The Metamorphosis of The Brain: Raising Your child to be a Brainiac
The human brain never actually stops developing. Beginning formation in early prenatal life (just 3 weeks after conception), the brain's development is a lifelong endevour, endlessly under construction, constantly reshaping and redefining itself based on everyday life and the types of stimulation that we provide for it. When children receive loving care from a parent, neural connections are formed and strengthened between the brain cells. Warm responsive parents who speak to their kids, cuddle with them and provide challenging learning experiences, promote healthy brain development. But neglectful parents who hardly talk to their children (unless their typical sentence starts with the word "don't") and plop them down in front of the television for hours, on the other hand, are doing their kids's brains a terrible injustice.
Babies really do thrive on this interaction much the same way that trees tend to thrive on water and sun. Researchers have discovered that kids who are often talked to by their moms learn nearly three hundred more words by age 2 than kids whose moms hardly spoke to them. And it would appear that mere exposure to language through TV doesn't quite cut it. Kids need to hear people speak right to them about how they are seeing the world around them. The biggest difference between the child brain and the adult brain is that the young brain is simply much more impressionable. Here are a few tips to raising a Brainiac: First, be a warm, responsive and loving parent. Respond to your child's perplexities and try to answer his or her questions. It is important to talk, read and sing to your child. Encourage your child to learn a second language. In addition, establish different rituals and routines. Limit that television watching and encourage safe play and exploration. It is also important to expose your child to as many things as possible. Recognize the uniqueness in each child
and choose mentally stimulating child care. And finally, make sure your child gets enough omega-3' fatty acids. For more details about brain function visit Fish Oil and Brain Researchand learn more. Ryan Joseph is a writer/researcher. For more information go to http://www.thewellnessportal.com
Related News
Struggles of single parenting - Waseca County News
Waseca County News |
Struggles of single parentingWaseca County News, MN -6 hours agoBjerklie’s parents, who live in Bjerklie’s hometown of Fergus Falls, Minn., have a tight-knit relationship with Hannah, and Bjerklie also has brothers who ... |
Denver rules: A guide to parenting, the Democratic Convention way - Globe and Mail
Faith and Spiritual Life: Outreach - HeraldNet
What it takes to be a good parent in today’s culture - The Prairie Star
The Observer - Sarnia Observer
Sarah Palin's Feminists for Life Membership Points to Pro-Woman ... - LifeNews.com
Father to gallery: leave parenting to parents - Canada.com
Father to gallery: leave parenting to parentsCanada.com, Canada -Aug 25, 2008"I am appalled that an agency of the federal government would think it had the right to tell a parent how they can hold their child, that they are going to ... |
Parish needs more foster parents - Natchez Democrat
Parish needs more foster parentsNatchez Democrat, MS -2 hours agoIn that same region, there are approximately 200 foster parents. In Concordia Parish, there are only 10 foster parents, but there are 30 foster children in ... |
Amherst Center: Lessons for town in kids' allowance debate - Amherst Bulletin
Man sentenced to 18 months for cat stabbing - WTHI
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Laid Back Parents Guide to Teaching Your Child to Read
At first I thought of titling this article "The Lazy Parent's Guide" but
then I realized that most parents aren't lazy, but they may have a
slightly different philosophy about children and learning.
Eye-Opening Questions for Working Parents to Ask
I remember watching my 18-month-old son eat a big frosted cookie while I was carrying him out of the bakery. I asked him, "Can you give mommy a bite?" He leaned over and gently bit me on the cheek.
Bad Company
Here we will come to know who are the most responsible person to make your child an addicted person & failure.
Just Average
What do you mean average? Not good? Just doing good enough?
Visiting the Library
Libraries offer more than books. They are places of learning
and discovery for everyone. Ask at the library about
getting a library card in your child's name and, if you don't
already have one, get a card for yourself.
Illegal and Legal Drug Usage in the United States
How bad is the illegal drug problem here in the US? Very bad and it alters the brain's thought process and causes a problem with human interaction and our natural socializing tendencies. The drugs are so diverse and so plentiful that it touches the lives of nearly every American in some way and certainly nearly every family in this country. We must be honest with ourselves. We have legal drugs, prescription drugs and illegal drugs. Caffeine is a drug that is wide spread in America. The verdict is out now, but what will we learn in the future after twenty years? After all there is a Starbucks on nearly every corner in many of America's largest metropolitan areas. We already know that spiders cannot spin a web while under influence of caffeine.
Really Good News About Your Children?s Video Games
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier has grabbed national attention for suggesting that playing "action" video and computer games has positive effects ? enhancing student's visual selective attention. But that finding is just one small part of a more important message that all parents and educators need to hear: video games are not the enemy, but the best opportunity we have to engage our kids in real learning.
Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Many families do not want to believe their child is being sexually abused even if the signs of child sexual abuse are staring them straight in the face. Unfortunately many families are in a similar situation where both parents are working full time and someone other than the biological parents are caring for their children. Under these circumstances the potential for child sexual abuse is more prevalent. Obviously under these circumstances it is tremendously important for parents to watch for the signs of child sexual abuse.
Some common signs of child sexual abuse are:
* Sexually advanced for his or her age
* Increase in masturbation, preoccupation with sex or promiscuous behavior
* Frequent urinary track infections or irritation in the genital area
Do Not Ignore The Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Many families ignore the signs of child sexual abuse believing their child was safe because someone they knew always watched their children. Unfortunately, studies of child sexual abuse have shown that children were most often abused by people they knew. It is important that you take these signs of child sexual abuse seriously so you could stop any further abuse.
Get Professional Help if Your Child Exhibits the Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
If your child is exhibiting any or all of the signs of child sexual abuse take your child to your family doctor for a medical exam. You might also want to seek counseling with a professional who has experience with child sexual abuse. Both the medical doctor and the psychological professional should be able to determine definitively whether anything sexually inappropriate has occurred.
Many children who exhibit the signs of child sexual abuse feel like they have done something wrong. Support your child and reassure them that they were the innocent victims. By taking the signs of child sexual abuse seriously and with your support and encouragement, your child will eventually emotionally heal from this abuse. Your child will also learn how much you trust and support them.
How Public Schools Assault Parents Values
Is there anything wrong with lying, cheating, stealing, shop-lifting, taking drugs, premarital sex, insulting your parents, pornography, irresponsibility, or getting pregnant in junior high school? Not according to the values taught to children in many public schools today.
Busy Moms, Dont Forget to Take Time Out for You!
As mothers, we play so many different roles and most of us do not take the time off that we deserve. Just think about it, we play doctor, cook, chauffeur, teacher, lawyer, and the occasional referee as well.
Bring On The Music To Help Your Child Learn Faster And More Effectively
Do you remember how you first learned the alphabet? I am quite sure that the majority of us learnt it by singing the ABC Song: 'ABCDEFG-HIJKLMNOP-QRS-TUV-WXY-and-Z...'
In Defense of the Jelly Bean
Should a parent give a child a tangible reward when he or she has behaved properly or performed some important task such as doing homework, or helping around the house? Understandably, many parents are hesitant to use incentives, such as prizes, or food treats, to influence their children, especially considering the negative comments by some, but not all, contemporary parenting experts. For many parents, giving their children rewards feels like bribery and to them, should be thus avoided. Some parents object to giving rewards, because they conclude, that a child will end up wanting a reward for everything he or she does! And to these parents, rewarding children seems wrong.
How To Potty Train In Two Days
Ah, potty training! Go to a local bookseller and you will find dozens of books on the subject. Search the Net and there are thousands of websites with information on how to do it stress free. There are even people who are capitalizing on a parent's frustration with potty training by offering to do it for you, for a hefty sum! I honestly can't imagine anything more unseemly than paying someone to teach my child to "go".
Joining a Gang: How to Help Kids Prevent it, How to Tell if Theyve Joined One, How to Help Them Out
While youth gangs are nothing new -- they've been traced back to the early 19th century -- the demographic of a youth gang is something that is constantly changing. Many people stereotype gang members as urban, inner city males from racial minorities, but in fact gangs are a problem in suburbs as well as cities, for all races and for girls as well as boys.
You Dont Need a Supernanny to Be an Active Parent
The hot new reality TV show "Nanny 911" has been joined by a similar nanny-to-the-rescue show called "Supernanny." These shows depict families in which the children are extremely out of control, rebellious, spoiled or otherwise quite a handful. The nannies come in for a week (from sunrise to bedtime each day), helping the family get back on track by teaching the parents effective parenting skills and modeling these skills firsthand with the children.
Guide to Choosing a Computer System for Your Child
Before going further into choosing computers for children, I believe that you would like to know the answer to the following question:
Why Consistency Is The Key To Raising Well-behaved Kids
Being consistent when children are less than perfect can make you feel dreadful. However consistency is one of the most important elements in the relationship with your children, but it is the one most frequently overlooked.
March of the Penguins - A Fun Learnig Tool
Everyone loves penguins. And now, everyone has a chance to see how penguins live in the highly entertaining documentary March of the Penguins. No need to tell the kids it's educational.
Books Around the House Make A Difference in Literacy Rates
We need a grass roots campaign targeted towards parents to have books around the house. Reading times where TV is turned off and kids are reading. The parents can read what ever they want, the newspaper, a novel, picture book, magazine, perhaps mix it up a little something different each night. With plenty of reading material around the house. There should be public service announcements in the Media and the Media should also be involved along with the TV and Movie industry.
Is There Any Real Use For A Fun Quiz?
Q. I don't like my children spending so much time on the computer and playing video games. Can you help me find or develop a fun quiz to stimulate their thinking?
|
