The Intuitive Parent - by Stephen Camarata (Paperback)

About the Book

Argues for a return to instinct-driven parenting, debunks parenting myths, and empowers parents to put down the flashcards and follow their instincts.

Book Synopsis

You already have everything you need to raise a healthy, happy, intelligent child

Parenting today is practically a competitive sport, and marketers are all too happy to cash in. Scare tactics and scientific-sounding jargon make it seem like parents are in constant danger of hard-wiring their children's brains for failure.

In fact, this state of parental anxiety is totally unnecessary--and possibly bad for our children. Babies are born with an appetite to learn. Children are naturally curious about the world and eager to explore it. They don't need flashcards, educational videos, or the latest iPad app to help speed their development. Attempts to get children speaking and reading before they're developmentally ready may even harm them in the long run.

In The Intuitive Parent, Vanderbilt University child development specialist Dr. Stephen Camarata debunks the claims many of these "brain development" programs make. Using accessible, down-to-earth language he explains how parents can intuitively support their child's brain development by simply paying attention. Babies and children develop at their own pace; what's more, they are hardwired to signal to caregivers when they're ready for the next step. Restrictive tools like flashcards may derail your child's ability to learn holistically--and will definitely sap the joy from one of the most important jobs in the world: being a parent.

The key is to recognize the "ready to learn" cues your child is giving you and respond in a way that comes naturally. Routine activities, such as playing peekaboo, reading books to a toddler, talking, singing, feeding, and otherwise meeting the everyday needs of a child, are the true magic that ultimately wires a child's brain and helps children become an intelligent, confident, curious, and talented adults.

Grounded in the latest science by a nationally recognized child development expert, The Intuitive Parent arms parents and caregivers with the confidence and knowledge they need to quit worrying and enjoy the time they have with their child--no fancy gadgets or pricey videos necessary.

Review Quotes

"Stephen Camarata is the world's expert on late-talking children, and one of the world's experts on cognitive and social disorders of childhood. In addition to being a distinguished researcher, Camarata is known for his judicious evaluations of diagnoses and treatments of childhood disorders, many of which are closer to snake oil than solid science. In The Intuitive Parent Camarata mixes scientific judgment with common sense and a humane concern for the well-being of children and their terrified parents. This book is guaranteed to improve the welfare of children, protect the sanity (and wallets) of parents, and infuriate the quacks who prey on them."
--Steven Pinker, professor of psychology, Harvard University; author of The Better Angels of Our Nature

"In The Intuitive Parent, Dr. Camarata tells you to trust your judgment and do what comes naturally--intuitively--as a parent. As a pediatrician and a parent, I know it is important to do what he says: relax and answer your child's amazing questions. Not only is it fun, but as Dr. Camarata explains so well, you are assisting healthy brain development."
--Dr. Ed McCabe, senior vice president and chief medical officer, March of Dimes

"Stephen Camarata, PhD and father of seven, has two important messages for worried parents: follow your child's lead and enjoy the moment. This book is a welcome antidote to flashcards and tutors for two year olds."
--Erika Hoff, PhD, professor of psychology, Florida Atlantic University; author of Language Development

About the Author

STEPHEN M. CAMARATA, PhD has raised seven children and is a professor in the department of psychiatry and a professor of hearing and speech sciences at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is also an associate professor of special education at Peabody College at Vanderbilt and the author of Late-Talking Children. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.