Wits Guts Grit: All-Natural Biohacks for Raising Smart, Resilient Kids

by Jena Pincott

"...[A] fascinating glimpse into how the natural world can bolster children's growth." -- Library Journal  Wits Guts Grit is inspired by the many questions acclaimed science writer and mother Jena Pincott explored about the natural forces that shape children's minds and health. What if we identify the microbes that support stress resilience and find ways to expose our kids to them? What if we reintroduce the mineral magnesium, deficient in almost every child's diet? Would it reduce anxiety and increase bounce back, as the science now suggests? What if memory and learning could improve measurably after eating certain foods--such as blueberries--high in plant chemicals called flavonoids, or after certain forms of exercise? These and many more questions led Pincott to simple, all-natural "biohacks"--experiments inspired by current research and theory--complete with instructions on how to undertake them to help your own children strengthen their wits, guts, and grit. Explaining the science and her own experimentation with her two gung-ho daughters in a lively, accessible way, Pincott shows parents how the underlying ingredients of the traits we all want for our kids--resilience, focus, perseverance, working memory, and more--may be all around us in the natural world, ready to be harnessed.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction, Education

304 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 2018

Reviews

[Петър Стойков · Rating 1 out of 5]

Богатите хора, както и бедните, не влагат особена енергия и внимание в отглеждането на децата си. Докато на богатите им стига да пратят наследниците си в най-скъпото частно училище, за предпочитане пълен пансион и повече да не се занимават с тях, бедните минават дори и без това.

Всъщност, единствените хора, които се занимават да обучават децата си са средната класа и при много от тях това се е превърнало в мания - както в САЩ, така и по света, че даже и в китната ни родина. Едно време беше модерно да ги мъчат да свирят на музикален инструмент, а днес ги карат на всякакви други дейности - то не са езици, програмиране от 3 група в детската градина, тенис, всякакви изчанчени и измислени курсове и занимавки, сакън детето да не остане назад в развитието си...

В същото време, голяма част от тея родители, парадоксално, практически отказват да
дисциплинират, възпитават и наказват децата си - да не би така да попречат на свободното развитие и изразяване на вътрешната му креативност...

Тая мания стига до абсурдни висоти в настоящата книга, дето в желанието си да изгради дъщеря си като упорито, трудолюбиво и любознателно дете, авторката не се занимава със старомодни неща като възпитание и учене, а решава да хакне системата.

А хакването е толкова невероятно глупаво, че сами трябва да прочетете, защото ще си помислите че лъжа.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title promises biohacks (whatever they may be) for raising smart, resilient kids. Kids that will gain wit, guts, and grit from the content contained within. And by page 5 of the introduction we find: "My personal experiences described here are for fun and exploration and are not meant to be comprehensive or draw conclusions. As the primatologist Irwin Bernstein once said, 'The plural of anecdote is not data.'"

That's a good warning, and Pincott seems smart even if this is simply a story about a mad scientist mom doing all sorts of harmless experiments on her kids. Nothing is well controlled (I mean, their her kids, not lab rats) and most quoted scientific studies are tempered with "and similar studies produced different results."

Her kids eat tons of blueberries and walk barefoot. Are they smarter and more resilient? Maybe. Is it the blueberries and barefooting? Maybe? Pincott seems to think so. But, a mom is far from an impartial judge of her children, no matter how smart. I could be unemployable close talker with a soap phobia and my mom would still think I'm a catch, so...

So, it's not a bad read but it's not exactly an entertaining memoir. Yet, the conclusions are so unsteady that it's not exactly useful either. So, really, what's the point of reading it? I can't say. I can only shrug. Read it if you want?

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since it was non-fiction, this book to me longer to read, though I did enjoy it. The author has an interesting perspective as a scientist and mother. I related to that as a school teacher and mother. She combined scientific information with anecdotes about her own family and her experiments to get her children to have more wits, guts and grit. The result made for an interesting and informative book. All her science was explained clearly and simply for a reader who may not be a scientist, so the information was accessible. I was a little worried in the first chapter that the whole book would be about micro-organisms in the intestines, especially since I couldn’t see myself making homemade yogurt! However, there were quite a variety of topics, some I may try with my children.

Note: I received this book in a giveaway win.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I got some good hints and ideas and also found some things I’m doing right.

[SaraJane · Rating 3 out of 5]

pg. 7 'Stamina is one part resilience, or girt. Bravery is another.'