What People Are Saying

Dr. Cantrell has succeeded in combining theoretical grounding with practical applications in a highly readable book on children’s cognitive development. His humorous asides and evident respect for his reader should prove empowering for both parents and teachers.

He does an excellent job of “translating” complex concepts by the use of vivid, clear examples, while also providing cautionary notes on how to avoid misinterpreting those concepts.

In sum, Grow With the Flow is a wonderful integration of a broad body of cognitive processing research into an accessible, helpful model of intellectual functioning. The book fosters a sense of excitement and enthusiasm in those looking for the opportunities that exist for enhancing a child’s competencies.

As a psychologist and a parent, I find Grow With the Flow to be a great resource-- full of ideas to foster children’s intellectual growth.

Finally! A book that explains what you can do to positively guide a child’s curiosity, potential, and intelligence. Hooray!

I love the “how to” theme of this guide to fostering children’s intelligence. A practical, enjoyable “good read” for every parent, grandparent, and adult involved with children.

Grow with the Flow offers parents, grandparents and teachers a wonderful guide to raising well-rounded and healthy children. When I was a young parent, I dimly recognized my kids’ ranges of intelligences. Now that Dave points them out, and guides us in nurturing each of them, I often wish I could do it all over again.

It has been a delight to steer today’s parents to this resource! Even better is that vital discussions of the ideas are at their fingertips online.

We play some of the games suggested in the book, including “guess that smell” (pg. 179) quite frequently!

Grow with the Flow provides a humorous and in-depth look at how we learn and become more intelligent in many areas of life. The book’s extensive lists of questions will be especially helpful to me in thinking how to guide my daughter as she grows and learns.

This is a book which both challenges and reassures. What’s challenging is the revelation of the huge potential every child has, and the ways in which a parent can help a child develop that potential. What’s reassuring is Dave’s philosophy of optimism, and his friendliness. He walks us and talks us through the book. His use of imagery — the elephant, the river — helped me grasp and recall the concepts which make up his model of human intelligence.

My favorite part of the book is Chapter 12, “Discovering Your Child’s Intelligence River.” It’s the most informal, jolliest, and yet broadest “intelligence test” I’ve ever seen. Actually it’s not an intelligence test at all, but an observation guide, and working through Chapter 12 felt to me like a celebration of my own child, and of every child.

Highly recommended for parents, grandparents, teachers, others who work with children, and for anyone who has a mind.

As I began the research for my thesis, Grow With the Flow helped to focus my attention on a new and previously unexplored aspect of sign acquisition and its effect on the verbal and intellectual development of young children. The book also expanded my view and definition of intelligence, especially as it relates to toddlers. I plan to reference this book in the future in order to assist my own children as they navigate their individual paths and reach their individual intellectual goals.