The Gardener and the Carpenter What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children Alison Gopnik

Do you often think about what you need to do to turn your child into a well-adjusted, successful adult? If so, you may be acting as a carpenter parent—a parent who adheres rigidly to the blueprint for raising a "successful child"—instead of a gardener parent—a parent who nurtures the innate interests and talents of their child. In The Gardener and the Carpenter, Alison Gopnik explains that the goal of raising and caring for children should be to allow them to blossom into their unique selves and that parenting should not be a form of work but rather an act of love.Gopnik is a professor of psychology, affiliate professor of philosophy, and author of multiple books on how to be a good parent. In our guide, we’ll explore the flaws in the current parenting model, how children naturally learn and grow, and how the schooling model also fails to effectively support children’s learning. We’ll add advice from other child-care experts, contextualize Gopnik’s ideas in psychology, and add research and statistics that support or contradict Gopnik’s theories.