Books by John Medina

Whats the single most important thing you can do during pregnancy? What does watching TV do to a childs brain? Whats the best way to handle temper tantrums? Scientists know.In his New York Times bestseller Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina showed us how our brains really workand why we ought to redesign our workplaces and schools. Now, in Brain Rules for Baby, he shares what the latest science says about how to raise smart and happy children from zero to five. This book is destined to revolutionize parenting. Just one of the surprises: The best way to get your children into the college of their choice? Teach them impulse control.Brain Rules for Baby bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice. Through fascinating and funny stories, Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and dad, unravels how a childs brain develops and what you can do to optimize it.You will view your childrenand how to raise themin a whole new light. Youll learn:Where nature ends and nurture beginsWhy men should do more household choresWhat you do when emotions run hot affects howyour baby turns out, because babies need to feel safeabove allTV is harmful for children under 2Your childs ability to relate to others predicts herfuture math performanceSmart and happy are inseparable. Pursuing your childsintellectual success at the expense of his happinessachieves neitherPraising effort is better than praising intelligenceThe best predictor of academic performance is notIQ. Its self-controlWhat you do right nowbefore pregnancy, during pregnancy, and through the first five yearswill affect your children for the rest of their lives. Brain Rules for Baby is an indispensable guide.

Most of us have no idea whats really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should knowlike the need for physical activity to get your brain working its best.How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forgetand so important to repeat new knowledge? Is it true that men and women have different brains?In Brain Rules, Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rulewhat scientists know for sure about how our brains workand then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.Medinas fascinating stories and infectious sense of humor breathe life into brain science. Youll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. Youll peer over a surgeons shoulder as he proves that most of us have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. Youll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but cant tie his own shoes.You will discover how:Every brain is wired differentlyExercise improves cognitionWe are designed to never stop learning and exploringMemories are volatileSleep is powerfully linked with the ability to learnVision trumps all of the other sensesStress changes the way we learnIn the end, youll understand how your brain really worksand how to get the most out of it.

With references to Star Trek, motorcycle daredevils, and near-classic movies of the '80s, developmental molecular biologist John Medina, author of the New York Times bestseller Brain Rules, explores the neurological and evolutionary factors that drive teenage behaviour and can affect both achievement and engagement.