Why Youth is Not Wasted on the Young

David F. Bjorklund is Professor of Psychology at Florida Atlantic University. His publications include Parents Book of Discipline (with Barbara R. Bjorklund, 1999), The Origins of Human Nature: Evolutionary Developmental Psychology (with Anthony D. Pellegrini, 2002), and Children’s Thinking: Cognitive Development and Individual Differences (fourth edition, 2005).

"What is childhood? What is it for? The usual answer is that the purpose of childhood is to set the stage for bigger things to come. Why Youth is Not Wasted on the Young turns this view on its head. In this clear and beautifully written account of the role of immaturity in human development and evolution, Bjorklund argues that children’s minds are qualitatively different from those of adults. Indeed, children have special ways of learning and knowing that enable unique mastery of skills and invention of knowledge. This book should be required reading for anyone who is struggling with the question of how best to structure their children’s lives in today’s frantic world." Bruce J. Ellis, University of Arizona"Dave Bjorklund's book is a must read for parents and others who have an interest in kids, families, and schools. Based on current and sound scientific research, Bjorklund explains in very clear and readable, though not simplistic, language the long term importance of childhood qualities, such as play time and being "immature"- qualities that are under siege in many quarters of contemporary society."Anthony D Pellegrini, University of Minnesota "In this accessible and provocative work, David Bjorklund argues that childhood is not just a training for adulthood. Rather, it serves important adaptive functions that we need to acknowledge and value."Michael Rutter, author of "Genes and Behavior" “A lively, insightful analysis of human behavior from a novel, evolutionary standpoint; this is essential reading for anyone seeking to truly understand childhood and today's children.”Glenn Weisfeld, Wayne State University "David Bjorklund, one of the world’s leading developmental psychologists, has provided us with an intriguing and accessible treatment of some of the most important questions in the behavioral sciences today. Why does it take so long for humans to grow up? And, what is the evolutionary function of children’s activities while they are growing up? The book will be of interest to development scientists and to parents and educators wishing to better understand their children"David C. Geary, University of Missouri "In short, the answer to the question of who should read this book is a simple one: anyone who has an interest—personal, professional, or both—in how children develop." PsycCRITIQUES “Bjorklund is a major contributor to the literature on evolutionary approaches to understanding child development. His connections … are original and well supported. Highly recommended.”Choice Reviews “That rare sort of science book that will be interesting to researchers as well as to laypeople … . Bjorklund is a beautifully smooth writer.”American Scientist

• Preface viiAcknowledgments xi1 The Benefits of Youth 1Rushing through Childhood 3Views of Development 5A Darwinian Perspective 14I Come Not to Praise Immaturity 202 The Youngest Species 21A Brief Look at Human Evolution 23The Evolution of Childhood 36Timing is Everything 44The Youngest Species 523 The Slow Rate of Growing Up 55The Gamble of Delayed Development 56Big Brains, Social Complexity, and Slow Development 58Cooperating and Competing 62Family Matters 63Slow Growth and Brain Plasticity 65Developmental Plasticity and Evolution 83When Slow is Fast Enough 844 Adapting to the Niche of Childhood 87The Benefits of Limitations 89See Things My Way 93Learning Language 101How Do Adults View Children’s Immature Thinking? 106Adapting to Childhood 1095 The Advantages of Thinking You’re Better than You Are 111 The Development of Metacognition – Knowing What We Know 113Some Benefits of Less-Than-Perfect Metacognition 128When We Deal with Children 135Know Thyself, But Not Too Well 1366 Play: The Royal Road through Childhood 139What is Play? 142The Adaptive Value of Play 144Children Playing, Children Learning 147Play it Again, Kid 1617 The Most Educable of Animals 163The Myth of “Earlier is Better” 169Prenatal Learning 172Early (Postnatal) Learning 176Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Education 182Stress in the Schoolhouse 189Old Brain, New Curriculum 1978 The Changing Face of Childhood 199Pushing Children through Childhood 201A Brief History of Childhood 204The Costs of Ignoring Immaturity: The Well-being of America’s Children 211The Independent Human Juvenile: A New View of Childhood? 216Racing to Adulthood, Prolonging Adolescence 218Epilogue: Homo Juvenalis 221Revisiting Childhood 222Visiting Adulthood 223Notes 227References 239Index 267