ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that there are many things parents can do to foster cognitive competence in their children. It describes how we can effect meaningful change to encourage and enhance the cognitive development of our children. Children can be helped to achieve cognitive competence, regardless of the role of genetics. Thus, wealth may be associated with better cognitive outcomes for children because of the greater frequency of higher-quality behavior rich in proximal processes. Psychologists who study the development of children’s thinking and reasoning have long been fascinated by the question of how to maximize this development. Research on creativity shows that creative children and adults are intellectual risk takers. Children are often reluctant to make mistakes that might expose them to the ridicule of their teacher, or even worse, their peers.
