The sheer volume of information available to parents can be both overwhelming
and contradictory. And, a lot of it is very subjective! In 'Headstarts', Dr Cindy
Pan and Vanessa Woods have distilled the very latest scientific research into
100 easy to digest, simple and non-judgmental tips on a wide range of subjects
to help you choose what is best for you and your kids.
The tips are all
written in easy-to-understand including:
1. Spend quality time with your
baby
Try to spend quality time with your baby several times each day. It's
best if you aren't trying to do a million things at the same time and just concentrate
on paying attention to your baby. We don't know why, but this quality time helps
your baby's brain develop.
2. It's never too early to start reading to your
child
Reading to your children daily, or at least several times a week, improves
vocabulary and comprehension memory, problem-solving and the ability to understand
mathematical concepts.
3. Spelling tips
How well kids can spell and recognise
the sounds letters make at an early age predicts how well they will be able to
read later on in school.
3. Fish is great brain food
Scientists have
found that eating fish once a week (or taking daily supplements) can improve reading,
spelling and general behaviour.
4. Take the time to show your children how
things work
New research has found that children learn better when someone
takes the time to explain things or show them what to do. So whether it's teaching
them to ride a bike, or explaining how the earth was formed, take the time to
demonstrate or show them how it all works.
5. Kindergarten is important
Before
you enrol your child in a school, make sure you meet their kindergarten teacher.
Their passion and enthusiasm can make all the difference to your child.
6.
Childhood music lessons are well worth the money
Learning a musical instrument
can improve IQ because it involves the development of a range of abilities, such
as focusing on a task, daily practice, memorizing and refining fine motor skills.
These skills are important when kids' brains are highly plastic and extremely
sensitive to their environment.
7. Talking science
Teaching you children
to use language as a reasoning tool will help clarify their thinking and improve
their performance right through school, especially in maths and science.
8.
Helping with maths
Your child has natural mathematical ability right from a
very early age. Harness that ability and use it in everyday conversations with
your toddler. There is no end to the number of ways you can make maths relevant,
useful and alive for your child, and the rewards will add and multiply.
9.
Walking the dog
Physical activity clearly has a role to play in obesity and
recent studies have found that owning a dog can greatly increase kids' level of
physical activity. Children aged five to six in families who own a dog are half
as likely to be overweight or obese compared to those who do not.
10. The
importance of plenty of sleep
Enforcing bedtimes is one of the most important
things you can do to help your children at school. Children who don't get enough
sleep have worse attention, concentration and test scores than children who sleep
well.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Dr Cindy Pan is a GP and is best known
for her appearances on a wide range of television programs and as a contributor
to News Limited papers and women's magazines. She is also the author of Playing
Hard to Get and Pandora's Box. She has two young sons. Vanessa Woods is an award-winning
journalist who is currently working as a psychology researcher at the Max Planck
Institute in Germany where she's studying the cognitive development of chimpanzees
and bonobos. She is the author of several It's True titles and It's Every Monkey
for Themselves.
'Headstarts' is available now.
