Illustration from The New Yorker

This week’s New Yorker has a terrific article about delayed gratification. It tells the story of an experiment in which children were given a choice between having a single marshmallow right away or having two marshmallows if they can wait a bit. It turns out that the kids who were able to wait grew up to be people who have exhibited a greater level of self-control throughout their lives—lives that are often more successful as a result.

We’re already familiar with this experiment because it’s one of more than a hundred studies that form the basis of MINDS IN THE MAKING: THE SEVEN ESSENTIAL SKILLS EVERY CHILD MUST LEARN—THE BREAKTHROUGH RESEARCH EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW by Ellen Galinsky, founder and president of the Families and Work Institute. Ellen’s book is important because it not only makes this massive amount of research available to parents, it shows them how to put the research to work with their children.

The book will be published in April, 2010…so you’ll just have to wait for it…