We are learning so much about how our children learn and interact with the world from research by neuroscientists that we decided to devote this show to help parents relate this research to everyday parenting. We will be drawing upon a recent book, “Welcome To Your Child’s Brain” for most of what we share. The book is based on current research and authored by two prominent neuroscientists, Dr. Sandra Aamodt and Dr. Sam Wang.
To best frame the information we are going to use a twenty item quiz. You will hear the questions in a multiple choice format and then we will share the correct answer with the thinking behind it. We start with – Which of the following is a good way to get your child to eat his spinach? The possible answers are: a. Cover the spinach in melted cheese. b. Start the meal with few bites of dessert. c. Feed him with soy-based formula as an infant. d. All of the above. e. None of the above. Incredibly the answer is d. All of the above. The reason being is that the child will associate the spinach with a positive taste. This is especially true if we give a sample of the dessert 9 seconds before the spinach or other food that our children may shun.
Another question which pertains to an older child – Which of the following activities is likely to improve a child’s school performance? The possible answers are a. Studying with a friend. b. Listening to music while studying. c. Taking breaks from studying to play video games. d. All of the above. e. None of the above. Surprisingly the answer is c – Taking breaks from studying to play video games. Research has shown that two study sessions with times between them can result in twice as much learning as a single study session of the tame total length. This is called spaced training.
This is just a sample of the breadth of information now available to parents about how learning about our child’s brain can make parenting a more manageable and fulfilling journey. Join us to hear more.