A child’s brain is a brain under construction. It’s up to the parents to create a healthy physical and social world that’s rich with instructions. Based on years and years of research in psychology and neuroscience, Harvard psychologists have created 6 rules that will help your kid have a brain that’s flexible and resilient.
1. Talk and read to your child
Even when children are a few months old, their brains still make use of words. If you read to your child from day one, your child will have a better foundation for later learning. They also develop a better vocabulary. Teaching your child emotional words is especially beneficial for them. Talk more about what causes emotions and how emotions affect on people.
2. Explain things
It can be really exhausting answering all your child’s questions, but you need to know that you’re the one who needs to give the answers. Avoid saying “Because I said so”, when your child asks you why. It’s better to take some time and explain them everything well because kids need to learn to consequences of their actions and learn empathy.
3. Be a gardener
Gardeners help plants grow by cultivating a fertile land. It’s the same thing with kids, parents sculpt their children and encourage healthy growth. When you understand what kinds of plant you’re growing, you’ll adjust the soil so that the plant can take root and flourish.
4. Expose your children safely to lots of people
Expose your child to as many diverse people as you can, especially infants. One research shows that babies that interact with people that speak another language can really help them learn other languages in the future. Also, babies that see many diverse faces will remember a great variety of faces when they’re older. This can also help you raise an anti-racist child.
5. Help your child to copy you
You’ve probably noticed that some tasks that seem like work to you, your child sees them as a game. Children learn by watching and coping adults. This is one of the most efficient way to make your child learn something, by simply coping you.
6. Applaud agency
Children love trying out new things on their own. This is really good and will help them develop a sense of agency. Even when an action is a misbehavior, it’s just your child’s attempt to understand the effect of the world. Knowing when to give give your child a hand or step back, can be really challenging. The important thing is to be always present and guide your child.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/08/harvard-psychologist-rules-for-raising-intelligent-kids-with-resilient-brains.html?fbclid=IwAR0d91vBUJxy4nULjG6F85QzVVVjs9IlwBCF4clDdJPOs9I4NPK9hj0qwds