NutureShock?!

I'm not new to psychology or research studies.  I read, a lot, because I enjoy it; and that includes more scientific based reads as well.  I've read some great books by Malcolm Gladwell (if you haven't read any of his stuff, you should...he's awesome!).  I have read tons of books on bringing up children, family ethics, religion, etc.  I just love to read!  My favorite book is still Matilda by Ronald Dahl...judge me if you must :).

I was on Pinterest the other day and came a blog that I started browsing through and she had mentioned this new book about parenting in the 21st century and how all of our instincts are wrong.  This really peaked my interest, so I logged in to my local library and placed a hold on the book.

It's called NutureShock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman.  I've only made it through the first couple of chapters (it is VERY heavy in statistics and research) but it has really made me think!  Since I am a nerd and I love controversial topics with great discussions, I want to start discussing some of these chapters.  I would love to hear your thoughts on the research, findings, and what your opinions are...just remember: stay respectful!

Here are the topics from the book:

 1. The Inverse Power of Praise - Sure he's special.  But research shows that if you tell him that, you'll ruin him.  It's a neurobiological fact.


2. The Lost Hour - Around the world, children get an hour less sleep than they did 30 years ago.  The cost: IQ points, emotional well-being, ADHD, and obesity


3. Why White Parents Don't Talk About Race - Does teaching children about race and skin color make them better off, or worse?


4. Why Kids Lie - We may treasure honesty, but the research is clear.  Most classic strategies to promote truthfulness just encourage kids to be better liars.


5. The Search for Intelligent Life in Kindergarten - Millions of kids are competing for seats in the gifted programs and private schools, admissions officers say it's an art: new science says they're wrong, 73% of the time.


6. The Sibling Effect - Freud was wrong. Shakespeare was right.  Why siblings really fight.


7. The Science of Teen Rebellion - Why, for adolescents, arguing with adults is a sign of respect, not disrespect - and arguing is constructive to the relationship, not destructive.


8. Can Self-Control Be Taught? - Developers of a new kind of preschool keep losing their grant money - the students are so successful they're no longer 'at-risk enough' to warrant further study.  What's their secret?


9. Plays Well With Others -  Why modern involved parenting has failed to produce a generation of angels.


10. Why Hannah Talks and Alyssa Doesn't - Despite scientists' admonitions, parents still spend billions every year on gimmicks and videos, hoping to jump-start infants' language skills.  What's the right way to accomplish this goal?


So...who wants to read this with me?!