlights each age and stage for our kids, as well as the type of development they are going through! An added bonus of this book is how she discusses helping our kids get back on track after the covid pandemic - what to look for and how to help. So practical and well-written.
January 31, 2024
As a parent who has a child who has suffered from anxiety even before the pandemic, I found Dr. Jackson's book so insightful. Dr. Jackson does a great job describing brain development for all stages of childhood. She also gives recommendations and suggestions of activities or strategies for parents to do at home to help their child if they are struggling in one area. I have already started implementing a few of her suggestions with my 2 teens, with great success so far!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who works with children and to parents with children of all ages. I wish I would have had this resource when my children were babies but am so glad to have it now so I can refer back to it when needed!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who works with children and to parents with children of all ages. I wish I would have had this resource when my children were babies but am so glad to have it now so I can refer back to it when needed!
April 13, 2025
The author, in the wake of the COVID pandemic, examines various psychological issues found in children (e.g., anxiety) with a lens on lack of development in various areas. It reads, in places, like a sales brochure for the author's business, but can also be used to talk to your child's physician or therapist. Very interesting read.
February 3, 2026
Good practical advice, but very focused on children stunted by the pandemic, which doesn’t really apply to my post-pandemic kids. Also most of the milestones are checked for by my children’s pediatrician, so it feels mostly unnecessary unless your child is behind on their milestones or your doctor isn’t regularly checking and giving you information on infant and child development.
September 21, 2023
This is a fantastic parenting book with solid science conveyed in a sensible, gentle tone that anyone can understand and learn from. Back on Track explains brain development from all angles (attention, mood, emotions, behaviors, organization, communication, social interactions, learning, and confidence) and shares case studies. While it would have been nice to have this book when my kids were babies, I was still able to deepen my understanding of my kids and how to best support their brains. This is another solid Mayo Clinic book and I highly recommend it!
Thank you to Dreamscape Media (Mayo Clinic Press) for gifting me with an ALC to review! I really enjoyed it.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media (Mayo Clinic Press) for gifting me with an ALC to review! I really enjoyed it.
October 15, 2023
This book is so helpful and informative! The science is easy to understand, and there practical things that parents can do to help their kids immediately! Every parent with a child who struggles should read this!
November 21, 2023
Skimmed. Good updated information on what I’ve already learned. I like te way it’s organized
December 7, 2024
This explained everything!!!
May 6, 2024
Must read. Must read. Must read. I wish I had read this book before I became a mom. Wow. Well start where you are right? Moving forward now!
June 28, 2025
While I did enjoy this and the information it presented was interesting, it’s very focused on the pandemic and the “gaps” that are a result of social distance/distance learning.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews