It's a rare occasion when a person finds a book in which they immediately recognize themselves, let alone find complete validation in their existence. Psychologist Marti Olsen Laney has managed to do both in The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child: Helping Your Child Thrive in an Extroverted World; were it possible, I would inundate every media outlet known to man with testimonials to the importance and quality of this book.
Coming from the position of a lifelong, extremely hermetic, "innie," I found myself moved to tears as Laney presented years of observational research from her own life as an introvert, parent, and therapist - also drawing from the writings from that of Carl Jung to T. Barry Brazelton, with hard, neuro-scientific data that biochemistry is pivotal to human temperament.
Laney has created as step-by-step guide, specifically for parents of introverted children wherein she takes readers by the hand through every conceivable stage of child development, starting with a clear delineation between introversion and the many mental/social anxiety disorders with which innies are misdiagnosed. Dr. Laney moves on to differentiate between the qualities of extroverts/outties (whose neurological paths are shorter and located in the back of the brain) and innies (with neural pathways are located in the brain's "hood").
I should make clear though, Dr. Laney does not denigrate the qualities of extroverts in this book — quite the opposite, as throughout Hidden Gifts the reader is often reminded of balance achieved when a child's attributes are properly nurtured, no matter where they fall on the temperament scale.
As the book continues, the reader is advised on everything from how to ensure their innie child is properly fed and rested, to creating the best environment for stimulating artistic, athletic and academic interests; how to juggle parenting children of different temperaments while maintaining the household's sanity, to the importance of extended family relations.
Article comments
1 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
"Where was this book when I was a kid?"-- I share your thoughts. Well-written review of what sounds like a fascinating book.
2 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!