How to Raise Smart Children

Edited by Rctprod, Travis Derouin, Julia Maureen, Kals and ! others

" child#s brain $rowth comes %rom e&perience and the e&ercise the brain
receives' Si$ht, sound, touch, taste and smell stimulate the brain#s cell
connections (called synapses) and create trillions more' The more comple&
these interconnections, the smarter your child will be' *hen you provide your
child with early stimulation and a wide ran$e o% e&periences, you can
accelerate his brain development'
Interact with your child' Scientists have observed that babies who were
not cuddled, played with and loved have stunted brain $rowth' They also
observed that babies who were not held and did not receive attention %ailed
to $row, became depressed, and eventually died' +n the other hand, many
studies have shown that hu$$in$, interactin$ and playin$ with your child has
a stron$ e,ect on developin$ his intelli$ence' The lovin$ connection %ormed
between you and your child and your one-on-one interaction with him provide
the %oundation %or his hi$her thin.in$ s.ills'
Talk to your child' "lso, listen to when your child is spea.in$' This
rein%orces their e,ort to communicate and %or lan$ua$e' /ou may also read
boo.s to your child' Start readin$ to even i% your child does not understand
the words' This $ives them a head start in developin$ lan$ua$e s.ills'
Children who are read to when youn$ are more li.ely to develop a li%elon$
interest in readin$, do well in school, and succeed in adult li%e' Readin$ boo.s
is one o% the most important activities that ma.e children smart'
Expose your child to things that develop both sides of their brain -
the le%t side %unctions %or reasonin$, lo$ic and lan$ua$e, while the ri$ht side
%eatures creativity and the arts'
Let your child play 0 *hen your child plays, they are creatin$ the
%oundation %or their intellectual, social, physical and emotional s.ills' *hen
your child plays with other children, they learn to combine ideas, impressions
and %eelin$s with others'
Encourage your child to exercise - 1hysical e&ercise does not only ma.e
your child stron$, but it also ma.es your child smart2 E&ercise increases the
3ow o% blood to the brain and builds new brain cells' E&ercise is $ood %or
adults# mental sharpness, but it has a more lon$-lastin$ e,ect on your child#s
developin$ brain'
Make music a part of your childs life 0 Studies have shown that listenin$
to music can boost memory, attention, motivation and learnin$' 4t can also
lower stress that is destructive to your child#s brain' 5earnin$ to play a
musical instrument has an e,ect on the brain6s proportional thin.in$ and
spatial temporal reasonin$ that lay the %oundation %or abstract math' 4%
possible, start with the piano' "%ter learnin$ to read music and play up to 78
notes at a time, it will be much easier %or them to learn any o% the other
instruments' 9ut startin$ them with music youn$--no matter what the
instrument--is the important thin$'
Let your child witness you doing smart things - Children learn by
modelin$ adult6s behavior' 4% they see you en$a$ed in readin$ boo.s, writin$,
ma.in$ music, or doin$ creative thin$s, they will imitate you, and in the
process $et smarter'
Feed your child properly - :ivin$ the ri$ht %ood is important to raise a
smart child' " protein-rich diet (e$$, ;sh, meat, beans, peanuts, etc')
improves their attention, alertness, and thin.in$' Carbohydrates $ive his
brain the %uel that is used in thin.in$' The best ones are those that come
%rom whole $rain and %ruits' 1rocessed carbohydrates and su$ar have bad
e,ects on attention span, %ocusin$ ability, and activity level' <itamins and
minerals are also important'
Take them on outings' Some $ood options are the museum and tourist
attractions' +nce they are old enou$h ta.e them on educational yet very
thrillin$=e&citin$ places such as The 5ondon Dun$eons' Ta.in$ them on
a,ordable trips abroad is a $ood option too'