The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives

by William Stixrud

From the time babies are in the womb, they are influenced by their environment and sensitive to our stress. From then and throughout the early years of life, if a child’s parents are highly stressed, the child’s genes are affected—including genes involved in insulin production and brain development. Stress affects the gene expression of the fetus and young infants through a process called methylation. A certain type of chemical (called a methyl group) “locks” the gene that’s supposed to turn off the stress response in the on position.5 Changes in gene expression can continue to be seen right through adolescence.6 While stress in utero and in the first year of life have the most decisive impact on the developing brain, recent studies have shown that secondhand stress persists.