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THE PROBLEMWITH NURTURE ALONE
manner.”He argues that most of this research fails to zero in on the fact that parents transmit genes to their children and provide themwith a certain environment, which may have more meaningful effects on their development. A growing body of research indicates that the most influential factors that affect your child’s growth are “who you are, how much money you make, and where you live,” as David Roberts writes for Vox. While your parenting decisions can certainly affect your child’s quality of life, they are unlikely to do much in the way of preparing them for success down the line, or at least not nearly as much as their genetics, peers, and unique experiences will. Research shows that, generally, siblings who are raised by the same parents are unlikely to be much more similar to one another than if had they been separated their entire lives.
and neglect have powerful, long-term effects on a child that will follow them into adulthood. Pink says that you may not be able to change their personalities any more than you can change the personality of your spouse, but you can certainly provide a positive environment for them to live and grow in. Turning every single moment with your kids into a potential developmental tool or learning opportunity will drive you crazy, potentially cheapen the quality of your interactions, and force you to not be genuinely present in your child’s life. Parenting isn’t a process wherein a constructive input goes in and a well-adjusted child comes out. It’s a dynamic relationship, a life being lived in real time, and it should be enjoyed and considered on its own terms. Do your best and check out what research you can, but you should understand that your influence can only go so far. Your most important job is to be there for your kids and foster connections that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives.
In her novel, “The Nurture Assumption,” scientist Judith Rich Harris breaks down what she sees as the pervasive myth of the parent’s outsized influence on their child’s life. In it, she argues that the power of individual parenting styles has little sway when compared to genetic, cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental influences. This may sound shocking, dubious, and maybe a little disturbing to budding parents trying to get a grip on their challenging new venture, but it starts to make sense after you examine the research behind this new parenting philosophy. are useless.”By and large, he argues, they don’t control for heritability.“They measure some behavior in the parents; they measure some trait in the children; they show there’s a correlation, and they assume that correlation implies causation— it must have been the parenting behavior that shaped the child in the As Steven Pinker said in a lecture for his book “The Blank Slate,”“Most studies of parenting
SO, WHAT’S TO BE DONE?
Of course, as Steven Pinker says, these findings don’t mean that it doesn’t matter how you treat your children. Trauma, abuse, abandonment,
Genealogy Sites and the Warming of Cold Cases The Revolution in Forensic Science Continues to Captivate the Masses
We’ve come a long way in the field of forensic science since 1986, when DNA was first used to convict someone in court. In 2019, criminals who would have
Whatever the motivation was behind genealogy sites in the beginning, they’re now some of the most sought-after databases in the world and are worth billions for their collection of the most personal consumer data in existence. Using these websites’ data, investigators can make DNA matches with potential offenders. The most famous recent case is the successful apprehension of Joseph James DeAngelo, otherwise known as the Golden State Killer. After 13 murders and dozens of assaults, he was finally brought to justice after investigators matched his DNA to the evidence found at the crime scenes. They gained access to his DNA from the personal genomics site GEDmatch. Although access to the data of popular sites like 23andMe and Ancestry. com is restricted to its customers, law enforcement agencies successfully subpoenaed the companies to hand over the requested data. With the ability to theoretically solve any crime with preserved DNA, law enforcement and websleuths alike are foaming at the mouth at the possibilities genealogy testing has to offer. If only we’d preserved some of Jack the Ripper’s DNA!
gotten away with their crimes in the past are now put behind bars where they belong. The advent of genealogy testing has been thrust into the spotlight with high-profile cases that were solved by sequestering information from sites like 23andMe and Ancestry.com. With this revolution in DNA testing on the rise, there’s really no end to the impossible-to-solve cold cases that can finally be put to rest.
2 • www.TheSotoLawGroup.com
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