Book Review: Einstein Never Used Flash Cards

Book Review By About Guide to Child Care

What Should Parents Focus On?

Authors Hirsch-Pasek and Golinkoff provide the message loud and clear that play time is better than regimented academics. They send these key messages:

1. Kids who are pushed into regimented academics too early display less creativity and enthusiasm for learning;
2. Kids who learn through unstructured play develop needed social and emotional skills; and,
3. Kids who memorize facts and figures at a very early age show no stronger long-term retention

Instead, authors say, play can teach the same facts in a more child-centered way.

It's Simple and Straight-Forward: Tender Lovin' Playtime Creates Success

The authors' message is that for every area of a child's development, there are ways through play to help a child learn, grow, and be a sensitive, smart and caring individual. Instead of memorizing math facts, for example, a pre-schooler can learn math skills through apple slices, counting oranges into a bag at the grocery store, and cutting a piece of cake. The authors take the areas of child development--speech, reading, social skills, mathematics, self-awareness, intelligence--and provide parents with common sense advise along with 40 exercises that will build those skills while having fun at the same time.

Foster Caring, Empathetic Individuals

This book emphasizes the "character-building" component of raising children, a point that I particularly valued. Children can be book-smart while being socially inept. What parent doesn't want their child to be sensitive to others' feelings, to take initiative, be creative, have a positive self-image and self-worth, and value the opinions and needs of others? A chapter is dedicated to helping parents to develop a sense of worth in their child while Chapter 8 focuses on social intelligence. The emphasis on empathy alone makes this book a suggested read.

Defining Intelligence

I frequently struggle with the intelligence factors and quotients used to calculate a child's I.Q. and smartness. This book helps to put it into perspective and to explain to parents what it means--as well as what it doesn't. A section entitled, "Intelligence and Achievement--And The Danger of Confusing The Two" was particularly insightful.

I recommend the book as a wake-up call for stressed-out parents such as myself to feel reassured that they don't have to try and do it all--in the unrealistic belief that it's best for kids. The book would also make a great gift for new parents to help them offset the mounting pressure of what babies and pre-schoolers should be taught in the ever-growing brain game marketing pitches. In the end, it's simple: let kids be kids and play!