"Raise a genius in these five steps!" Mis/information on the internet about child development There is an abundance of information about how to raise children which is easily accessible because of the internet and social media. Expecting/new parents are inundated with many different messages about what to expect when expecting, what to eat/not eat, what to do/not do, best birthing methods, what to expect after the baby is born, what to feed them, what to not feed them, how to feed them, how to make them sleep, how long they should sleep for, what diapers to use, how to change diapers, how to discipline, how not to discipline, how to raise geniuses....you get the point! Therefore, your task is to pick a parenting website or social media account and to critically appraise the information that is being presented to their audience. While many of these sites may have legitimate and empirically based information, many will focus more on engagement rather than accuracy - it's all about the views and likes! This means that the quality and accuracy of the information provided to parents take a back seat. When information is inaccurate, low quality, and not based on empirical support, it can lead to mixed messages for parents who are likely already exhausted, sometimes struggling, and looking for support. So, for this assignment, you'll be writing/developing a critical analysis of information provided to parents that is presented online, whether from websites, blogs, social media sites, etc. You should pick 3 to 5 different "claims" made and analyze the accuracy of these claims. Base your analysis on the literature & course materials - what does the science say? Do they claim that you can sleep-train a newborn from day 1? If so, is this supported by science? Are the brains of a newborn able to learn this skill this early? Maybe they claim that if this is done, this, this, and this, your child will be walking by 6 months of age. Again, is this even developmentally possible? Some might claim your baby is manipulating you through crying and by responding you are a fool. Others might claim eating a specific type of diet while pregnant will do magical things for the baby. And even others might say you should not discipline your children because you will traumatize them. What about teenagers? Are they able to make their own decisions? Do they know right from wrong? Are their peers the issue, or is it them? Why are they so damn moody and how can you fix them? Things to think about: Do the people presenting the information appear authoritative, impressive, or persuasive in any way without any regard for truth? Are they or do they use professionals who designate themselves as 'doctors', 'experts', etc.? Also, keep in mind that even having a professional designation from a scientifically valid program doesn't necessarily make someone an authority on specific subjects. For example, though they are well educated in the field of health care and medical practice, a medical doctor with a specialty in oncology or surgery may not be the best source for information regarding developmental psychology, much like someone with a doctorate in developmental psychology would not be a good source for medical decisions in clinical practice.