Early Childhood Training is Important

Have you ever heard of the person who was the youngest lawyer in the United States? His name is Stephen Baccus. He graduated from the University of Miami with honors, and two years later, at sixteen, he finished law school. All of this sounds pretty good. However, when Stephens mother was pregnant with him, the doctors warned her that her baby could be born with a learning disability. When she had her baby, she immediately began talking and reading to him at every opportunity. As he got older, they took educational trips together, explored the outside world, practiced songs and counting, and many other numerous things. His mother was convinced that the attention and stimulation she gave her son in his infancy would change his future, and it did.

Many people are familiar with the subject of "nature vs nurture". "Nature" being something that is inherited, and "nurture" being the rearing and training that the child has received. Most researchers are convinced that the development of a child is influenced by a combination of both factors. It has been clinically proven that the experiences that a child is exposed to in early years of his life influences how the child brain develops. Many people devote large amounts of money to send their child to special schools that have structured programs, they are willing to spend money for their child to learn to play different instruments, and many other activities. They want to give their children a well rounded upbringing, with boundless opportunities. This is great, but sometimes children miss the most crucial part of the learning experience. This is the experience that comes through unstructured play. Spontaneous play stimulates creativity and develops social, mental and emotional skills. What a person learns, or even what he or she does not learn during their childhood can affect their future abilities. Sometimes even parent-led play can pose a problem.

Micromanaged children tend to be more stressed and emotionally volatile. Often times they can not sleep, and complain of aches and pains. One psychologist noted that children who are micromanaged at a young age, once they reached their teenage years, many of them have not yet developed coping skills, and are "burned out, antisocial and rebellious". It is true that parents want their child to be able to reach their fullest potential. And of course there is nothing wrong with this, but pushing their children too hard and too fast can have a devastating affect. There must be a balance between the two. You may ask, "What capacity do young children have for growth, and how can it be nurtured?"

A baby's brain grows dramatically in size, structure, and in function during the first few years of their life. If they are exposed to an environment that is rich in stimulation and learning experiences, synaptic connections in the brain multiplies. This makes pathways for thinking, learning, and reasoning possible. It is possible that the more stimulation an infants brain gets, the more nerve cells get turned on. Infants who are not held and touched nor played with are less stimulated. Therefore, fewer synaptic connections are formed.