NurtureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman

New Thinking About Parenting and Child Development

Sep 15, 2009

Parenting strategies can backfire. The book, NurtureShock, unveils an evidence-based perspective on parenting and child development that challenges many modern tactics.

The term, “nurture shock” refers to the feeling of dread that comes creeping into the brain and heart when the supposedly innate wellspring of parenting know-how does not spring forth. Parenting is skill-based. It takes work and reflection. A quick channel surf through the multiple “rescue the parents” shows on TV, are proof that parents are looking for new thinking. The book, NurtureShock, entertainingly shares the science that up-ends long held assumptions about children, child development and successful parenting.

Summary – Parenting Strategies and Child Development in NurtureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman

The purpose of the book, NurtureShock, is to teach parents that some of the conventional wisdom about parenting and child development is a combination of “wishful thinking, moralistic biases, contagious fads, personal history and old (disproven) psychology. . .” The authors rely on science and research to tackle a variety of topics.

The topics were selected because the research was surprising to the authors and contradicted common parenting practices. Bronson and Merryman encourage readers to take time to think about the science and how it applies to child development. Examples from the authors’ own attempts to use new strategies help the reader imagine how this might work in real life.

While the contraction to some common parenting practices may seem shocking at first, the new fact-based path ultimately seems clearer. The common sense of the science rings true. NurtureShock is not a parenting manual. It is a new way of thinking about kids, their development and parenting.

Lively prose, personal stories and sharp analysis make NurtureShock a winning book. The examples range from pre-school through the teen years. The authors do not preach, simply present the scientific facts. While the book shares fact-based strategies and real life examples, it is not a parenting workbook.

With 81 pages of chapter notes and references, even the most skeptical reader will be able to find and understand the research that backs the assertions in NurtureShock. Reading the chapter notes will enhance the knowledge base of the reader. The notes are as well written and as engaging as the chapters.

NurtureShock is a book that will stimulate thinking and conversation about parenting and child development. It will be a staple for book club discussions and presentations at parent teacher organizations.

Bronson and Merryman have written articles on the scientific research of child development for Time Magazine and New York Magazine. Bronson has authored five previous books. Merryman operates a tutoring program for inner-city students.

The copyright of the article NurtureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman in Parenting Books is owned by Lynn Brogan. Permission to republish NurtureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.