Once a young adult hits a certain age, several things kick into action. Not only is puberty raging, the brain is going through some amazing changes, too. The thought that the brain was finished developing in the early years is evolving as new studies are finding the teenage brain goes through one last push to keep the brain in tip-top condition, or lose certain functions forever.
The mind is an amazing thing and doesn’t seem to ever get a rest – even during sleep. The body gets recharged during those dark and quiet hours of the night, but young minds could use a bit of focus and concentration to help improve memory and understanding. That is where meditation comes in. And, meditation is not just for Buddhist monks and health gurus. It is starting to be recognized as a way to improve brain function and the young developing mind.Meditation has been around for quite some time, with the first references as far back as 5000 years [...]
Kids are active, some more than others. And, occasionally, those active kids are labeled as difficult students or challenged learners. This is not always the case. Those wiggly kids might need a bit more attention due to being kinesthetic learners, or children that best understand new information when learned in a physical way or by working things out tactilely. Kinetic learners are also considered tactile learners, which means the act of touching and using the hands and body is additionally beneficial to learning.There are three different types of learning – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners learn through visual activities, [...]
Throughout life there are many times when outside influences change or influence decision-making. The young child has inner motivation to learn and explore, but as he matures, finds outside sources to be a motivating force for development, as well. Along with being a beneficial influence, there are moments when peer pressure can overwhelm a child and lead him down a challenging path. And, peer pressure is a real thing – it is not only observable, but changes the way the brain behaves. Observational Learning As a young adult, observational learning plays a part in development through observing and then doing. [...]
You are what you eat, and what you eat helps your body grow and develop in amazing ways. Even adults can continue developing and growing, especially when it comes to your brain. Several foods are extremely beneficial in aiding the brain to develop healthfully from birth through adulthood, and also assist with the aging brain, too. The brain thrives on several elements, mainly glucose, vitamins, minerals, and other essential chemicals, with glucose, or a simple sugar that is one of the main components in carbohydrates, being the most essential. Glucose encourages the brain to create new connections and add myelin, [...]
As you endure your child’s horrid noises while he attempts to play the violin, recorder, or piano, just remember that along with learning how to play a musical instrument, he is boosting his brain for learning and understanding math. Yes, the brain finds music and math to be a happy combination, so encouraging your child to continue pounding away at that piano is a good thing if you want him to be able to properly balance his checkbook later in life. The brain is divided into two hemispheres -the right and the left. The left-brain is in charge of rational thought [...]
Kids are not going to come running when you offer them a brown bag lunch filled with brain food. In fact, most are going to turn the other way and run as fast as they can! But, parents can sneak brain healthy foods into their kid’s lunch (without too big of a fuss from either parent or child), and aid in boosting a child’s brainpower and learning abilities. Along with tasting good, food provides important energy for the body – which includes the brain. Filling lunches with brain healthy foods will give your child a jump-start on understanding those tricky [...]
Kids do the darndest things, which sometimes lands them in a bit of trouble. The developing brain is full of adventure, and children often don’t think before they act – not because they want to cause mischief, but because they are interested in seeing what will happen. And, what sometimes happens is a couple of minutes in time-out. The child’s brain is hardwired to be creative and inquisitive. The desire to explore is innate and some might say present from birth. A child is a motivated learner, and often the best learning happens through trial and error. As a parent, [...]
Most young children are excited about doing a creative activity, while others rush through a project or are quick to complain, “I can’t draw.” The child that doodles while listening to directions instead of attentively keeping eye contact frustrates many a teacher. Some adults might struggle to understand their child’s quirky obsession with wearing matching clothing at all times. This actually has more to do with the brain than one might think. A young child’s brain is simply letting its dominant side take over, and not blending with the other in order to reach its full potential. The Brain and Creativity [...]
