Did you know that all your senses can help you learn to read?
We all have 5 senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Personally, I would call emotion a sixth sense because I often feel my emotions in my heart or chest area, as well as other parts of my body. Science calls it psycho-somatic, meaning that the mind affects the body (and vice versa). Some parents make the mistake of only focusing on one area of a child’s intelligence, either academic or sports. Children need exposure to many types of learning to be well-rounded. All areas affect the mind. Mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual healths are inter-related and we should encourage them in our children, for robust lives and futures.
There is a mind-body connection that is important to understand. There are many examples of times when body movement optimizes mental ability. Since the goal of most parents is for their gifted children to be well-rounded people, the mind-body connection is important to consider.
There is a proven connection between academics, infants and academics. Crawling affects language, reading, and math abilities. Children who crawled longer as babies often have an increased ability to learn during school years. In fact, children who are struggling in school show marked improvement when they do crawling exercises each day, even at ten years old or older. The eye-hand-leg coordination that is learned helps brain processing in all areas. It may be related to spatial relationships and timing patterns, which always improve math and reading. Young parents are often excited to have their babies walking early, but wise parents will encourage their infants to crawl longer.
Playing an instrument such as piano improves mental functioning. Music definitely improves space and time understanding, which maximizes learning in all areas. Likewise, hearing classical music from Brahms, Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart has been proven to increase intelligence in infants and children. There is something about the compositions from these four geniuses that increase the necessary neuron paths required for higher-level thinking. Wise parents incorporate music into their children’s lives, by both listening and playing instruments.
Playing sports can sharpen logic and logistical intelligence. Grasping how several players coordinate together, and all the many possibilities of interaction and play, is an important part of problem-solving later in life.
About age 5, it may be a good idea to start children in community t-ball, soccer, basketball or swimming. The recreation department at most city offices has information on all community sports. They also usually have a city pool that offers affordable swim lessons during the summer. Start children in sports early. The hand-eye-leg coordination required is akin to crawling in maximizing intelligence. Caution: do not neglect intellectual stimulation for physical prowess.
Three of my sons loved the swim team. None of them became Olympic or professional material, but they learned valuable lessons and strengthened their bodies, which strengthened their minds, and learned the value of teamwork. The oldest went to the State Swim Competition. Smart children are often independent and stand alone in their intellectual abilities. They may begin to think that their way is the only way, or that because they are smart, they are always right. It is good for them to learn teamwork and compromise in a team sport. It is good for them to learn that others have good ideas, too.
The steps to success are intention, attention, and then no tension. First, write down the goal that is intended to accomplish. Then give it attention and real effort for a sustained time. Finally, release the tension and do something else for a while. It is while doing something physical that the “Aha!” moments often come.
Personally, I pace when I’m having a mind blank. Washing dishes, walking, exercising, creating something with your hands, or just doing something physical releases ideas from the mind at unexpected times. Sleep affects mental acuity, too. Some “Aha!” moments occur in the middle of the night, awakened from sleep, where the mind has had a chance to relax. Many geniuses relax with some sort of physical art like painting, sculpting, carpentry, or other creative activity unrelated to their area of expertise. Giving the conscious mind a break allows the subconscious to kick in ideas.
Chiropractors such as Dr. Bradley Nelson (The Emotion Code) have shown that stress stored in the body relates to memories of traumatic moments. There is also a strong correlation between depression and physical ailments, where a negative mental attitude suppresses the immune system and allows illness in. The reverse is also true, that chronic illness can provoke depression. Keeping a positive mental attitude can keep the body healthier. By the same token, proper nutrition and exercise keep the mind and emotions healthier.
Some parents make the mistake of only focusing on the gifted child’s academic intelligence, or vice-versa. All other areas affect the mind, too. Mental, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health are all inter-related and should be encouraged in gifted children for robust lives and futures.
“Mom, there’s nothing to do!” Recognize that summer-time whine from your kids? Sometimes they need to put down the books, computer, and games and play outside. Children need the right side of their brains exercised as much as the left, so activities in the arts and humanities are refreshing and beneficial.
Stimulate your child’s imagination and creative juices with family trips to local water parks, federal reserve banks, museums with activities, pioneer towns, skating, nature reserves and farmstead parks, puppetry institutes, children’s science institutes, cave exploring, library activities, fine arts centers, community theaters, zoos, petting zoos, bird refuges, festivals, renaissances, college-sponsored math competitions for kids, picnics, nature hikes, arts & crafts, amusement parks, camping, historical sites, old downtown shops, reunions, to name a few.
Specialty museums, such as Native American museums and cultural centers, are a great way to expand your child’s social understanding. Local history is a splendid way to open your child’s mind to the past. Many historic buildings have tours and children’s activities. Check them out!
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