Your Child's Growing Mind: Brain Development and Learning From Birth to Adolescence Paperback – May 25, 2004

I really enjoyed reading this book for a couple of reasons:1. The author is a proponent of teaching children at their own paces. For example, when it comes to reading, all children vary in their cognitive abilities. That being said, Dr. Healy dismisses expectations parents often have towards reading at a young age as inappropriate and downright harmful. In other words, don't force your 22-month old to memorize words or the alphabet because s/he is not developmentally ready. Some parents feel pressured to do so, but it's not healthy.2. She doesn't like TV and offers scientific explanations as to why TV, movies, screen time, computers, etc., are actually bad for your child's brain development (I've always been concerned about the vegetative state in which kids find themselves when watching TV for hours). Needless to say, there's some evidence that suggests one part of the brain grows at a slower rate for kids who get a lot of screen time. And, in response to the review which claims her research is purely anecdotal, that is a flat-out wrong, unless you're the type to somehow dismiss an entire bibliography of evidence.3. This book covers a lot of age ranges. So, you'll learn about your toddler's development while learning about your niece's adolescent development.4. This book covers a lot of topics that are often...worrisome. "Should your child be talking?", "Why does your 3rd grader act up during mathematics?", "What kind of games are developmentally and socially appropriate to facilitate a love of learning?". "Why does my child have ___?"5. She DOES offer anecdotal evidence, purely as a means of explaining how she came to explore various topics. Her friend had a daughter terrified to read. Her other friend's child was so smart that said mom wondered if said child be taking IQ tests? And so on.6. I recommend this book. Whole-heartedly.

I am a first time mom who has a keen interest in the development of my 18 month old son - and I have always enjoyed psychology and observing the amazing development of children. So this book piqued my interest, and kept me engaged.As a first time mom in the "information age" I have found myself googling child milestones far too often - which mainly makes me feel like my child isn't "smart enough" or that in order for him to be "gifted" he should already be doing x, y, or z. Also, it is easy to begin comparing my little boy to other children, boys and girls alike, and drawing unfair conclusions.This book has made me step back and realize what a waste of time that is. My gut is correct - my child is smart! - and that he is on his own timetable, with his own strengths and interests. This book really dispels the belief that "reading" or "counting" super early is "better". And it shows you why forcing that type of learning on your child before they are ready can do more harm than good. Exposing your child to different experiences, both in play and in formal instruction is more valuable than rote learning. No matter their learning style, every child is capable, intelligent, and curious. This book talks about how to engage your child in ways that boost his confidence while strengthening weaknesses to achieve overall balance. I love the specific and practical tips for creating an enriching environment for your child's developing mind.Since reading this book, I have made a marked effort to stop comparing my son to other children who appear to be light years ahead in certain areas. It simply isn't fair, isn't healthy, and isn't celebrating what my child can do. I look forward to being an active participant in the unfolding of my child's mental development.

As a homeschooling parent, I found this book to be very helpful in understanding how a child's mind grows and develops. The author explains quite well how children's brains function at different stages and what their changing needs are. She reinforced a lot of my concerns about the move toward earlier and earlier formal instruction, fact drilling, etc that is taking place in our society. She is very careful to iterate that different children's brains develop at different rates and that doesn't mean something is "wrong" with them.I found the information to be quite accessible, but it's possible someone with more knowledge of the brain might find it watered-down as the author is not big on using technical terms and tends to simplify processes. As my interest was more applied, I saw this as a plus. It is still a relatively deep read for a non-expert.There's plenty of information relevant to babies, but also much for the school age child. Toward the end of the book, the author applies what has been learned to the various school subjects. This is a valuable book for any parent that wants to understand how their child's mind and abilities develop. As a homeschooling parents of six children, I am glad to have read this book. I've already made changes based upon what I learned from it.