How Children Thrive: The Practical Science of Raising Independent, Resilient, and Happy Kids

Discover the proven ways parents can help their children learn, overcome adversity, get along with others, and become independent—while you relax and enjoy being a parent

How do children thrive? As a parent, you probably think about this all the time. You want your children to have happy, healthy, and meaningful lives—but what’s the best way to support them? In How Children Thrive, developmental pediatrician and parent Dr. Mark Bertin provides a positive, simple, and empowering approach for raising children of all ages. Bringing together mindfulness, new science on brain development, and the messy reality of being a parent, Dr. Bertin has a created a breakthrough guide that will help children—and their parents—flourish.

Research has shown that the key to raising resilient, kind, and independent children lies in executive function, our mental capacity to manage just about everything in life. “Despite its wonky, overly scientific name, there is nothing complicated about building executive function,” Dr. Bertin writes. “It’s actually a lot more straightforward and less anxiety-provoking than most of the parenting advice out there.” Through concise, easily applied chapters, Dr. Bertin provides simple strategies for helping your children develop healthy EF while taking care of yourself and enjoying your family. Highlights include:

• Mindfulness—how it directly builds EF and how to incorporate mindful practices for the whole family
• The importance of free play, the science behind it, and how to encourage more of it
• Technology—how much is too much? At what age is screen time OK? Help your kids have a healthy relationship with media.
• Create simple routines that support independence around homework, nutrition, sleep, friendships, and more
• Age-appropriate advice for toddlers, teens, and even your twenty-somethings
• Limits and discipline: How to determine—and stick with—consequences for unwanted behavior
• Understand markers for whether your child is developmentally on track or if extra support might be needed
• Find the advice you need when you need it with short, independent chapters full of concrete practices
• Bring more calm, ease, and joy to your parenting while taking care of yourself—even when family life gets chaotic
• Give yourself permission to make mistakes and adapt along the way

“The pressure to be the perfect parent is overwhelming,” writes Dr. Bertin, “but the truth is the job is too challenging and varied to ever be done to perfection.” With compassion and reassurance, Dr. Bertin presents a relaxed, instinctual, and evidence-based approach to raising children who thrive.

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