Originally published as: Tomorrow's baby.

How does a mother's tone of voice affect her unborn child? What kind of music, if any, should a child be exposed to in the womb? Can parents influence the predispositions of their child to traits like depression, or something as elusive as basic goodness? Thanks to revolutionary discoveries in neuroscience and developmental psychology in recent years, says Dr. Thomas Verny, we now know more about these questions than ever. In Pre-Parenting, Dr. Verny translates this research into practical advice for parents and parents-to-be. Pre-Parenting explains how even the most ordinary events can evoke a cascade of biological changes in a baby -- not only in the brain but also in the immune system and throughout the body. Every experience, from a baby's trip down the birth canal to the way she is held or spoken to, can shape her health and personality. An internationally recognized expert in early human development, Dr. Verny shows parents how to use this new information to create an ideal environment for their babies, enhance their babies' intelligence and social skills, and become better parents through "conscious parenting." Insightful and encouraging, Pre-Parenting is an invaluable guide for parents who want to help actualize their child's full potential, beginning with conception.

Did you know that... Every year an increasing number of babies are born prematurely or with behavioral disorders? Learn how thinking positively and communicating with your partner and/or medical staff can help prevent a preterm birth and aid in the positive development of your unborn child's personality. A baby's in utero experience builds the brain architecture that will determine behavior throughout life? Discover exercises that will help you control stress, fear, guilt, and anger and change unwanted behaviors during pregnancy. Your unborn child has more nerve cells and many more connections among them than an adult? Learn how a fetal love break can help calm your baby and lead to proper nerve and brain development.

Decades of research have demonstrated that the parent-child dyad and the environment of the familyâ€"which includes all primary caregiversâ€"are at the foundation of children's well- being and healthy development. From birth, children are learning and rely on parents and the other caregivers in their lives to protect and care for them. The impact of parents may never be greater than during the earliest years of life, when a child's brain is rapidly developing and when nearly all of her or his experiences are created and shaped by parents and the family environment. Parents help children build and refine their knowledge and skills, charting a trajectory for their health and well-being during childhood and beyond. The experience of parenting also impacts parents themselves. For instance, parenting can enrich and give focus to parents' lives; generate stress or calm; and create any number of emotions, including feelings of happiness, sadness, fulfillment, and anger. Parenting of young children today takes place in the context of significant ongoing developments. These include: a rapidly growing body of science on early childhood, increases in funding for programs and services for families, changing demographics of the U.S. population, and greater diversity of family structure. Additionally, parenting is increasingly being shaped by technology and increased access to information about parenting. Parenting Matters identifies parenting knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with positive developmental outcomes in children ages 0-8; universal/preventive and targeted strategies used in a variety of settings that have been effective with parents of young children and that support the identified knowledge, attitudes, and practices; and barriers to and facilitators for parents' use of practices that lead to healthy child outcomes as well as their participation in effective programs and services. This report makes recommendations directed at an array of stakeholders, for promoting the wide-scale adoption of effective programs and services for parents and on areas that warrant further research to inform policy and practice. It is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of parenting policy, research, and practice in the United States.

Should I be a friend or a parent to my child? Should we put our child into an International school or an alternative school? How do I talk to my child about the ‘birds and the bees’? How do I explain to my six year old where babies come from? What should I do if I catch my child smoking? Parenting from the word ‘go’ is a roller coaster ride. It is unpredictable and you can never be fully prepared! The fast changing Indian social scenario has made parenting more complex. Indian parents today have to balance tradition with living in a world that is hyper connected. Trends, fads, internet, Whatsapp, Facebook, International schools, alternative schools, baby blues … everything has to be understood, managed and balanced. Parenting Tips for Indian Parents takes a comprehensive look at issues that arise from the time one thinks of having a baby until the time the child steps into adulthood. It helps understand the various stages of growth and development vis-a-vis physical, emotional, cognitive development. It offers insight into practical parenting, preparing for the second child, dealing with issues of a single child, understanding intelligence and personality besides understanding teenage and its issues. To help parents get the benefit of traditional knowledge and expertise, many traditional Indian ‘dadi ka nuskhaas’ to cope with minor ailments and improve health, which were common knowledge once but are getting lost with time, have also been incorporated.

Prospective parents learn how they can lay the foundations for a healthy, happy family life even before their children are conceived. This guide shows parents how they can optimize children's physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Illustrations.