What do you think?
Rate this book
How Smart Is Your Baby?: Develop and Nurture Your Newborn's Full Potential
The first months after birth are vital to the long-term well-being of a child. Yet parents do not have the information they need to make their baby’s life as stimulating as it should be. How Smart Is Your Baby? provides parents with all the information required to help their baby achieve full potential. The authors first explain infant growth, and then guide parents in creating a home environment that enhances brain development. A developmental profile allows parents to track their child’s progress, determine strengths, and recognize where additional stimulation is needed.
280 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2006
51 people are currently reading
664 people want to read
About the author
Glenn Doman
94 books87 followersGLENN DOMAN is the founder of The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential to which parents from every continent have been finding their way for more than a half of a century. He and The Institutes are famous for their pioneering work with brain-injured children and for their work in early development for well children.
In addition to dealing intimately with more than twenty thousand families over the last fifty years, he has strongly influenced millions of families through the book What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child and the creation of the groundbreaking Gentle Revolution Series of books and materials that teach parents how to teach their babies at home.
Glenn Doman has lived with, studied, or worked with children in more than one hundred nations, ranging from the most civilized to the most primitive.
He was distinguished for outstanding heroism in action during World War II and was knighted by the Brazilian government in 1966 for his services to the children of the world.
Glenn Doman is the principle lecturer for the many courses given by The Institutes for the parents of well children and brain-injured children. When he is not lecturing in Philadelphia or around the world, he is nose-to-nose with parents and children, discovering better ways to make hurt kids well and well kids more capable.
from http://www.iahp.org/Glenn-Doman-Found...
In addition to dealing intimately with more than twenty thousand families over the last fifty years, he has strongly influenced millions of families through the book What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child and the creation of the groundbreaking Gentle Revolution Series of books and materials that teach parents how to teach their babies at home.
Glenn Doman has lived with, studied, or worked with children in more than one hundred nations, ranging from the most civilized to the most primitive.
He was distinguished for outstanding heroism in action during World War II and was knighted by the Brazilian government in 1966 for his services to the children of the world.
Glenn Doman is the principle lecturer for the many courses given by The Institutes for the parents of well children and brain-injured children. When he is not lecturing in Philadelphia or around the world, he is nose-to-nose with parents and children, discovering better ways to make hurt kids well and well kids more capable.
from http://www.iahp.org/Glenn-Doman-Found...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 14, 2020
This book acts as an overview and more for the Doman's Gentle Revolution series. I am very much drawn to the philosophy behind the book and am looking forward to implementing some of these programs in the first years of my newborn's life.
That said, the sheer amount and frequency of the suggested programs are overwhelming and often seem like overkill. Even if you are a stay-at-home parent with no other children, you would have great difficulty in doing everything they recommend. The book makes it clear at the end, however, that there is no need to do everything. Even if the only thing the book ends up doing is to give you an appreciation for how intelligent your baby is, that will be a positive effect in his upbringing. Personally, I plan to take a few tips from the mobility exercises as well as the reading program with my child, and not focus on the many other areas.
I'm giving this book four stars for now, but I cannot give a true evaluation for another few years after I have attempted to implement the methods. For anyone interested, you may want to take a look at Janet Doman's video on Youtube entitled: "How to Begin a Newborn Program"
That said, the sheer amount and frequency of the suggested programs are overwhelming and often seem like overkill. Even if you are a stay-at-home parent with no other children, you would have great difficulty in doing everything they recommend. The book makes it clear at the end, however, that there is no need to do everything. Even if the only thing the book ends up doing is to give you an appreciation for how intelligent your baby is, that will be a positive effect in his upbringing. Personally, I plan to take a few tips from the mobility exercises as well as the reading program with my child, and not focus on the many other areas.
I'm giving this book four stars for now, but I cannot give a true evaluation for another few years after I have attempted to implement the methods. For anyone interested, you may want to take a look at Janet Doman's video on Youtube entitled: "How to Begin a Newborn Program"
May 31, 2011
This book suggests using air horns, pinching, and ice to "test" your baby. Sorry, that just doesn't jive with my instincts as a mother. The AAP suggests that Doman's methods are based on outdated theories of development and calls his approach unwarranted. I'm inclined to agree. While babies do love all kinds of stimulation, most don't like loud sudden noises or pain, y'know?
Read
February 15, 2025lots of great info but i’m lowkey tired of baby books that want me to be a freakin carpenter and act like it’s so easy to just whip out some wood and power saws and build a whole jungle gym inside your house
November 20, 2014
The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential are on the leading edge of thought and growth with regards to the development of the young ones 0-6 years . The methods described in this book are thorough , precise and have been tried and tested by over 20 000 families from all over the world some of which attended the Institutes in Philedelphia for a weeks training and from what I read it cannot compare to the books it's priceless. Glenn Doman and his team have over 40 years of research and working neurologist, physicians and a whole team of doctors to come up with all the books they have written. I suggest any parent do some investigation just to clear ones conscious and see some of the parents who did this years ago and how their children have turned out. I believe some parents think that some of the methods are madness and that a baby will not enjoy these however I have found the contrary and when reading the book you can feel the passion and the safety they wish for your child. The main thing they stress is THIS IS MEANT TO BE JOYUS journey for mom and baby if baby is crying stop and find out what's wrong, never proceed if baby is unhappy, once you truly commit to this its a way of life, it's a lot of work and progressive in nature. I am doing them even though not as consistently during the day , I'm making sure that each day something is done from the book after work. My son who is 5 months is loving them and it's part of play. Flicking through these books is not the way to integrate yourself with them it's a study and a way of life. If you really want to give your child the best path forward this has been the most refreshing read and has made me see my son as an intelligent creative little sponge who will take in anything that I teach and what better way to give him the best. Glenn Doman I am so thankful for your work may your work keep touching the lives of many more families.
October 7, 2024
Este libro tiene cosas muy interesantes aunque muchos de los ejercicios los veo difíciles de realizar en casa. Hay que adaptarlos. Pero en el fondo trata temas de gran interés y que puedes adaptar a tu bebe
September 18, 2019
Seems pretty good. A lot of reasonable activities to do with your baby. Even if it doesn't do as promised, will get you interacting with your baby, which is always great!
July 5, 2022
Me encantó, muchas cosas las hice con mis hijos por instinto asumo, otras comenzaré 🙌
August 12, 2022
will read it the second time
December 17, 2023
From the set of books this is nice but a bit overwhelming for a newborn mom
November 12, 2008
I'm re-reading this book now that I have a baby in the house again. The premise of this book is that each person has specific milestones that must be reached in order to progress physically and mentally. For instance, no matter where we are in the world, if we are humans who now walk, at one time we had to learn to move our arms and legs, then learn creep, then learn to crawl, all before we could learn to walk. If any step in the process isn't reached, than we cannot learn to walk. This book has a chart of those particular milestones, teaches the reader how to assess the baby/child, and then explains what to do with the baby/child so that the milestone gets reached.
Since I have an autistic boy, I, understandably, wonder if my new baby will have any special needs as well. I discovered this morning that my baby doesn't have a startle reflex. That could mean that he has an auditory processing disorder. I actually haven't spent much time worrying what it might mean--I've just jumped in doing the physical exercises that will help my baby overcome this weakness.
I have found success following the advice of the Domans with my other five children, and I expect to enjoy that same success with my youngest baby. This book empowers me as a mother to help my baby reach his potential.
Since I have an autistic boy, I, understandably, wonder if my new baby will have any special needs as well. I discovered this morning that my baby doesn't have a startle reflex. That could mean that he has an auditory processing disorder. I actually haven't spent much time worrying what it might mean--I've just jumped in doing the physical exercises that will help my baby overcome this weakness.
I have found success following the advice of the Domans with my other five children, and I expect to enjoy that same success with my youngest baby. This book empowers me as a mother to help my baby reach his potential.
February 28, 2010
This book was a direct answer to prayer for me regarding Samantha. Though it is helpful for all babies, I love how this book, and his others, give step by step actual activities that you can do to improve certain areas of a child's development. It was excellent timing for me to read this.
April 8, 2012
Hilarious! Sneak up and smack two blocks together or use a blow horn to develop your baby's auditory responses... Flash a flashlight in her eyes twenty times a day. What kind of baby torture is this?
Read
March 9, 2013Amazing insights to your newborn's growth process. Must-read for all new parents!
May 10, 2015
If there is such a thing as a baby manual, this is one.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews