A+ Parenting - by Eva Moskowitz & Eric Grannis (Paperback)

About the Book

Each year, children spend about 180 days in school; how they spend the remaining 185 days is up to their parents. Children who continue to learn when they are out of school will make far more progress than those who don't, but parents need not try to re-create school at home. Instead, they can encourage their children to engage in fun activities that will have a huge impact on their creativity, intellectual curiosity, and attention span. A+ Parenting is every parent's must-have guide to enriching all aspects of a child's life, from the morning carpool to the soccer field to the dinner table. Moskowitz explains how to make the time you're already spending with your children more fulfilling and intellectually stimulating for them. Her practical guidance addresses: -Which extracurricular activities are best for a child's development. -How children can learn by watching movies and playing games. -How to help your child overcome a learning disability. -Why getting angry at children doesn't work but expressing disappointment does. In addition to advice, this book contains carefully curated lists of educational activities, including games to play, movies to watch, puzzles to solve, books to read, music to listen to, and experiments to perform. These activities, supported with love and joy, are all parents need to turn their children into lifelong learners.

Book Synopsis

Eva Moskowitz, founder of the highly lauded Success Academy Charter Schools, shares her advice for raising smart, successful, and intellectually engaged children.

Eva Moskowitz has built a national reputation as the founder and leader of Success Academy Charter Schools, one of the country's most highly regarded networks of schools, but while most people know Eva for her success in educating 20,000 mainly low-income students who are routinely accepted to our nation's best universities, she has also been responsible for raising three children of her own. In A+ Parenting, Eva shares what she has learned both as a parent and an educator about raising children to be enthusiastic and successful learners.

Eva's most important message is that parents can and should play a critical role in their children's intellectual development. Each year, children only spend about 180 days in school; how they spend the remaining 185 days is up to their parents. Children who continue to learn when they are out of school will make far more progress than those who don't, but parents need not attempt to recreate school at home. Instead, they can encourage their children to engage in fun activities that will have a huge impact on their creativity, intellectual curiosity, and attention span.

A+ Parenting is every parent's must-have guide to enriching every aspect of a child's life, from the morning carpool to the soccer field to the dinner table--without having to hire tutors or carve out more hours in the day. Moskowitz explains how to take the time you're already spending with your children and make it more fulfilling and intellectually stimulating for them. The book is full of practical guidance such as:

Which extracurricular activities are best for a child's development.How children can learn by watching movies and playing games--and why you should reach for chess or Monopoly over checkers or Candyland.How to help your child overcome a learning disability and ensure it doesn't undermine their self-confidence.Why getting angry at children doesn't work but expressing disappointment does.

In addition to advice, this book is filled with carefully curated lists of educational activities, including games to play, movies to watch, puzzles to solve, books to read, music to listen to, and experiments to perform. These activities, supported with love and joy, are all parents need to turn their children into lifelong learners.

Review Quotes

"In my experience, the students who get the most out of college aren't merely diligent; they have a sincere enthusiasm for thoughtful inquiry. There is no more important gift that a parent can give their child than to nurture their love of learning from the youngest age possible. This book is an invaluable resource for any parent who wants to give that gift." - Lawrence Summers, former President, Harvard University
"Parents are their children's first teachers, and will always be their most important teachers. The more we empower parents, inform them, and equip them with the skills they need to help children learn, the better off our entire society will be. A+ Parenting is an invaluable resource for any person who wants to improve their parenting skills." - Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education
"Want to make your kids smarter? More engaged? Readier for life? The first thing to realize is that kids are learning all the time - not just when they're in school. Yes, that's what this super educator says! Her peppy, empowering book reminds us parents that jokes, stories, trips, songs, movies, and everyday chats are ALL educational experiences. You don't have to be an Einstein, you just have to be ready to think, talk, and enjoy the world with your family." - Lenore Skenazy, President of Let Grow, author of Free-Range Kids
"Eva Moskowitz, in her extraordinarily informative and inspiring book on parenting, provides us with a much-needed manual on how to raise exceptionally competent, culturally literate, highly successful, and genuinely happy children. It's a perfect gift for all new parents." - Sheridan Blau, Professor of Practice in the Teaching of English, Columbia University