Parenting today is practically a competitive sport, and marketers are all too happy to cash in. Scare tactics and scientific-sounding jargon make it seem like parents are in constant danger of hard-wiring their children’s brains for failure. In fact, this state of parental anxiety is totally unnecessary—and possibly bad for our children. Babies are born with an appetite to learn. Children are naturally curious about the world and eager to explore it. They don’t need flashcards, educational videos, or the latest iPad app to help speed their development. Attempts to get children speaking and reading before they’re developmentally ready may even harm them in the long run. In this episode we speak with child development expert Dr. Stephen Camarata about how to cut through the jargon, and enjoy raising our kids. Dr. Camarata just released his book, The Intuitive Parent: Why the Best Thing for Your Child is You. So remember, you already have everything you need to raise a healthy, happy, intelligent child...and we'll show you why in this episode.  ____ What we learn in this episode: How to make sure you don't over-stimulate your baby What are the signs of learning disabilities? Is TV and screen time bad for your child's development? Resources: The Intuitive Parent: Why the Best Thing for Your Child is You https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-intuitive-parent/201508/the-intuitive-parent https://www.psychologytoday.com/experts/stephen-camarata-phd -- This episode is brought to you by: Sidekick: Go to getsidekick.com/smartpeople to get your first month of Sidekick for free. WealthFront: The automated investment service that makes it easy to invest your money the right way. Visit wealthfront.com/smartpeople to to get your first $10,000 managed for free. Lynda.com: Do something good for yourself in 2015 and sign up for a FREE 10-day trial to Lynda.com by visiting Lynda.com/smartpeople. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices