The joys of having an intelligent, self-confident child and the actions you can take to promote that. Babies Need Books , Sharing the Joy of Books with Children from Birth to Six by Dorothy Butler. An empassioned argument that children need to read and be read to. Excellent guidance and booklists for which books are appropriate for each stage of a child's growth. The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori.
Children love to use their minds.
The natural function of a child is to grow into an independent, confident, adult human. Adults can help by respecting that the child is not yet an adult, so needs educational material appropriate for his stages of development, material that allows him to concentrate and discover. Because an adult human is not just an adult animal, but a conceptual being, the child needs to be taught the material of organized, rational thought. Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook by Maria Montessori. Specific instruction on using the ingenious educational toys developed by Dr. Montessori.