To help parents of infants understand the issues at the core of current advice and trends on parenting, this guide provides information about recent research on early learning, communication, social skills, and emotional growth from birth to 18 months. The guide also focuses on how growth, learning, social interactions, emotional development, and communication interact, and presents essential principles for putting scientific information to use. Chapters in section 1 of the book cover: (1) how science is changing parenting; (2) brain development; (3) perception; (4) cause and effect as the basis for learning and trust; (5) social and emotional development; (6) language and communication; (7) learning and intelligence; (8) providing love and limits as the foundation for character; (9) the caregiving environment; and (10) seven essential guiding principles for parents. Chapters in Section 2 focus on infant development, presented chronologically, with a theme identified for each age period. Each chapter presents an overview of what is likely to happen during each age period and contains activity suggestions related to the Seven Essentials from chapter 10. The chapters in this section cover: (11) getting oriented and building trust in the first month of life; (12) discovering the world from 2 to 3 months; (13) becoming a social being from 4 to 6 months; (14) thinking and experimenting from 7 to 10 months; (15) gaining independence from 11 to 14 months; and (16) building self-competence from 15 to 18 months. (KB)