How to Build Your Baby's Brain: A Parent's Guide to Using New Gene Science to Raise a Smart, Secure, and Successful Child

by Gail Gross

Your child’s DNA is not destiny; you are at the helm, guiding their course.



The truth is, nature and nurture are in a delicate dance—if one goes too fast, the other one falls. Science tells us that early childhood experiences have the capacity to structure and alter the brain. That means you didn’t just supply your child’s DNA—you’re still shaping it. And it’s only by wielding this power that your child will activate their full potential. You are truly a gene therapist; manipulating and guiding your child’s genetic makeup based on the experiences you create for them.



Contrary to what modern parenting trends have told us, parenting is much simpler than we dared to imagine. Great parenting comes down to one mission: to be prepped and present for the windows of your child’s development so that you can take full advantage of them and help your child become a smart, successful, self-sufficient adult. It doesn’t require formal training or a fancy degree—all it takes is getting involved. Once parents learn how to flip the right gene “switches,” they can expand the limits of their child’s potential and lay the emotional and intellectual groundwork that allows them to seize opportunities for success fearlessly, naturally, and enthusiastically.



With a PhD. in education and a second in psychology, and forty years of experience as an educator, Dr. Gross combines an understanding of childhood development with practical and realistic tools to teach parents how to best take advantage of their child’s developmental windows. How to Build Your Baby's Brain translates the results from scientific studies about expanding consciousness and performance into day-to-day interaction between parents and children.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

486 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2019

Reviews

[Jacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably 2.5 stars rounding down. This book sounds like a "how-to-guide" but reads more like nueroscience philosophy. There are a few practical tips late in the book that make sense but only a few are well explained and could really be learned better from other sources. (There are much more detailed and accessible resources available on kids yoga and meditation.) Overall a cumbersome volume that spent more time selling itself to me than informing me of productive parenting strategies. However the science was interesting, but most if it is so new that it seems to need further testing to warrant a whole parenting strategy.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 365 page book is a bit overwhelming for a parent. Packed with information you need to divide and conquer finding the information.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science, health, and the heart all factors woven together around the topic of the baby's development.
Connecting dots to a way of raising our kids and grandkids that we I think instinctively know, but always good to reinforce.
-Every hug, every cuddle, every story, every lullaby creates crackling impulses across the synapes of your child's brain.
-The importance of creative play cannot be overestimated, for it is in the stage of creative play that our brains relax and process more effectively.
-Creative visualization-when your child stores a memory it's always attached to emotion, the emotion she felt when the experience occurred.
-Studies have used saliva tests to demonstrate rising cortisol levels in children detached from their mothers too early.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This books was confusing, poorly organized, offered only minor and repetitive strategies, along with focused a lot on 3 years old and above. When I picked up a book called "how to build your baby's brain" I expected more baby focus. There is also very little data. My main takeaway was that parents need to be with their children more, but also make sure to take time for themselves, partners, and social lives. Even after just stating try to remove any obstacles from spending all your time and energy with your baby. The only thing this book did was make me feel guilty (which is specifically suggest I not to feel) about leaving my baby at a daycare to work.

[Markie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a wealth of knowledge about early childhood education. I especially enjoyed learning about preoperational stage and how families can use this knowledge to create enriching activities for children. Only downside is the book is a little disorganized; for example the author will discuss a topic like bonding/affection then go on to another topic only to return to bonding/affection. I also think the author discussed interesting topics like music therapy and meditation… that deserve more depth.

[Stefano Kaburu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been debating on whether to give 3 or 4 stars but eventually decided to go for 3 stars. I think the book, especially the first part, provides many important suggestions on how to raise a child, which I am sure I will find useful when my baby girl is born. However, the second part includes a lot of arguments that seem more based on anecdotal than scientific evidence.

[Samantha]

I never finished because I lost my commute time and then had another baby, so, yeah, no more free time. It was interesting and I recall a few things I wanted to print and save, so maybe if I can get in an audio format, I can finish it.

[Tia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contains a lot of parenting advice based on very little evidence. If you are looking for a book about how to support your baby's brain development, there are much better books for that - including the Montessori Baby, Montessori Toddler, and The First Three Years Of Life.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A long book but worth the read.

[Flora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very repetitive, very north American in it's perspective. Has some good ideas though but can really identify to it

[Michelle Quintrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Large emphasis on the importance of being there for your little one during their first 3 years. Lots of tips for meditation and mindfulness.