In the news

Motherlode blog: “The Next Iconic Parenting Manual”

April 29, 2010

Lisa Belkin, of the Motherlode blog on NYTimes.com, says, "You may have heard about Ellen Galinsky’s latest book, 'Mind In The Making.' It may well be the next iconic parenting manual, up there with Spock and Leach and Brazelton, one that parents turn to for reassurance that all is more or less okay, reminders of how to make it better and glimpses of what’s to come."

Read more of what Lisa Belkin has to say about the book along with a column on the Guilt Trap written by Ellen Galinsky.

Ellen Galinsky Talks with Katie Couric About Mind in the Making

April 28, 2010

Ellen Galinsky spoke with Katie Couric recently about Mind in the Making on the @katiecouric web series.  You can watch the full 40 minute interview, or watch short clips on Examining the Marshmallow Test, Overpraising Children, and The Way We Praise Children. 

Mind in the Making: #1 in parenting books on Amazon!

April 22, 2010

Thank you for making Mind the Making hit #1 in parenting—child development books and #1 in parenting—child care books on Amazon the day after its release. We are so grateful for your support.

The many messages we have received indicate that you continue to appreciate our bringing the best research to you. Here’s an example from Dr. Sue Bredekamp from the Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition.

"Mind in the Making is literally a mind-expanding contribution to the field and will have a huge impact on how teachers and parents think about and understand children's learning and development, and hopefully their interactions with them. Accolades to you and all your colleagues."

Some of you have written us that you missed Ellen Galinsky's interview on CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. She talked about Mind in the Making, the seven essential life skills, and Dr. Walter Mischel's famous "Marshmallow Test." If you missed it, here is a link so you can see it:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

New CCF Release: How do we teach children the most important life skills?

April 14, 2010

Press release from the Council on Contemporary Families:

Chicago, IL, May 14: How do we use what we know? That is the theme of the Council on Contemporary Families’ 13th annual conference this year. In connection with the conference, CCF is releasing a list of research-tested tips for building the seven life skills that children really need—and that parents can teach simply. The tip sheet is based on a preview of Work and Family Institute’s Ellen Galinsky's new book, to be released April 20, which summarizes her eight years-long review of research on child development and interviews with 75 of the leading researchers in this field.

Her advice sheet, included below and available at www.contemporaryfamilies.org, provides one example for how to teach each skill. In short, what works is NOT high-tech, high-cost gadgets but simple skills- and values-focused interactions. Her report is being circulated at the April 16-17, 2010 conference of the Council on Contemporary Families, Augustana College. Rock Island, Illinois. Read Ellen's full tip sheet after the jump.

Mind in the Making in the LeapFrog Blog

April 13, 2010

The LeapFrog Community's Learning Team member, Jim Gray, EdD recently wrote a post about the Fred Forward conference from the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media.  Ellen Galinsky spoke at that conference. Here's what Jim had to say about it:

Among the many insightful ideas and projects presented at Fred Forward, the Mind in the Making project stands out as having direct, immediate benefit to parents.  Through a book, companion website, DVD, and other materials, this project aims to translate the best scientific research on how young children learn into useful lessons for parents and educators.  Ellen Galinsky, the author and head of the Families and Work Institute, proposes seven skills that are essential for life success in the 21St Century.  These include: Focus and Self Control, Perspective Taking, Communicating, Making Connections, Critical Thinking, Taking On Challenges, Self-Directed and Engaged Learning.

Read the full post on the LeapFrog Learning Team blog.