Second Nature: How Parents Can Use Neuroscience to Help Kids Develop Empathy, Creativity, and Self-Control

by Erin Clabough

Use Neuroscience to Raise an Awesome Person—Starting Now Searching for a roadmap to raise a successful child who makes a positive difference in this world? Neuroscientist and mother Erin Clabough teaches that to thrive as adults, children need to learn self-regulation, a master life skill founded in empathy, creativity, and self-control. The lack of even one of these intertwined skills underlies nearly all of the parenting problems we face. The good news is that you can build these strengths in children at any age, from infancy to adulthood. Here, using key insights from brain development research, you'll learn how. With scientific depth and in clear language, Erin gets you up to date on the vast tide of emerging neuroscience discoveries and how they can help you parent better. Practicing these skills requires a new mindset, but "second nature" parenting is low effort and high impact. It only takes a few minutes each day to nurture the skills your kids need, simply by using everyday situations that you're already facing in a different way. A hands-on exploration of • Empathy, creativity, and self-control—three key, interrelated skills that support your child's decision-making, emotional regulation, happiness, and independence • Self-regulation—where the three key skills come together, giving your child the power to blaze a trail towards a personal goal while preserving healthy relationships • A wealth of tools based on neuroscience principles—from quick "do anywhere" games to long-term strategies—for creating positive lifelong habits • How to better understand and deal with tantrums, impulsivity, inattention, bickering, bullying, and other common challenges • In-depth guidance on how to build motivation, enhance critical thinking skills, encourage accountability, create space for play and reflection, cultivate compassion, solve problems, and much more 

Genres: Parenting, Psychology, Neuroscience, Science

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2019

Reviews

[Stefan Andrei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great advice and packed with neuroscience. Will likely be reading this every year for reminders as some of the topics apply better to older children.

4 stars because it starts of like a corporate handbook full of the usual clichés. But otherwise great.

[Ann T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sounds True Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was an interesting book to assist parents build resilience and empathy in their children, providing good examples and tools for doing this. This was a good accompliment to similar parenting books.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved loved loved! Plenty or neuroscience that comes with actual advice and approaching techniques. I feel much more confident in my parenting and teaching skills after reading this one

[Gina Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book for both parents and educators. Clabough explains the neuroscience behind empathy, self-control, creativity, and self-regulation, and provides strategies and methods for increasing these pro-social behaviors. While the overarching theory of epigenetics may be a bit too cerebral for some parents/educators, the information in this book is sound and informative. Highly recommend.

[Kate Dobbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better parenting books I’ve come across.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fantastic!!! I will be homeschoooling my daughter next year as she begins kindergarten and I am using this book in order to learn how to foster creativity, self regulation and empathy in her. I am planning a co-op where we can meet together frequently and the kids will have this interaction and hope to integrate these qualities in their play and learning. The book gives some great ideas on how to develop these qualities in children and why they are so important as well. I will definitely be referring back to this book frequently while I am helping my children improve upon these qualities in order to provide the best start at life I can for them. The format of the book is great and the content is great. I hope that as parents and teachers alike use this information to help foster these qualities in children, that we can help make the world a kinder and better place to live in!