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This is NPR's Life Kit. I'm Anya Kamenetz.

And I'm Corey Turner. We host LifeKitt's parenting episodes.

Uh-huh. And so let's just put it out there. The reason why we make these episodes and why you're listening, probably, is because we all want our kids to be the best that they can be.

Right. And it can be really tempting. I know to go all out. You know, we get the latest app they can be. Right? And it can be really tempting, I know, to go all out. You know,

we get the latest app, run math drills with your five-year-old, because after all, there are

just a few precious years to cram them full of information, right? We want our children to be ahead,

and they should be ready to be CEO of a major corporation

by the time they have the footsteps into school.

Well, it doesn't quite work that way.

That's Kathy Hirsch Paisek.

She's a professor of psychology at Temple University with a focus all on little kids.

And she's the co-author of the book Becoming Brilliant, what science tells us about raising successful children.

Yeah, and Kathy says there's a misconception that parents need to force feed kids reading and writing practically as soon as they're out of the womb.

There's a mobile you can buy. The mobile allows you to learn six languages

just because you have the mobile over the crib.

Please.

Right, so hold on. So, Kathy, so this is your golden opportunity now.

Okay, go.

To speak directly to all of these overzealous, anxious parents.

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