October 15th, 2009
Be the Smartest Dad on the Block
Nurtureshock offers surprising insight into children’s behavior
Two years ago, Po Bronson made a big splash with his article “How Not to Talk to Your Kids” in New York magazine. In one of those everything-you-know-is-wrong moments, Bronson argues (with the research to back it up) that parents’ never-ending praise — “Great job, Timmy!” — is actually hurtful for a number of reasons. For one, kids don’t learn to take pride in their own accomplishments, because Mommy and Daddy are always there to tell them what a terrific job they’re doing. Even worse, kids become less likely to try out new things since they’ve become afraid of even the slightest appearance of failure.
Now, Bronson has teamed with fellow author/parent Ashely Merryman to write Nurtureshock: New Thinking About Children,” and it’s filled with plenty more eye-opening revelations. Bronson and Merryman examine topics like why kids lie, sibling rivalry, the myth of racially diverse schools, and even the dramatic difference that an extra hour of sleep can make.
Nurtureshock uses a similar style as Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Blink), sharing stories alongside research to make its’ points, but always keeping the tone light and readable. Don’t worry though, you’ll learn a lot without ever feeling like you’re back in school. Even The Onion calls it “the least touchy-feely parenting book ever.”
And hey, since you’ll be a more informed parent, maybe your kids won’t ever write a tell-all book about you.