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The Evolved Nest is a breakthrough concept that integrates findings across fields that bear on child development, child raising and adult behavior.  The Evolved Nest promotes optimal health and wellbeing, cooperation, and receptive and sociomoral intelligences. Societal moves away from providing the Evolved Nest have contributed to the ill being and dysregulation we see in one another and society. Learn how to nest your children and re-nest yourself.

Evolved Nest with Darcia Narvaez

Since its conception in 1998, Kindred World has explored, pioneered and championed the thought leaders, activists, practitioners and parents who brought forward the New Story of Childhood, Parenthood and the Human Family. We're happy to present some of our favorite and most ground-breaking interviews for your enjoyment and inspiration here.

Please support our nonprofit work at www.KindredWorld.org.

Please follow our work, and subscribe to our newsletter, at www.KindredMedia.org.

Conscious Parenting Movement

Darcia Narvaez

Michael Pollan, critically acclaimed author and journalist, sits down with writer Jack Hitt to discuss the former’s recent work and other topics related to food and cooking. Jul 15, 2013

"Michael Pollan ‘Raw’: A Conversation with Michael Pollan and Jack Hitt about cooking, eating, and writing”

http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781846147500,00.html

A uniquely enjoyable quest to understand the transformative magic of cooking - from Michael Pollan, bestselling author of In Defence of Food

In a culture of celebrity chefs and food reality shows, in countries which are crammed with fresh ingredients flown in from every corner of the Earth, we nonetheless year-on-year wade ever deeper into a great swamp of processed foods. The more we watch food on television, the less food we actually prepare and cook. 

Michael Pollan's marvellous new book is a clarion-call for the virtues and values of proper cooking - an essential, defining human activity which sits at the heart of our cultures, shapes family life and is in itself hugely enjoyable. Pollan recreates the transformative fundamentals of how we cook, building from the most basic principles: cooking with fire, cooking with water, cooking with air and cooking with earth. 

Cooked is an extremely funny and surprising plea to Pollan's readers to take control of their own fates and revel again in what should be a lifetime's engagement with the almost magical activity of making food. And it is, of course, about so much more - how cooking can transform both how we think about ourselves and about our families and friends.

Interview with Michael Pollan, author of Cooked

In this episode we are going to demonstrate how everything we know can all be explained with the help of scientific research and theories.  From the facts about dieting to the processes of cooking; from analysing the digital impact on society to the future of material science; and from alien invasions to the apocalypse, our incredible line-up of scientists, authors and books have it covered.

The Penguin Podcast: Science feat. Michael Pollan, Rick Yancey and Stephen Emmott

PLEASE support the PLA with this great gift for YOURSELF and you can REST FOR A CAUSE! Starting November 3rd all registered participants in Rest for a Cause will embark on 15 minutes of 'rest' practicing a sleep-based meditation technique from Bold Tranquility for 21 days and simultaneously raising money for the Parent Liberation Alliance. GET YOUR 21-day free REST FOR A CAUSE PASS HERE: https://www.crowdrise.com/parentliberationalliance

Teresa Graham Brett, author of Parenting for Social Change, and Lisa Reagan, editor of Kindred Media, talk with Dieundonne Allo, founder of the Alliance for Parent Education in Africa, about his experiences introducing South African parents and professionals to the possibilities of parenting for peace.  As Allo shares in this interview, the reception of APEA's programs is welcome, as "people are looking for solutions and alternatives to traditional dominator and abusive parenting practices and beliefs." 
You can read about APEA on the Parent Liberation Alliance's website, as PLA is the American partner of APEA. www.ParentLiberationAlliance.org

 Stay tuned for a transcript of this discussion on www.KindredMedia.org.

Conscious Parenting In Africa

In this interview with Darcia Narvaez, PhD, listeners discover the connections between the neurobiology of brain development in babies and the current ecological, social and cultural crises created by disconnected, brain damaged adults, a product of modern parenting practices and beliefs.  Narvaez is one of Kindred's most popular contributors and a new member of our international advisory board.  She is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her recent book, Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom won the 2015 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association. In 2016, she is organizing a conference on Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous KnowHow for Global Flourishing. 

You can read her work on Kindred here: http://www.kindredmedia.org/author/darcia-narvaez-phd/

A transcript of this interview is available here: http://www.kindredmedia.org/creating-sustainable-humans-with-conscious-parenting-an-interview-with-darcia-narvaez-phd/

Creating Sustainable Humans With Conscious Parenting: An Interview With Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Robin Grille shares his journey with a homeschooling group in Hong Kong who have fought for Parenting for a Peaceful World to be translated into Catonese and distributed in China next year.  Robin shares his insight into cultural changes happening in China and around the world at this time.  He believes the "backlash" experience to the dying dominator and authoritarian models of parenting and government are breeding last gasp grabs for power that dominate mainstream media.  However, there is a New Story (www.KindredMedia.org)...
Robin covers his talk at the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative in England and his presentation at the Healthy Birth, Healthy Earth Sumit at Findhorn, Scotland last month.
Robin covers the gamut with insights from PFPW, guidance from his book Heart to Heart Parenting, and his admonition to all activists to not look for predictions of the future but to set their intentions for how they want it to be and work in that direction together.
This is a fun and epic interview with one of the most celebrated thought leaders of the conscious parenting movement.
Read Robin on Kindred here: http://kindredmedia.org/author/robin-grille/
Watch the Parenting for a Peaceful World Video Collection here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKSc66Q_SuJMxIq3ew_fg9jJO-H-4JVRZ
Take an Inner Child, Inner Wisdom Virtual Tour with Robin at the Parenting As A Hero's Journey website here: http://parentingasaherosjourney.com/robin-grille/
Visit Robin's website here: www.our-emotional-health.com

Robin Grille: Parenting For A Peaceful World Goes To China - And Lots More!

Darcia Narvaez, PhD, explains why the United States is the worst place on Earth to raise children and how, without the Evolved Nest to provide nurturing, we become fearful reptiles instead of human.

Read the podcast transcript here: http://kindredmedia.org/2017/01/raising-children-love-dynamite/

Visit the nonprofit initiative at www.EvolvedNest.org.

About Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Darcia Narvaez is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her prior careers include professional musician, classroom music teacher, business owner, seminarian and middle school Spanish teacher. Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences societal culture, wellbeing and sociomoral character in children and adults. She integrates neurobiological, clinical, developmental and education sciences in her theories and research about human nature and human development.

She publishes extensively on moral development, parenting and education. Recently she has been studying the Evolved Nest and how it influences wellbeing, sociality and morality.

She hosts interdisciplinary conferences at the University of Notre Dame regarding early experience and human development (the talks and/or powerpoints are available online). In 2016, she organized a conference on Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous KnowHow for Global Flourishing (talks available online).

She is the author or editor of numerous books and articles. Read her bio and blogs here: kindredmedia.org/author/darcia-narvaez-phd/

About the Evolved Nest

Every animal has a nest for its young that matches up with the maturational schedule of the offspring (Gottlieb, 1997). Humans too! The Evolved Nest (or Evolved Developmental Niche; EDN) refers to the nest for young children that humans inherit from their ancestors. It's one of our adaptations, meaning that it helped our ancestors survive. Most characteristics of the evolved nest emerged with social mammals more than 30 million years ago.

Humans are distinctive in that babies are born highly immature (only 25% of adult-sized brain at full-term birth) and should be in the womb another 18 months to even resemble newborns of other species! As a result, the brain/body of a child is highly influenced by early life experience.

Multiple epigenetic effects occur in the first months and years based on the timing and type of early experience. Humanity's evolved nest was first identified by Melvin Konner (2005) as the "hunter-gatherer childhood model" and includes breastfeeding 2-5 years, nearly constant touch, responsiveness to baby's needs, multiple responsive adult caregivers, free play with multiple-aged playmates, positive social support for mom and baby.

Calling these components the Evolved Nest or Evolved Developmental Niche, Narvaez and colleagues add to the list soothing perinatal experience (before, during, after birth) and a positive, welcoming social climate. All these are characteristic of the type of environment in which the human genus lived for 99% of its existence. Below are publications and a powerpoint about the evolved nest.

Why does the evolved nest matter? Early years are when virtually all neurobiological systems are completing their development. They form the foundation for the rest of life, including getting along with others, sociality and morality.

Evolved Nest

Evolved Nest: With It We Become Human, Without It We Are Fearful Reptiles

Parenting in today's times is challenging parents everywhere.

This free, 55 minute download of, An introduction to Connection Parenting, by Pam Leo, is given to all parents who want to learn more about how to create a stronger connection with their children. After listening to what Pam shares, if you can, and if wish to, please donate whatever you can, to her new nonprofit initiative, The Book Fairy Pantry Project. 

Please go to BookFairyPantryProject.com to learn about the project and make a donation if it inspires you to help make sure ALL parents have books to read to their children, so all children can learn to read. Thank you.

You can also subscribe to the BFPP's newsletter to catch up with Pam on her travels presenting lectures on Books, Babies and Bonding, as well as read her work on Connection Parenting, poetry on BFPP, and more at: http://kindredmedia.org/author/pam-leo/

See Connection Parenting here: http://amzn.to/28KIdtn

Connection Parenting With Pam Leo: Parenting Through Love Instead Of Fear

Darcia Narvaez assumes the persona of a modern, medical model born baby to help us understand from a baby's perspective what this experience is like.  Here is the transcript to this podcast:

Read more of Narvaez's work here: http://kindredmedia.org/author/darcia-narvaez-phd/

Darcia Narvaez is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her prior careers include professional musician, classroom music teacher, business owner, seminarian and middle school Spanish teacher. Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences societal culture and moral character in children and adults. She integrates neurobiological, clinical, developmental and education sciences in her theories and research about moral development. She publishes extensively on moral development, parenting and education. Recently she has been studying the Evolved Developmental Niche (nest) and how it influences moral development, moral capacities and preferences. She hosts interdisciplinary conferences at the University of Notre Dame regarding early experience, flourishing and evolution. In 2016, she organizes a conference on Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous KnowHow for Global Flourishing. She is the author or editor of numerous books and articles. Her recent book, Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom (2014), won the 2015 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association. She is executive editor of the Journal of Moral Education.

Heartseeds Sisters Babyheart

What Adults Did To Me At Birth: A Baby's Point Of View

The Conscious Parenting Movement, based on attachment science, neurobiolgy and brain development and founded organically by multiple pioneers and organizations over 30 years ago as a consciousness-raising movement, arrived at the United Nations this past February in the form of an international alliance of nonprofit and educational organizations under the banner of CEPP, Childhood and Early Parenting Principles.

In this interview with Valerie Unite, the founder of CEPP, the listener learns of the exciting networking and information exchanges currently taking place at the UN, the necessity of helping governments, cities and communities develop effective and cost-saving programs based on conscious parenting principles, and the plan going forward.

Visit and read about CEPP's work at www.cepprinciples.org.

This interview's transcript, as well as resources, can be viewed here:
http://kindredmedia.org/2017/05/conscious-parenting-movement-goes-un/

Conscious Parenting Movement Goes To United Nations

Listen to award-winning neuroscience researcher, Darcia Narvaez, PhD, share foundational insights into the Evolved Nest.

DESCRIPTION: How can we maximize human flourishing? The answer—the Evolved Nest!  Learn what the Nest is and how it fosters human potential.

Visit the nonprofit initiative at www.EvolvedNest.org.

About Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Darcia Narvaez is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her prior careers include professional musician, classroom music teacher, business owner, seminarian and middle school Spanish teacher. Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences societal culture, wellbeing and sociomoral character in children and adults. She integrates neurobiological, clinical, developmental and education sciences in her theories and research about human nature and human development. 

She publishes extensively on moral development, parenting and education. Recently she has been studying the Evolved Nest and how it influences wellbeing, sociality and morality. 

She hosts interdisciplinary conferences at the University of Notre Dame regarding early experience and human development (the talks and/or powerpoints are available online).  In 2016, she organized a conference on Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous KnowHow for Global Flourishing (talks available online). 

She is the author or editor of numerous books and articles. Read her bio and blogs here:  https://kindredmedia.org/author/darcia-narvaez-phd/ 


About the Evolved Nest

Every animal has a nest for its young that matches up with the maturational schedule of the offspring (Gottlieb, 1997). Humans too! The Evolved Nest (or Evolved Developmental Niche; EDN) refers to the nest for young children that humans inherit from their ancestors. It's one of our adaptations, meaning that it helped our ancestors survive. Most characteristics of the evolved nest emerged with social mammals more than 30 million years ago.

Humans are distinctive in that babies are born highly immature (only 25% of adult-sized brain at full-term birth) and should be in the womb another 18 months to even resemble newborns of other species! As a result, the brain/body of a child is highly influenced by early life experience.

Multiple epigenetic effects occur in the first months and years based on the timing and type of early experience. Humanity's evolved nest was first identified by Melvin Konner (2005) as the "hunter-gatherer childhood model" and includes breastfeeding 2-5 years, nearly constant touch, responsiveness to baby's needs, multiple responsive adult caregivers, free play with multiple-aged playmates, positive social support for mom and baby.

Calling these components the Evolved Nest or Evolved Developmental Niche, Narvaez and colleagues add to the list soothing perinatal experience (before, during, after birth) and a positive, welcoming social climate. All these are characteristic of the type of environment in which the human genus lived for 99% of its existence. Below are publications and a powerpoint about the evolved nest.

Why does the evolved nest matter? Early years are when virtually all neurobiological systems are completing their development. They form the foundation for the rest of life, including getting along with others, sociality and morality.

1. The Evolved Nest: An Introduction with Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Listen to award-winning neuroscience researcher, Darcia Narvaez, PhD, share foundational insights into the Evolved Nest.

DESCRIPTION: What we experience in early life and childhood eventually affects the whole society.  Find out how we can make big changes to our world, starting with the little ones.

Visit the nonprofit initiative at www.EvolvedNest.org.

About Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Darcia Narvaez is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her prior careers include professional musician, classroom music teacher, business owner, seminarian and middle school Spanish teacher. Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences societal culture, wellbeing and sociomoral character in children and adults. She integrates neurobiological, clinical, developmental and education sciences in her theories and research about human nature and human development. 

She publishes extensively on moral development, parenting and education. Recently she has been studying the Evolved Nest and how it influences wellbeing, sociality and morality. 

She hosts interdisciplinary conferences at the University of Notre Dame regarding early experience and human development (the talks and/or powerpoints are available online).  In 2016, she organized a conference on Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous KnowHow for Global Flourishing (talks available online). 

She is the author or editor of numerous books and articles. Read her bio and blogs here:  https://kindredmedia.org/author/darcia-narvaez-phd/ 


About the Evolved Nest

Every animal has a nest for its young that matches up with the maturational schedule of the offspring (Gottlieb, 1997). Humans too! The Evolved Nest (or Evolved Developmental Niche; EDN) refers to the nest for young children that humans inherit from their ancestors. It's one of our adaptations, meaning that it helped our ancestors survive. Most characteristics of the evolved nest emerged with social mammals more than 30 million years ago.

Humans are distinctive in that babies are born highly immature (only 25% of adult-sized brain at full-term birth) and should be in the womb another 18 months to even resemble newborns of other species! As a result, the brain/body of a child is highly influenced by early life experience.

Multiple epigenetic effects occur in the first months and years based on the timing and type of early experience. Humanity's evolved nest was first identified by Melvin Konner (2005) as the "hunter-gatherer childhood model" and includes breastfeeding 2-5 years, nearly constant touch, responsiveness to baby's needs, multiple responsive adult caregivers, free play with multiple-aged playmates, positive social support for mom and baby.

Calling these components the Evolved Nest or Evolved Developmental Niche, Narvaez and colleagues add to the list soothing perinatal experience (before, during, after birth) and a positive, welcoming social climate. All these are characteristic of the type of environment in which the human genus lived for 99% of its existence. Below are publications and a powerpoint about the evolved nest.

Why does the evolved nest matter? Early years are when virtually all neurobiological systems are completing their development. They form the foundation for the rest of life, including getting along with others, sociality and morality.

2. The Evolved Nest: Cycles Of Development, with Darcia Narvaez, PhD

It almost seems magical when you begin to learn about all the benefits of breastmilk.  Find out why breastmilk provides lifelong benefits for little ones.

Listen to award-winning neuroscience researcher, Darcia Narvaez, PhD, share foundational insights into the Evolved Nest.

Visit the nonprofit initiative at www.EvolvedNest.org.

About Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Darcia Narvaez is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her prior careers include professional musician, classroom music teacher, business owner, seminarian and middle school Spanish teacher. Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences societal culture, wellbeing and sociomoral character in children and adults. She integrates neurobiological, clinical, developmental and education sciences in her theories and research about human nature and human development.

She publishes extensively on moral development, parenting and education. Recently she has been studying the Evolved Nest and how it influences wellbeing, sociality and morality.

She hosts interdisciplinary conferences at the University of Notre Dame regarding early experience and human development (the talks and/or powerpoints are available online). In 2016, she organized a conference on Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous KnowHow for Global Flourishing (talks available online).

She is the author or editor of numerous books and articles. Read her bio and blogs here: kindredmedia.org/author/darcia-narvaez-phd/

About the Evolved Nest

Every animal has a nest for its young that matches up with the maturational schedule of the offspring (Gottlieb, 1997). Humans too! The Evolved Nest (or Evolved Developmental Niche; EDN) refers to the nest for young children that humans inherit from their ancestors. It's one of our adaptations, meaning that it helped our ancestors survive. Most characteristics of the evolved nest emerged with social mammals more than 30 million years ago.

Humans are distinctive in that babies are born highly immature (only 25% of adult-sized brain at full-term birth) and should be in the womb another 18 months to even resemble newborns of other species! As a result, the brain/body of a child is highly influenced by early life experience.

Multiple epigenetic effects occur in the first months and years based on the timing and type of early experience. Humanity's evolved nest was first identified by Melvin Konner (2005) as the "hunter-gatherer childhood model" and includes breastfeeding 2-5 years, nearly constant touch, responsiveness to baby's needs, multiple responsive adult caregivers, free play with multiple-aged playmates, positive social support for mom and baby.

Calling these components the Evolved Nest or Evolved Developmental Niche, Narvaez and colleagues add to the list soothing perinatal experience (before, during, after birth) and a positive, welcoming social climate. All these are characteristic of the type of environment in which the human genus lived for 99% of its existence. Below are publications and a powerpoint about the evolved nest.

Why does the evolved nest matter? Early years are when virtually all neurobiological systems are completing their development. They form the foundation for the rest of life, including getting along with others, sociality and morality.

6. The Evolved Nest: The Tremendous Benefits Of Breastmilk, with Darcia Narvaez, PhD

Darcia Narvaez is Professor of Psychology at the University of Notre Dame and focuses on moral development and flourishing from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating anthropology, neuroscience, clinical, developmental and educational sciences. Dr. Narvaez’s current research explores how early life experience influences societal culture and moral character. One of her recent books, Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture and Wisdom won the 2015 William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association. She writes a popular blog for Psychology Today (“Moral Landscapes”).

Talk Nation Radio: Darcia Narvaez on Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality

https://www.thatssosecondmillennium.net/e/episode-056-darcia-narvaez-on-the-other-tragedy-of-the-commons-and-moraleconomic-disengagement-in-civilized-society/

Episode 056 - Darcia Narvaez on the (other) tragedy of the commons and moral/economic disengagement in civilized society

Darcia Narvaez on the (other) tragedy of the commons

https://www.thatssosecondmillennium.net/e/episode-055-darcia-narvaez-on-socialization-and-isolation/

Episode 055 - Darcia Narvaez on socialization and isolation
April 15, 2019

Find Darcia's writings and resources across the internet:

Faculty website

Author website

Resource Page at Psychology Today

Topics we discussed in this podcast:

The human need for socialization from the very beginning, and ways that goes awry in contemporary society.

Things we can do to learn some of these lessons later in life:

    Self-calming via breathing, meditation, prayer. (Does our contemporary culture of outrage stem from a lack of the ability to calm ourselves that we are meant to learn starting in infancy?)
    Build a social network. We were meant to have interaction with an extended family that spans all age ranges for proper socialization. It's not too late to play with children, talk to the elderly, interact with people at other stages of life.
    Learn new languages and interact with people in different cultures. What are their reasons for doing the things that they do?
    Spend time with nature.
    Practice going outside yourself, defusing rigid thinking and attachment to "it has to be done this way." Intelligence is a measure of flexibility as much as anything.

Bill asked about social media and our tendency to seek out those who already agree with us. Darcia noted that we need guidance on how to socialize. Up through age 30 or so, it's natural for human beings to get that kind of guidance from others. Unfortunately we get that guidance through TV and video games now.

As usual, this was the first half of our interview. More discussion and more questions than we could possibly answer next time!