Do you suppose our parents agonized so much over what kind of parents they were as we do, today? Probably not. And yet, I hate to cast aspersions on folks genuinely seeking guidance on the right way to raise little people into fabulous adults. It’s what we all want, right?
It’s also why we all thought “good job!” was the magic phrase… right up until studies informed us that “good job!” was, in fact, ruining our kids. Whoops.
Never fear; Ellen Galinsky’s Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs is where data meets common sense and gets laid out in a way that every single one of us can “get.” Each life skill is presented with the research behind it, suggestions on everyday ways to foster development in our children, and then little snippets of anecdotes from a variety of parents.
So no, she doesn’t insist you use this or that method or you’re doing it wrong. But did I find myself having a lot of “I can’t believe I never realized I should work on this with my kids” moments as I read it? Yeah. That was humbling. But did it shift my thinking, in wonderful ways? Absolutely.
This book is just plain smart, so don’t be surprised if Galinsky’s insights don’t just make you a better parent–they may just make you a better person. -Mir
You can buy Mind in the Making from our affiliate, Amazon.
