The scientific case for parents to put down the flashcards and follow their instinct Parents are constantly overwhelmed with advice on how to raise smarter babies. All too often, fear is used to promote a particular cause (such as the vaccine-autism scare) or to market worthless products (such as "Baby Einstein" videos) that promise to make a child smarter or speed up development. Now Stephen Camarata proves that educational fads and public health scares aren't just stressful - they prevent parents from doing the things that would actually protect their child and promote learning and healthy brain development. Camarata draws on research, case studies, and experiences with his own patients to argue for a return to instinct-driven parenting. Developmental milestones are misleading, and earlier is not necessarily better. He shows why the best things parents can do are almost always low-cost, routine activities such as playing "peek-a-boo", reading books aloud, and simply paying attention to their child and responding naturally. This is the true "magic" that ultimately leads to intelligent, confident, curious adults. This book will empower parents to recognize irrational fears and incredible claims that increase worry, steal their cash, and diminish their enjoyment of parenting.