Anyone raising kids will tell you that parenting is no easy feat. However, it’s not just tantrums, calculus homework, and getting this year’s must-have toy in time for the holidays that moms and dads are up against. Countless caregivers find themselves battling a rising tide of misinformation, from how often to snuggle their babies to how their own marriage might affect their kids down the line. With the help of pediatricians, psychiatrists, and other experts, we’ve broken down some of the most pervasive parenting myths. So read on if you need help making the hardest job in the world just a little bit easier.
Your child is better able to learn things before they’re five
Little kids are capable of learning and retaining a wealth of information—typically even more so than their adult counterparts. That said, if your kid hasn’t learned a second language or mastered Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto Number 2 by their fourth birthday, that doesn’t mean they never will, as some claim.