How to raise smart kids

A child is born with billions of brain cells that need to grow. The brain does not automatically grow with age. It comes from zapping brain cell connections into place. This occurs through the stimulation and exercise that the brain receives. A child’s brain develops its full potential when exposed to rich experiences in early childhood.

1. Make your child feel loved. Hug him, hug him, kiss him, a lot! When you bond with your baby, you provide love and security that build brain connections.

2. Read books to your child. Research shows that children who are read to when they are very young are more likely to develop a lifelong interest in reading, do well in school, and be successful in adult life.

3. Let your child play. When your child plays, he builds the foundation for her intellectual, social, physical, and emotional skills. When he plays with other children, he learns to combine ideas, impressions, and feelings with the experiences and opinions of other children.

4. Play with your child. He feels warmer and more comfortable playing with you. This is especially if he is doing something new and is frustrated that he can’t master a skill.

5. Talk to your child. This is how your child develops strong language skills. Also important, listen to your child. Among other things, it reinforces your effort to communicate.

6. Give your child music lessons. By playing music, your child exercises the part of his brain that processes proportional thinking. An understanding of proportional math and fractions is required for students to understand math at higher levels. Children who are not proficient in these areas of mathematics cannot understand the higher mathematics that is important in high-tech fields.

7. Let your child see you doing smart things. Children learn by modeling the behavior of adults. If he sees you reading books, writing, making music, or doing creative things, he will imitate you and, in the process, develop his intelligence.

8. Give them children’s computer games. The best computer games for kids teach them letters, math, music, phonics, and many others. It also develops his hand-eye coordination and prepares him for the technology of tomorrow. More importantly, learn this as you play. Learning and having fun at the same time is the best way for your child to learn.

9. Let him watch children’s TV shows. This is the most passive type of learning, but it is better than nothing. The danger is that letting your child watch too much TV can take away time from engaging in more effective learning experiences, like reading books and other activities mentioned above.

10. Feed your child well. No processed and refined carbohydrates and sugar, but mostly fruits and vegetables that are packed with the nutrients your developing brain needs. Also, feed him protein-rich fish, meat, or nuts.

You can see details on raising smart kids at http://www.RaiseSmartKid.com.