Mind in the Making

The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs

By: Ellen Galinsky

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

The President of the Families and Work Institute writes a book of groundbreaking advice based on the latest research on child development

Ellen Galinsky has spent her entire career studying early childhood development, first at Vassar College, then for twenty-five years at the Bank Street College of Education, and for the past twenty years as the founder and now president of the Families and Work Institute. What she has found is that there is an enormous gap between what researchers have discovered and what parents have been told about those discoveries. Minds in the Making bridges this gap, bringing the work of more than a hundred scientists into a form that parents everywhere can use. Galinsky has divided this information into the seven skills she believes all children should learn, showing parents not only what children are capable of, but specifically how to develop those capabilities in their children.

Enlightening

This book has assisted me so much in learning about myself. I now understand what has held me back from growing to my full potential. It has helped in my renewal. I have an 18 month old daughter and I feel really confident that sharing all of what I’ve learned here will aid her in her journey of life.

Not too bad

Unfortunately the book is trapped in the middle between an encyclopedic count on children development research, and a business type of of anecdotal and practical tips and frameworks.

I found it’s aim to provide well researched evidence fails completely; wasting words explaining how the researchers moved from here be university to the next instead of explaining the promociones of the different studies cited and it’s implications on either parenting or education or may the links of both.

On the other hand the anecdotes, stories and practical ideas for parenting and education are well written and easy to implement. This is the best part of the book and worth reading.