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Bringing Up Britain

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Families & Relationships

Helping families make sense of one big parenting question.

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Bringing Up Britain: Series 8

Bringing Up Britain: Series 8: Episode 1: Boosting Your Child's IQ

Episode 1

Episode 1: Boosting Your Child's IQ

Series 8

Boosting Your Child's IQ

BBC Radio 4 - Bringing Up Britain, Series 8, Boosting Your Child's IQ

Mariella Frostrup and guests ask can you make your child smarter?

Mariella Frostrup and guests explore the influence of parenting on intelligence, asking what impact breastfeeding, violin lessons and superfoods have on a child's IQ.

As summer ends and children trade flip flops for school shoes, Mariella Frostrup starts the new academic year exploring what can affect a child's IQ.

Parents who read to their children, talk at the dinner table and help with homework might have happy offspring, but will they be making them smarter? 

In the light of research into the influence of genes, Mariella and her guests debate the role of parenting on intelligence. They explore recent research into the effect of exercise and sleep and ask what difference can breastfeeding, flashcards, violin lessons and superfoods really make. 

For the first in a new series of Radio 4's parenting programme, Mariella is joined by Dr Stuart Richie, Postdoctoral Fellow in Cognitive Ageing at the University of Edinburgh, writer and consultant Sue Palmer, Dr Sophie von Stumm, Lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths and Director of their Hungry Mind Lab, and Hilary Wilce, writer, advice columnist and coach.

Producer: Sarah Bowen.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Mariella Frostrup and guests explore the complex realities of parenting in today's Britain

Mariella Frostrup presents the series that explores the complex realities of parenting in today's Britain

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Bringing Up Britain

Series 8

Episode 1: Boosting Your Child's IQ

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