Smart-Wiring Your Baby’s Brain
By Winifred Conkling
Quill, 160 pages, $12
If a new or future baby is taking up more of your time than Fido or Ginger, “Smart-Wiring Your Baby’s Brain” could be more up your alley. The title may sound like a prescription for creating a tiny Einstein, but that’s not quite this book’s purpose. Author Winifred Conkling instead offers a host of ideas on how parents can provide an environment that maximizes baby’s chances to learn and thrive.
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By stimulating your baby’s brain in the first three years, Conkling argues, a child who might have been of average intelligence may become above average, and one who might have been above average may display “extraordinary gifts.” Further evidence suggests that by stimulating your baby’s brain, you can add 20 to 40 points to the IQ score, she said. Although some may disagree with the author’s premises, suggested activities for different ages are for the most part interesting and fun.
Conkling covers the period from in the womb to post-birth learning. Topics range from stimulating speech and motor development to building emotional health as well as stimulating your toddler’s interest in art, math, science, music and language.
For language growth, Conkling’s suggestions are common sense, from using correct grammar to reading to your child each day. Although the book’s activities are gentle and playful, with specific games and tools to use at each stage, not every child will go with the formula; a five-page chart outlines “red flags” of delayed motor development.
Whether a parent agrees with the “Smart-Wiring” theory, the book is full of ideas for parents willing to take time to sit down and teach their children. And there is no way that can do anything but help.