Raising children is a Herculean task that involves many facets. But despite children requiring a lot of time, energy, and effort, parents are always ready to make adjustments or sacrifices to give their children the best. And if is able to crack the code to raising smart children, then that is the cherry on the cake. Knowing that you are actively working towards ensuring that your child is intellectually advanced gives parents the extra boost of energy to continue doing the best for their child. Here are some scientifically proven tips to ensure that you are your best to intellectually stimulate your child –
1) Dance and Music Lessons – Both dance and music have shown to improve cognition and memory in young children. They are both useful tools that help children improve their fine and large motor skills. Children who are learning a music instrument or a dance style have shown to deliver better academic results than their peers who are not.
2) Physical Exercise or Play – Kids who are active, have shown to get better grades than their peers. Exercise helps not the body but also the mind in staying active and sharp. It ensures that your child develops in a holistic manner and is healthy overall.
3) Interactions with Friends and Peers – Children who are encouraged to mingle with their peers and friends from a young age, grow up to have better communication and socio-emotional skills. They also have a developed social sense and a high emotional quotient.
4) Read With Your Kids, Not To Them – Most parents read stories to their kids, instead try to read stories with your kids. Encourage them to try reading words and sentences by themselves, even if they struggle at first. Or, while you read, you can involve your child and teach them how to sound words. Doing this from a young age helps children develop not only their language skills but their overall cognitive skills.
5) Raise Healthy Children – Making sure that your child is healthy overall, is also very important. Ensure that your child gets enough and the right kind of nutrition required for their age and body. In addition to that, also ensure that your child gets a good night’s sleep. A child’s physical and mental growth go hand in hand and both impact the well-being of the child.
6) Teach Self- Discipline – Teaching children self-discipline can be difficult, especially in a society where saying no is becoming increasingly difficult. However, studies have shown that when children are taught to regulate their desires and impulses, they perform better academically than their peers, even sometimes those with a higher IQ.
7) Learning is an Active Process – Children are always learning, every interaction that they have is an opportunity for them to learn and understand their surroundings better. As parents or caregivers, we can ensure that we expose them to a wide variety of stimuli and continuously engage with them as they continue to learn.
Healthy and happy children are naturally curious and intellectually stimulated. As parents or caregivers, our role is to support the children and help them become the best versions of themselves. We have to ensure that they get the surrounding, the love, and the care required for them to grow.