Brain Rules for Babies
by John Medina
Mentioned once across 1 show · first heard Jun 2026 on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard.
The general take
Dax Shepard found Brain Rules for Babies useful as preparation for his first child, and was struck by one of its early claims—that children will worsen 60 or 70 percent of relationships. He presented this as straightforward data from the book rather than personal opinion.
About
What’s the single most important thing you can do during pregnancy? What does watching TV do to a child’s brain? What’s the best way to handle temper tantrums? Scientists know. In his New York Times bestseller Brain Rules , Dr. John Medina showed us how our brains really workand why we ought to redesign our workplaces and schools. Now, in Brain Rules for Baby , he shares what the latest science says about how to raise smart and happy children from zero to five. This book is destined to revolutionize parenting. Just one of the surprises: The best way to get your children into the college of their choice? Teach them impulse control. Brain Rules for Baby bridges the gap between what scientists know and what parents practice. Through fascinating and funny stories, Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and dad, unravels how a child’s brain develops and what you can do to optimize it.
Who said what
Dax Shepard💬 Mentioned
…discussing parenting book on impact of children on relationships
“I feel very blessed in that we read this. So we got this book, Brain Rules for Babies, in anticipation of our first child arriving. And in maybe the introduction, it says quite starkly, I'll forget the number, but it was either 60 or 70 percent. A child will make 60 or 70 percent of relationships worse. That is the data, right?”
Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard — Darby Saxbe (on Dad Brain)at 32:37
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