Teenage Parenting
Teenage Repair- From America's Top Psychologist Comes A Breakthrough E-book Guaranteed To Improve The Life Of Teens And Families
Heartbroken Teen - Nursing Your Teen Through a Broken Heart
We're all familiar with puppy love. Given adolescent intelligence (or lack thereof) coupled with a higher hormone rate and lower emotional maturity, it's part of the natural process that a teenager's first love will be blown all out of proportion and turned, in the teenager's mind, into the "one true love" that he or she can't live without. While as parents and mature adults we know better, it doesn't change the fact that getting dumped is an extremely painful experience for a teenager, especially if it's a first. Here are a few sage pieces of advice to help you cope with a heartbroken teen.
Don't Downplay Their Pain - some parents make the mistake of saying inanities to their heartbroken teen like "It Will Get Easier Over Time" or some such. Yes, we know it will, but we've had far more years to build up a tolerance to emotional pain than the average teenager. Because they haven't lived as long or gone through as much as we have, always remember that the pain they are experiencing will probably be the worst they have ever encountered in their relatively short lives. Trying to get them to forget the pain by actively countering it only makes it worse. Let the pain run its course. Then, redirect their emotions towards something more lighthearted. Make them laugh if you can, or help them remember something that will make them smile.
Offer Constructive Advice - once your teenager's pain has lessened a bit, either by catharsis or by your making your heartbroken teen laugh a bit, THEN you should offer constructive advice to your heartbroken teen. Focus their attention towards logical solutions to what they see as an earth shattering problem. Don't tell your heartbroken teen what to do; use leading questions that help him or her come to the conclusions on their own. This forces their minds to work, and the very act of applying logic to what is essentially an emotional problem will focus their attention away from their hurt.
"I Told You So" and "I'm Older So I Know Better" DOES NOT WORK - this is something that, sadly, most parents are prone to. Nagging your heartbroken teen during a time of emotional crisis is a sure fire way to make your teen dig in his or her heels and rebel against you. Avoid making what you say sound like a lecture or a dressing down because this will only convince your heartbroken teen about the "rightness" of his or her decision, despite evidence to the contrary. And naturally, since they will think that they're "right", it just makes the breakup all the more "wrong", amplifying their confusion and pain.
DON'T Forbid Vices - lastly, some parents naturally worry that their heartbroken teen will get into something like smoking, alcohol, or illegal drugs as a means of escapism from the heartache. Sadly, this HAS been known to happen often, but remember that the best way to get your heartbroken teen to try something out is to actually forbid it. During this time of pain your heartbroken teen will be even more prone to react in this fashion. So, unless your heartbroken teen brings up the topic, don't even mention that they should try and avoid the bad juju. If they do bring it up, deal with it as diplomatically as possible without making it sound like a prohibition. One good way is to simply tell them that they're mature enough to make their own decisions, and that you trust them to think things through for themselves. This implied faith in them serves to both make them feel better, and forces them to think and act instead of just reacting to their pain.
Did you know that dealing with a heartbroken teen and raising teens doesn't have to be an ordeal (for either of you)? Learn how you can enjoy a calm, peaceful, and fulfilling relationship with your teen. Discover the simple but amazing method for raising teenage kids visit Teen Repair
Don't Downplay Their Pain - some parents make the mistake of saying inanities to their heartbroken teen like "It Will Get Easier Over Time" or some such. Yes, we know it will, but we've had far more years to build up a tolerance to emotional pain than the average teenager. Because they haven't lived as long or gone through as much as we have, always remember that the pain they are experiencing will probably be the worst they have ever encountered in their relatively short lives. Trying to get them to forget the pain by actively countering it only makes it worse. Let the pain run its course. Then, redirect their emotions towards something more lighthearted. Make them laugh if you can, or help them remember something that will make them smile.
Offer Constructive Advice - once your teenager's pain has lessened a bit, either by catharsis or by your making your heartbroken teen laugh a bit, THEN you should offer constructive advice to your heartbroken teen. Focus their attention towards logical solutions to what they see as an earth shattering problem. Don't tell your heartbroken teen what to do; use leading questions that help him or her come to the conclusions on their own. This forces their minds to work, and the very act of applying logic to what is essentially an emotional problem will focus their attention away from their hurt.
"I Told You So" and "I'm Older So I Know Better" DOES NOT WORK - this is something that, sadly, most parents are prone to. Nagging your heartbroken teen during a time of emotional crisis is a sure fire way to make your teen dig in his or her heels and rebel against you. Avoid making what you say sound like a lecture or a dressing down because this will only convince your heartbroken teen about the "rightness" of his or her decision, despite evidence to the contrary. And naturally, since they will think that they're "right", it just makes the breakup all the more "wrong", amplifying their confusion and pain.
DON'T Forbid Vices - lastly, some parents naturally worry that their heartbroken teen will get into something like smoking, alcohol, or illegal drugs as a means of escapism from the heartache. Sadly, this HAS been known to happen often, but remember that the best way to get your heartbroken teen to try something out is to actually forbid it. During this time of pain your heartbroken teen will be even more prone to react in this fashion. So, unless your heartbroken teen brings up the topic, don't even mention that they should try and avoid the bad juju. If they do bring it up, deal with it as diplomatically as possible without making it sound like a prohibition. One good way is to simply tell them that they're mature enough to make their own decisions, and that you trust them to think things through for themselves. This implied faith in them serves to both make them feel better, and forces them to think and act instead of just reacting to their pain.
Did you know that dealing with a heartbroken teen and raising teens doesn't have to be an ordeal (for either of you)? Learn how you can enjoy a calm, peaceful, and fulfilling relationship with your teen. Discover the simple but amazing method for raising teenage kids visit Teen Repair
Good Parenting - How to Successfully Raise Teenagers
Visit Teenage Parenting 101
The Simple But Amazing Method For Raising Teenage Kids -- And Living To Tell About It!"
Raising your teen doesn't have to be an ordeal (for either of you). Learn how you can enjoy a calm, peaceful, and fulfilling relationship with your teen.
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Being a parent and learning to raise teenagers could be a real challenge for you and your kids. Teenagers are generally stubborn since this is the age where they are beginning to seek independence and developing their own identity. As a parent you need skills and knowledge on how to deal with teens to successfully create a good relationship with your teenage kids. Here are some tips:
Be a good example. Parents should be a living example of their kids. Practice what you preach. You can effectively raise teenagers and make them responsible young adults if you are a good example to them.
Listen. One way to raise teenagers is to listen and pay attention to them. Teenage kids are entering a new dimension in their life, thinking that they are already adults and ready to face the world. Although in most cases this not true, you have to recognize that teenagers are more mature than kids but they are not mature enough to decide for themselves and they need you. You need to listen to them, if they are trying to act as an adult, you also have to listen and treat them as an adult. You have to give them the chance to say what is on their minds before you butt in and say what you think.
Put yourself in their shoes. Another thing you can do to raise teenagers is to put yourself in their position. You were once a teenager and you know how challenging and difficult being a teenager. But bear in mind that things and situations now are different from the time you were on your teens. While it is not easy to raise teenagers, you have to understand that your teenage kids are facing new different challenges and difficulties.
Acknowledge their opinion. Although you do not have to always agree on their opinion and you need to set rules and boundaries, it is still important to make them feel that their opinion matters. If you believe in them and to what they can do, they will act in more responsible ways. If you underrate their opinions they may feel belittled making them more stubborn.
You can successfully raise teenagers if you are always there to give them guidance, love and understanding. Did you know that there are simple but amazing methods for raising teenage kids? Raising your teen doesn't have to be an ordeal for you and your kids. Learn how you can enjoy a calm, peaceful, and fulfilling relationship with your teen. Discover how to raise teenagers
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Tips for Planning an Awesome Disney Vacation
Going on a vacation to Disneyland? Whether it's a family vacation or a trip with friends, a visit to Disneyland is always cause for excitement. What better way to make sure your visit is perfect than with proper planning? Planning is a big part of having an awesome Disney vacation and you should never be too sure or too busy to make time for it. Here's how:
Timing is important. Plan your Disney vacation during a time when weather is comfortable and friendly. The summer may not be the best choice of all because it's usually hot and humid. And then there are those unpredictable summer storms that appear out of nowhere. Spring is usually the loveliest time of the year to visit or maybe October to have an awesome Disney vacation.
If you want to avoid the crowd, late November and early December will usually have smaller-than-usual number of visitors. You'll love the short lines and short waiting time to get to the rides and entertainment. But if summer is the only time you can go, don’t worry you can still have an awesome Disney vacation. There will be a lot of people, but Disney is quite efficient and effective in handling big crowds to make sure you will have an awesome Disney vacation.
Book ahead of time. It's only logical to get your bookings way ahead. Call your travel agent or your favorite airline and get your reservations in place. That way you can schedule your flight at a time that is best for you and you will surely have an awesome Disney vacation. You should also get in touch with the hotel where you will be staying. If you're going during peak seasons, you might have trouble finding a vacant room, so make sure you call ahead of time. Your airline and hotel might even throw in a good early bird discount.
Have a budget. Disneyland has dozens of wonderful places to go and visit and thousands of reasons to make you want to spend. A family of four will spend about $1,600 for a week of fun, including hotel room and entrance tickets if you buy during value season. If staying offsite seems less expensive, check out the hotels that are conveniently located. Figure in your expenses for meals, gas and a rental car. You have lots of options, so make sure to shop around to have an awesome Disney vacation.
Learn about Disneyland. Disneyland has four amazing places you can go to on a vacation: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and MGM Studios. All of these means there are a lot of things you can do in so many places… and a lot of money to spend on souvenirs and gifts. That is why it's important that you learn about Disneyland, what it offers and what you want to do to have an awesome Disney vacation.
Find out about the most popular rides and entertainment and the times during the day when they are packed. You can avoid long queues by knowing which rides have more crowds and which rides don’t. To have an awesome Disney vacation, it's also important that you learn what time the park opens (so you can go in early) and what time it closes. The water parks are quite popular and will have long queues by noontime. Animal Kingdom closes early so you might want to schedule your visit early during the day.
Take it easy. There are so many things to see and you can't realistically enjoy them all in one day. A great thing to do is to go to the parks early, take the most popular rides and go back to take a rest in your hotel or resort at noon time when the sun is hottest. When you are well rested and refreshed, return to the parks in the late afternoons or early evening. Better yet, learn to use common Disney tools such as the transportation system and Fastpass strategically to ensure you will have an awesome Disney vacation.
Enjoy yourself. Learn to improvise. You're there for an awesome Disney vacation and with so much happening at the same time; something just might not go as well as planned. If this happens, relax. Don’t let a small glitch ruin your Disney vacation. Have fun with your family and enjoy an awesome Disney vacation.
You don't have to be rich to have an extravagant Disney world vacation. Did you know that you can have an awesome Disney vacation for a fraction of what others pay? Discover the best tips, tricks, savings and strategies that can literally save you hundreds-if not thousands of dollars for a Disney vacation visit Disney Vacation And Savings Travel Guide.
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How to Protect Your Kids from Internet Predators and Cyber Bullies
PC-Tattletale Parental Control Software. Protecting Your Child From Internet Predators, Pedophiles, Cyber Stalkers, Online Sex Offenders When You're Not There. Helps protect you and your children when they're online.
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Once confined to the older high school and middle school kids, internet predators and cyber bullying are slowly but steadily infecting even younger kids. This makes it more important for parents to step up their vigilance and protect their kids from these high-tech bullies. Fortunately, as a parent, there are ways that you can use to protect your kids from internet predators and cyber bullying to avoid damage to your child. Here's how:
Take your kids complaint seriously to protect your kids from internet predators and cyber bullies. It's not about over-reacting -- it's about being there to support your child if he or she ever becomes a victim of internet predators. Watch your child for signs that he may be troubled, upset or scared. Don't belittle his feelings or the threats he receives, summing it up as child's play. If you want to protect your kids from internet predators then stop the harassment before it becomes a bigger problem.
Communicate and draw up a plan. Many cases of cyber bullying have occurred without parents knowing them. It is only when the damage is already too much that parents learn their child was being victimized. Encourage your kids to open up to you by maintaining clear lines of communication to protect your kids from internet predators and cyber bullies. Be open minded and loving, letting your child know he or she can rely on you for support and protection will give you the chance to protect your kids from internet predators and cyber bullies.
Work out a plan with your kids on what they should do to protect your kids from internet predators and bullies. Include a simple 'no-response' rule in your plan by telling your kids to avoid replying to a hurtful message and instead, reporting it to you, a trusted school teacher or school staff. If your child is prepared, he will be better at handling the situation should it occur to him.
Learn the walk and talk. You can't protect your kids from internet predators if you know nothing about the technology that made cyber bullying possible in the first place. Learn to use the computer and find out about the lingo, if you can.
Set limits. Without encroaching on your child's privacy, try to keep the computer in another area of the house where you can monitor any activity that may constitute bullying. You'll be more likely to stop cyber bullying early and protect your kids from internet predators if you know what's going on.
Save the evidence. You may need it to protect your kids from internet predators and cyber bullies. If your child ever receives a message or e-mail that is slanderous and hateful, save it and print it out as evidence. You will need this to help you identify who the bully is and get in touch with the authorities. If the cyber bullying escalates, you will need this evidence to show to the authorities.
Teach your child to be assertive. This can protect your kids from internet predators when you are not around. You can only protect your children up to a point. When they're out at school or in other social settings, they will be exposed to other influences and will be on their own. Teach them coping skills and encourage them to stand on their own feet. Kids who are more assertive and confident are often avoided by bullies (cyber or otherwise) because they prefer the shy, seemingly weak ones to target.
Begin at home to protect your kids from internet predators and cyber bullies. Values may be an old-fashioned quality to teach your child, but they are still very much important in bringing up a child who is not only responsible but socially aware and sensitive. Take time to teach kids being responsible for their actions.
Don't assume your child will understand what's right and wrong. It's your job as a parent to teach them to be responsible members of society and the time to do that is now. It is your job as a parent to protect your kinds from internet predators.
As a parent, you have to ask yourself: "Is my child safe when they're online?" Don't bet on it. With an estimated one million pedophiles online, you need parental controls to protect your children from internet predators and from child molesters.
How can you protect your kids from internet predators, pedophiles, cyber stalkers, online sex offenders when you're not there? The Internet is the most dangerous place for your child to venture unsupervised. Did you know that you can still protect your kids from internet predators and even if you are not around? PC Tattletale helps protect you and your children when they're online. Take control of your child's online experiences and keep them safe right now visit PC-Tattletale Parental Control Software
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Parenting Issues: Child Custody
Child Custody: Psychologists Strategies - Unique Program That Will Give You The Best Chance of Winning a Favorable Custody ArrangementDr. Barry Bricklin and Dr. Gail Elliot, two of the country's most famous and respected child custody experts, have developed a unique program that gives you the best chance of winning a favorable custody arrangement.
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How to Get a Favorable Child Custody Arrangement
Child Custody: Psychologists Strategies - Unique Program That Will Give You The Best Chance of Winning a Favorable Custody Arrangement
Dr. Barry Bricklin and Dr. Gail Elliot, two of the country's most famous and respected child custody experts, have developed a unique program that gives you the best chance of winning a favorable custody arrangement.
Visit Child Custody: Psychologists Strategies
Marriage may fail. You may find yourself not being able to get along well with your spouse. Thus, you might end up living separately, but this does not mean that you will also concede to being apart to your kids. In this case, knowing how to get a favorable child custody arrangement is very crucial.
Custody pertains to the legal and custodial rights of the parent to the child. It also entails certain duties and responsibilities that must be met by the parent. There are different alternatives and setups as to child custody arrangement. Parents may work out for a joint legal custody. One parent may also insist for sole custody. The choice of arrangement depends primarily on the state that you belong to. There might be a policy adhered to by your locality that will determine the arrangement. The choice can also depend on the situations of the spouses, as well as the needs of the child.
It is very crucial that you get to know the important considerations factored in so you can know how to get a favorable child custody arrangement. This may not be an easy thing to do but it is something that you can do. Know where you stand and firmly hold on things that will give you the winning edge.
How to Get a Favorable Child Custody Arrangement
Here are some pointers to keep in mind. These will help you learn the ways on how to get a favorable child custody arrangement.
1. Best Interests of the Child. Almost all of the child custody arrangements will focus on the best interests of the child. There will be no definite formula to determine the best interests of the child. However, keep in mind that this will always depend on the circumstances of the parents and the needs of the child. Thus, you may want to consider the aspects that you possess. These must show that you can provide the most favorable setup for the child.
2. Be Careful in Telling Your Motivation. You should also be wary of the things that you will tell to the judge or mediator. Watch your words, to get a better chance for a favorable child custody arrangement. Most people think that they can win a case by making the other spouse look bad. However, it is important to simply focus on the situation and stress on your good points. Sometimes, bashing your wife or husband might be interpreted as your mere move to retaliate.
3. Get a Good Representation. Some people go through the custody action without any representation. However, it can be very crucial to get an attorney who can properly represent you to get a favorable child custody arrangement. Many people worry over this, fearing that they may have to hire some expensive lawyer to get their desired results.
All you really need to know is how to access the services of an attorney who has sufficient experience in the field to get a favorable child custody arrangement. He or she must know at least some evaluators or guardians who can help in the procedure.
4. Control Your Emotions. Most judges and mediators will evaluate the capacities of the parents through their impressions. Thus, it is very important to keep your cool during the evaluation to get a better chance for a favorable child custody arrangement. Make sure you stay calm even if things are not going the way you want them. Always stick to your priority of doing the best for your child.
5. Maintain Good Relations with Your Child. Finally, it is best that you stay in contact with your kids. Be the good parent to them so that they can survive this phase. You will naturally work towards knowing how to get a favorable child custody arrangement if you feel deep in your heart the care for your child.
There are many ways to explore on how to get a favorable child custody arrangement. Just always prioritize how your kids are doing. Your being a good parent will be your number one key.
If you are presently involved in a child custody dispute (or might be involved in one in the future) this is the information of great importance that you should have. Discover a unique program developed by respected child custody experts that will give you the best chance of winning a favorable child custody arrangement visit Child Custody: Psychologists Strategies
Develop Your Child's Genius
How To Develop Your Child’s Genius -Your Child, Too, Can Be a Genius! Imagine how successful your child can be with a brilliant mind, lightning-fast learning skills, an accurate, lasting memory, creativity and problem solving skills of a genius.
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Intelligence Development in Young Children - Research
By Esther Andrews
New and very exciting discoveries about brain development are being made all the time, and especially recently, when research has accelerated and increased, as a result of new technologies that make it possible to research the brain using unobtrusive methods. This time I'd like to write about a few research reports that were published recently, and what the researchers suggest to parents and educators in regards to activities they can do with children.
David Armor, a professor at the school of Public Policy at George Mason University, has found that, "Parents have more impact on their child's IQ than any other persons or institutions, including schools. The impact is greatest in infancy and early childhood, much less after ages eight or nine." As a result of his research, a few of the things he suggests to parents are:
* Take care of your own education.
* Wait until you are at least in your 20's before having a child.
* Get good nutrition and pre-natal healthcare.
* Breastfeed your child as long as possible.
* Spend as much time as possible instructing your child, starting as early as possible, in reading, numbers, shapes, colors, etc.
* Expose your child to as many experiences outside the home as possible.
Americans tend to believe that their children's intelligence is either innate or based on what they learn in school; Armor's research shows the importance of another set of influences: early family environments. There is ample evidence that a child's intelligence is not fully given at birth, but continues to evolve and change at least through the early elementary school years.
A new research published by UC Irvine, shows that piano and computer training boost student math achievements. The study involved 135 second grade students, who took piano lessons and practiced solving math puzzles on a computer. Their math skills improved significantly. This study was published in the March issue of the journal Neurological Research. The study was led by UCI physics professor emeritus Gordon Shaw, who said that this was the latest in a series that link musical training to the development of higher brain functions. Only 4 months of the aforementioned activities increased the scores on fractions tests and proportional math by 27%. Piano instruction is thought to enhance the brain's 'hard wiring' for spatial-temporal reasoning, or the ability to visualize and transform objects in space and time, Shaw said. Music involves ratios, fractions, proportions and thinking in space and time.
Marian Diamond, a professor of Anatomy/Neuroanatomy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former Director of the Lawrence Hall of Science, as a result of her research in the laboratory, suggested to stimulate all the senses, but not necessarily all at once. A multisensory enrichment develops all of the cortex: whereas, an input from a single task stimulates the growth of only a precise area of the brain. She also suggests setting the stage for enriching the cortex by first providing a steady source of positive emotional support - love, encouragement, warmth and caring. She suggests to present to the child a series of challenges that are neither too easy nor too difficult for the child at his or her stage of development. Allowing for social interaction is very important, as well as providing sound nutrition. She also mentions the importance of promoting the development of a broad range of skills and interests that are mental, physical, aesthetic, social and emotional.
Navzer Engineer, Cherie Percaccio and Michael Kilgard, researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas, have mentioned that brains of both animals and humans are "plastic" throughout one's lifetime. They commented that the plasticity, the capacity of the brain to change, is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Their research showed that stimulating environments increase brain thickness, the number of neurons, and the number of connections between the neurons. They also found that when transferred back to a standard environment from the enriched (more stimulating) one, responses decreased by as much as 60% within a week of moving to the boring environment.
Dr. Beatriz Marique conducted a research in Venezuela, for a period of over sixteen years. The goal of her research was to analyze the relationship between stimulation and the development of in-uterus fetus, newborns and children up to the age of six. The research population included Venezuelan first time mothers with healthy pregnancies, and their children. In this research it was shown that from the very moment of birth, the babies who were enriched by a stimulating environment were more alert and turned their heads towards their parents. They recognized the music they heard in the womb. They were dynamic and relaxed, had initiative and were very curious. They had good hand-eye coordination, they laughed easily and were very social.
In other research, there is evidence that Omega-3 fats contribute to brain development in young children, and that when mothers have a diet rich in Omega-3 foods (cold water fish fish like Salmon, Trout and Sardines and Flax seed and nuts) while pregnant, the substance will be present in the baby's body. Also, mothers who have a diet rich in these food, will have more DHA in their breast milk, which contributes to healthy brain development. A good balanced diet that includes Omega-3 fatty acids has shown to support brain development in young children and to increase their intelligence.
Learn How to Develop Your Child's Genius Visit How to Develop Your Child's Genius
New and very exciting discoveries about brain development are being made all the time, and especially recently, when research has accelerated and increased, as a result of new technologies that make it possible to research the brain using unobtrusive methods. This time I'd like to write about a few research reports that were published recently, and what the researchers suggest to parents and educators in regards to activities they can do with children.
David Armor, a professor at the school of Public Policy at George Mason University, has found that, "Parents have more impact on their child's IQ than any other persons or institutions, including schools. The impact is greatest in infancy and early childhood, much less after ages eight or nine." As a result of his research, a few of the things he suggests to parents are:
* Take care of your own education.
* Wait until you are at least in your 20's before having a child.
* Get good nutrition and pre-natal healthcare.
* Breastfeed your child as long as possible.
* Spend as much time as possible instructing your child, starting as early as possible, in reading, numbers, shapes, colors, etc.
* Expose your child to as many experiences outside the home as possible.
Americans tend to believe that their children's intelligence is either innate or based on what they learn in school; Armor's research shows the importance of another set of influences: early family environments. There is ample evidence that a child's intelligence is not fully given at birth, but continues to evolve and change at least through the early elementary school years.
A new research published by UC Irvine, shows that piano and computer training boost student math achievements. The study involved 135 second grade students, who took piano lessons and practiced solving math puzzles on a computer. Their math skills improved significantly. This study was published in the March issue of the journal Neurological Research. The study was led by UCI physics professor emeritus Gordon Shaw, who said that this was the latest in a series that link musical training to the development of higher brain functions. Only 4 months of the aforementioned activities increased the scores on fractions tests and proportional math by 27%. Piano instruction is thought to enhance the brain's 'hard wiring' for spatial-temporal reasoning, or the ability to visualize and transform objects in space and time, Shaw said. Music involves ratios, fractions, proportions and thinking in space and time.
Marian Diamond, a professor of Anatomy/Neuroanatomy at the University of California, Berkeley, and a former Director of the Lawrence Hall of Science, as a result of her research in the laboratory, suggested to stimulate all the senses, but not necessarily all at once. A multisensory enrichment develops all of the cortex: whereas, an input from a single task stimulates the growth of only a precise area of the brain. She also suggests setting the stage for enriching the cortex by first providing a steady source of positive emotional support - love, encouragement, warmth and caring. She suggests to present to the child a series of challenges that are neither too easy nor too difficult for the child at his or her stage of development. Allowing for social interaction is very important, as well as providing sound nutrition. She also mentions the importance of promoting the development of a broad range of skills and interests that are mental, physical, aesthetic, social and emotional.
Navzer Engineer, Cherie Percaccio and Michael Kilgard, researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas, have mentioned that brains of both animals and humans are "plastic" throughout one's lifetime. They commented that the plasticity, the capacity of the brain to change, is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. Their research showed that stimulating environments increase brain thickness, the number of neurons, and the number of connections between the neurons. They also found that when transferred back to a standard environment from the enriched (more stimulating) one, responses decreased by as much as 60% within a week of moving to the boring environment.
Dr. Beatriz Marique conducted a research in Venezuela, for a period of over sixteen years. The goal of her research was to analyze the relationship between stimulation and the development of in-uterus fetus, newborns and children up to the age of six. The research population included Venezuelan first time mothers with healthy pregnancies, and their children. In this research it was shown that from the very moment of birth, the babies who were enriched by a stimulating environment were more alert and turned their heads towards their parents. They recognized the music they heard in the womb. They were dynamic and relaxed, had initiative and were very curious. They had good hand-eye coordination, they laughed easily and were very social.
In other research, there is evidence that Omega-3 fats contribute to brain development in young children, and that when mothers have a diet rich in Omega-3 foods (cold water fish fish like Salmon, Trout and Sardines and Flax seed and nuts) while pregnant, the substance will be present in the baby's body. Also, mothers who have a diet rich in these food, will have more DHA in their breast milk, which contributes to healthy brain development. A good balanced diet that includes Omega-3 fatty acids has shown to support brain development in young children and to increase their intelligence.
Learn How to Develop Your Child's Genius Visit How to Develop Your Child's Genius
Help for Slow Learning Children
By Esther Andrews
When we want to help "slow learning" children meet their challenges, we always have to start with evaluation. There are so many reasons why a child may face a challenge with certain subjects, some of which are often hidden to us, the adults.
A decisive reason that can cause a child to fall behind, is a learning disability. I will not discuss learning disabilities, since this is a subject that belongs in the hands of a skilled expert..
Another reason that can cause a child to fall behind, could be a slight hearing impairment, or a vision impairment. I recommend to check hearing and vision as soon as a problem becomes apparent.
Lets evaluate the reasons that could cause a child to appear to be a "slow learner". A child that has a dominant audio memory, may show difficulties in spelling, if he is encouraged to write the words several times in order to remember them. This is a learning method that works well with the people who have a dominant visual memory, but it is not effective at all for children who have a dominant audio memory.
A child that has a strong dominant visual memory, might have problems remembering tunes, music and songs. Methods can be used that take advantage of the child's learning style, in order to help him learn the material using his dominant style of learning. Teachers who receive training in this area, will be able to utilize methods appropriate for all styles of learning.
Some students have very active minds. They learn faster than other kids, and are actually very gifted learners. These children do not get the adequate stimulation for their minds in a classroom environment. These children experience real suffering, trying to follow the slow sequence of learning in the classroom. They lose their focus, and "go into their own world". They will appear to be slow learners, and occasionally will also create a behavioral problem. This case is hard to deal with if there is no special program for gifted children available in the school. The teacher will have to find a way to keep this child (or children) challenged and busy. In my son's classroom there was a child who was very gifted, and had a very active mind. The boy read an immense number of books at home, and had an amazing amount of knowledge. When the teacher tried to teach in class, he always tried to intervene with a "related" story. Of course, that caused an interruption in the classroom, and the child was determined to have a behavioral problem and a learning disability. When he was enrolled in a special class that employed accelerated learning, the problem was solved.
Another common case is a child that was told that he is a "slow learner" before. For example, in Mathematics. A child had some challenge with a Math concept, and the teacher, a parent, or a classmate, made a comment, ridiculed him or laughed at him, and the child got the idea that he "is slow in Math". When a child tries to solve a problem, he has to believe that he can and will solve the problem. A child that does not believe that he can solve the problem, may start the process of looking for a solution, but will stop before he has found the solution, because he gives up. In this case, dealing with the problem takes encouragement and lots of praise. Cooperation between the teacher and the parents will help accelerate the solution. A good example is a young college student I have met, who believed her teacher in second grade, who told her that she is "not good in math". She took a Logic class, and succeeded tremendously. She told me that she was amazed when she found out that Logic is a branch of math. This young student was so amazed to find out that she can succeed in anything that is related to Mathematics.
Children are naturally very fast learners, but differ in learning styles, ability to focus, self confidence and personality. The school environment of today does not accommodate all learning styles and all personalities. Learning in a big group sometimes creates an environment that supports one child, but neglects another, to some degree. If there is no learning disability, or a physical reason, then taking the time to find out what the reason is and how to deal with it as early as possible, is a crucial thing to do to stop the child from falling behind. An alert teacher or a diligent parent can make a big difference in the child's future.
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