What is the best gift you can give your child? Well, it is
subjective. For some people it is material possessions, a college fund,
and for others it may be a great inheritance.
For us it is the
gift of learning. Our son has been growing up so fast, we are capturing
every moment and relishing every second.
This brings me to a very
important point: As parents we often focus on the physical, because that
is what is most apparent. But our children's brains are growing at a
rapid rate. The physical development is not the only process that is
growing at warp speed, the brain is as well.
It is mind-blowing to
picture my little one experiencing the modification of 250,000 neurons
during his brain development at certain intervals, per minute. The brain
is 80% of its adult size by the time the little one is 2 years old.
While all the needed neurons are present at birth, the growth of the
brain is a continuous process.
As a result, I will forever stress
the urgency of introducing formal schooling as early as possible. For
us, it was at conception.
There is nothing more instrumental to a
little one than having the ability to learn new things at a young age.
There is no better time than during the brain development stage to
instill these learning measures. Our little one is very intellectually
inquisitive, and we use that to our advantage.
Make it a productive endeavor. So how do we gain productivity from inquisitiveness?
1. See inquisitiveness as curiosity. Encourage new ideas. Believe me, your little ones are not lacking in this area.
2. Turn that curiosity into a learning opportunity. A curious mind will bring about immeasurable knowledge.
3.
Turn that learning opportunity into a world of adventure. Explore
ideas, put your little one's mind to work, move from passive to active
activities.
Do you think that your little one is ever passively
taking a bath? If you do, think again. Their little brain is always at
work. It's up to you to make sure it is working positively.
They
are never too young to introduce early experiences, as this will have an
impact on the development of their brain architecture on a whole. Your
little one will have a fantastic foundation for learning as they grow.
There are plenty of active things to engage the kiddos; reading is, however, preferable.
Why?
This
can be achieved through any given task. There are of course different
forms of reading, whether your child is reading for fun, or
understanding, the brain is at work.
When you sit down to read
with your child, while that reading experience is taking place, the
child's brain is changing right along with those experiences. And brain
connection is taking place.
I am a firm believer in the adage, "If you don't use it, you lose it."
Thus, when connection is taking place, brain cells are being used,
and the child is now able to put on their thinking cap. The stronger
these synapses become, the more your little ones will use them.
Soon
you may have little Einstein on your hands, or on the other hand, you
could have Aristotle. Either way, you will have a clear picture of the
way your child thinks.
People often ask me whether or not our
little one speaks or understand the Jamaican dialect. The answer is no.
The reason for this is because he was born here in the United States.
While his brain could have developed the Jamaican dialect, those
connections were not made, because as parents neither one of us speaks
in a dialect, therefore he heard only American English. Thus, that is
the only connections his brain made.
So why did I share this story?
Well,
your child's learning journey will travel the same path, making use of
this very process of connection. And their experiences will be an
integral part of this journey.
You have the key to your child's
academic future. Unlock it today, by putting their brains to work and
keeping it there. For best results, the younger the better.
Parents,
food for thought: Recall when you were considering starting a family?
Were you not looking for that window of opportunity? When was that
window? Ovulation, I'm sure.
You get the point.
For little
ones, they too have a window of opportunity, and it is right now. The
best time to learn; believe me it is easier too!
