As part of the Great Myths of Psychology series (Edited by Scott Lilienfeld & Steven Jay Lynn) , Great Myths of Child Developmen t reveals the latest evidence-based science behind the myths and misconceptions about the developing child.
Myth #1 Identical twins have a telepathic connection that originates in the womb Myth #2 Couples dealing with infertility are more likely to get pregnant if they adopt Myth #3 Parents can predict the sex of a fetus by examining the shape of the mother’s body Myth #4 All boys have one Y chromosome (and all girls don’t) Myth #5 The attachment parenting approach strengthens the mother–infant bond Myth #6 Identical twins have identical genes Myth #7 A woman who is already pregnant can’t get pregnant again Myth #8 The Chinese lunar calendar accurately predicts the sex of a baby Myth #9 Female fetuses have faster heart rates than male fetuses Myth #10 Epidurals create a high risk of harm during delivery Myth #11 More babies are born during a full moon Myth #12 Pre-chewing a baby’s food has no known risks Myth #13 Letting babies “cry it out” during bedtime is harmful to their development Myth #14 Sugar intake causes children to be hyperactive Myth #15 Using a baby walker will help a toddler walk sooner Myth #16 Showing cognitively stimulating videos to babies boosts their intelligence Myth #17 Using “baby talk” with an infant delays their ability to speak normally Myth #18 Vaccines caused the rise in autism diagnoses Myth #19 A good response to stimulant medication is proof that a child has ADHD Myth #20 Requiring children to “clean their plates” promotes healthy eating habits Myth #21 Dyslexia’s defining feature is letter reversal Myth #22 Most babies can learn to read with the right learning program Myth #23 Educational kinesiology promotes learning in children Myth #24 Facilitated communication is effective for children with autism Myth #25 Dolphin-assisted therapy effectively treats children with special needs Myth #26 Bed-wetting is a sign of serious emotional problems Myth #27 Most antidepressants for children with depression are approved by the FDA Myth #28 Drawings contain specific signs useful in identifying subconscious problems Myth #29 Most toddlers go through a “terrible twos” stage Myth #30 Kids can be “scared straight” from delinquency Myth #31 Parents can usually tell when their child is depressed Myth #32 Young girls are more likely to have clinical depression than young boys Myth #33 Helping children avoid their fears is the best way to decrease their anxiety Myth #34 Adults can usually tell if a child is lying Myth #35 Seeing other people be aggressive will decrease children’s aggressive drive Myth #36 School homicides are on the rise Myth #37 Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) prevents drug use Myth #38 An “only child” is likely to be selfish, spoiled, and socially incompetent Myth #39 Divorce ruins most kids’ lives Myth #40 If you “spare the rod” you will “spoil the child” Myth #41 Brief time-outs are too weak to help decrease real behavior problems Myth #42 Daycare damages the attachment between children and parents Myth #43 Imaginary friends are a sign of social-emotional problems in children Myth #44 Birth order is a powerful predictor of a child’s personality Myth #45 The most common reason for sibling fights is the rivalry for parental love Myth #46 Parent–child relationship disruptions can be repaired with holding therapy Myth #47 Fathers use more corporal punishment than mothers Myth #48 Rewards usually decrease the desirable behavior they’re intended to increase Myth #49 Praise undermines children’s ability to be successful Myth #50 Parents were not permissive when I was a kid
The perfect baby shower gift for parents-to-be (and/or their advice-giving in-laws). This book combines an easy readability with a solid research foundation.
This may be used as a textbook in Education classes or Early Childhood classes, but I found it to be very readable and not just for educators and professionals. Parents of young children will find a lot of sound advice and multiple resources to refer to if interested in exploring a topic in more depth. The authors have done a great job of making this information accessible to ordinary folks. If you wondered if you should allow your baby to "cry it out" or if "time out" is an effective disciplinary technique, you will find scientifically researched answers to these questions and more. I highly recommend this book.
don.t like the writing style. too much rephrasing of the same idea - the 'american writing style'. i guess there are people who can benefit from the info in this book. can.t say it improved my knowledge in a significant way. i did appreciate the fact that there is also 'suggeted reading' for every chapter and the references, showing it is well documented.