Bringing a live human being into the world can be very intimidating, especially if it is for the first time. Every parent questions their parenting style whether or not it is because they don't know if their style is effective or if they are being "good" parents in general. Thankfully there are thousands of books and information out there to help guide people in being a successful parent(s) including Laura E. Berk's ninth edition Child Development text book last published in 2013. There are at least ten pieces of parenting advice that can be found in Berk's book which are then supported by numerous evidence and research. Each piece of advice retains to children of different ages and stages of their life and not just one area of parenthood. .
The first piece of parenting advice starts in the very beginning, before the child is even born; be aware of harmful teratogens and avoid them during pregnancy. Teratogens are any environmental agent that can cause damage during the time between conception and birth (prenatal period) (Berk, 2013, p. 95). There are multiple types of teratogens including prescription and non-prescription drugs, illegal drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and radiation (Berk, 2013, p. 96). Prescription drugs include: Accutane, which is prescribed to treat severe acne and can result in eye, ear, skull, brain, heart, and immune system abnormalities; anti-depressant medications that are related to increased risk of premature delivery, respiratory distress during birth and persistent high blood pressure in infancy (Berk, 2013, p. 97). The most common non-prescript drug used is aspirin and studies have advocate that the regular use of asprin is related to low birth weight, infant death around the time of birth, poorer motor development, and lower intelligence test scores during early childhood although there is other research that fails to support these findings (Berk, 2013, p.