The current generation of kids suffer from one problem the most is being mentally unstable. It is a parent’s responsibility to help their kids to develop into mentally strong kids. There is ample evidence that this is caused by the artificial environment that surrounds a child right in the beginning stages of growth. Early childhood experiences are important in shaping the adult they grow into and it is crucial to keep a kid mentally strong, peaceful and happy. Here are a few factors that can shape the child to grow into a mentally strong, emotionally strong and moral growth.
Greenery, Parks, Open Spaces
With parents working, it might be difficult to take children out to parks. However, make the effort as much as possible. Ensure the safety of your child (pandemic precautions) and take them out for an hour or even half an hour to a park nearby. The soothing green lawn, plants, shrubs and trees have a lasting effect on a child’s memory. They keep the mind fresh while also having a simultaneous calming effect. Travel back to a few of your earliest memories. Chances are that your mind would wander into a garden you frequented as a little child. Notice how pleasant you feel as you recollect the memory. A recent study, measured by satellite imagery, showed that children who grow up with more green space around them have about a 55% reduced chance of developing any sort of mental strength in their adult life.
Free Play
Allow your toddler to experience a wild jungle sort of environment. This can be done by keeping the play area unstructured and allowing children to discover and learn for themselves. For example, if you have a sandbox or a nearby sand-bed for children, allow them to get dirty, play with the sand, jump around and do whatever they wish.
Scientifically, this is how it helps.
“The experience of play changes the connections of the neurons at the front end of your brain,” says Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. “And without play experience, those neurons aren’t changed,” he says.
It is those changes in the prefrontal cortex during childhood that help wire up the brain’s executive control center, which has a critical role in regulating emotional growth and moral growth, making plans and solving problems, Pellis says. So play, he adds, is what prepares a young brain for life, love and even schoolwork.
According to Pellis, this means no coaches, no umpires, no rulebooks.
The kids have their language, their way of communication with their friends. There is no need for parent intervention. Children learn the art of negotiation, team work, leadership and participation through trial and error. They must be given the freedom from a very young age to express during these free play times. It helps the genes to evolve and develop individuality. By following these methods we can protect our children
Reduce Screen Time & Electronic Toys
A few minutes of screen time for educational purposes can be permitted. If there is a calming lesson with pictures on a laptop, you could allow it briefly, but to make it a default gadget to distract or silence your child can have adverse effects. Exposing children to cartoons at a very young age, toys with flashing bulbs, siren-like sounds or loud digital sounds, exposure to mobile screens at a stretch can destroy kids’ mental strength. Clear away digital toys with flashy lights and sounds.
The idea is to develop a social brain. A social brain is one that learns how to interact with others in positive ways. A good time to begin is early childhood. The learning is automatic and for life with great dividends in years to come!
