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View submission: Drop Everything And Read: Week 2
Day 4 Date: 1 April, Sunday
Time: (duration: about ten minutes) Book: Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina
My rest day today. Still tried to give it a go. At 60%
Day 5 Date: 2 April, Monday Time: a few pages over breakfast, then around 10:15pm Book: (same) Brain Rules for Baby
Finished the book earlier than expected. It ends at around 70%, after that it's just acknowledgements/thanks and the index pala.
I like how there's a conclusion chapter, then practical tips. It's basically the entire book in tldr form, with a few personal notes on what the author does in his own family. Good refresher, or if you're curious about what this is about and just want the tips right away with no need for all the science and research, skip straight to this section.
The author himself mentions that although the title says "for baby" (deliberately named to attract parents-to-be, such as pregnant women, because it's the time they are most likely to be anxious about preparing for a child, and reading what they can find) many of the lessons can still be applied until the child is older. I don't know about teen years though. It's a crazy ride.
Most of the lessons are things you have to practice very often until they become second nature, like empathy and verbalizing feelings. The book also talks about making sure your marriage vibes are good, by nurturing your relationship with your spouse, because kids are sensitive to that.
One quote I liked: "As a new parent, you may feel sometimes that all children do is take from you, but it is just a form of giving in disguise. [You think they're giving you stress or trouble...] but what they are really giving you is patience... [...] the honor of witnessing a developing personality [...] what a great privilege it is to be a steward of another life. [...] Parenting is all about developing human hearts."
In my own words: parenting makes your grinchy heart grow four times larger. You hear it all the time, and might scoff (I know I did), but it's true.
I think the only part I didn't like was about sleep. It has good advice on a few different schools of thought about baby sleep, and advises you to and your partner to talk about it and decide what to do. That's a very good plan. In theory. However, in real life, we kind of just followed our baby's lead. We were just too tired and sleepy, man. Maybe we'll do it differently for the second one? Idk. Every baby is different, and you are a different kind of parent with each child. So we'll see.
Anyway back to the book haha. Would recommend. Don't feel guilty about skimming some of the technical parts because you want to get to the parts you can actually use.
There's nothing here!