7 Tips To Buy A Youngsters’s Desk

Raising youngsters isn’t simple no matter what era. Youngsters hearing things from their parents is a valuable resource. Nonetheless, the extra exposure and reinforcement that kids get, the more doubtless that compassionate and charitable behaviors will turn out to be second nature to them. They will see it as an accepted part of collaborating in society. In addition, they are going to obtain optimistic feedback from a bigger group of people as a substitute of simply their mother and father. As you possibly can see within the picture above, a wise building depends on a sequence of methods and sensors that enable it to perform.

There are literally hundreds of places the place sensors could be deployed. The extra sensors there are, the smarter” the constructing goes to be. They are used to collect varied data about the inside and exterior conditions. This collection of data is crucial for the functioning of the whole system, which brings us to another ingredient of the good” structure. It’s imperative for folks to set an example of habits for his or her children. DO not overlook that no matter how ethical or ideological speak you have got with them, what you do may have a extra intense and lengthy lasting influence on their conduct. SO instead of attempting to assist them in solving issues, present them the way you clear up your personal problems. Be affected person and mindful and they will comply with suit.

Whereas there are different concerns when purchasing a toy storage product, this text discusses three of the key issues. Location, structure and security and the long run are important things to consider when buying a toy chest for your child. The method sounds simple enough, but in reality, loads of IT knowledge is necessary to arrange such a network. This is solely a sneak peak into how the sensible buildings of the long run will work. With the event of AI, automation is unquestionably going to turn into even higher, as AI could have better predictions, additional optimizing the energy expenditure of the whole system.

Does your 5-year outdated actually need a smartphone? Schoolchildren might want them as, unfortunately, that’s the means youngsters communicate at present, and nobody goes to name your landline. If you want to stay in control and limit entry, you can get one of many outright unlocked phones available Your kids can share this telephone and they can each have their own sim card to make use of when needed. Additionally, you may let your children share a computer. There isn’t any want for every one of them to have their very own. They can simply use one in a communal space.

Your child wants special guidance at beginning once they just begin enjoying with the fabric you provided. These above simple video games improve your child’s physical, emotional and psychological strength. You may also robust your bond by dancing collectively and watching cartoons with them. It’s important to spend increasingly time with your youngsters by which they will be taught different things and grow with perfection. When you find yourself wanting on the foliage, you will in all probability notice that some timber may have leaves while others have needles. A deciduous tree is one which sheds their foliage and they have leaves. Timber with needles however maintain their foliage all year. That’s one reason trees that have needles are generally called evergreens. The perfect of the firewood trees will likely be discovered in the deciduous class.

Issues To Think About Before Buying A Child’s Toy Chest

Kids’s minds are as sensitive as their bodies. Such a statement might come as a natural response to something silly that the child might need accomplished. The fact is that little minds will not be as sharp in observing and comprehending things because the grownup minds are. Besides, youngsters aren’t very adept at understanding sarcasm and such sort of conversation can leave them damage and confused. They might also really feel that they’re being scolded unfairly as a result of to them what they have completed made perfect sense. Ensure that never to use such reactionary words to your little ones.

Carpet is often found in high visitors areas, akin to bedrooms, dwelling rooms and completed basements simply because it’s probably the most invisibly durable type of floor overlaying. In case you have kids, carpet is always the wiser alternative because it creates a slip-free floor and a man-made padding for wild youngsters. The carpet not only cushions your ft, however it will probably additionally soften the acoustics of the room, making for much less echoes and noise. Baking, whether or not it involves kneading the dough, rolling and chopping cookies, or cutting fruit for pies, additionally gives opportunities for the awakening intelligence of the child to penetrate into the fingers. The guide dexterity and eye-hand coordination which consequence from all these activities are important for later educational work, yet to the younger little one that is all play.

There’s a rising body of analysis that helps the position of Waldorf faculties that children ought to remain in play-oriented preschool till the age of six. The clearest instance of such analysis which has come to our attention is a significant research undertaken in Germany evaluating one hundred public college classes for five yr olds. Fifty of them had solely play of their program and the opposite 50 had academics and play together. The kids entered first grade when they had been six, and the study surveyed their progress until they had been ten. The primary year there was little distinction to be seen. By the point the children were ten, nevertheless, those that had been allowed to play once they were 5 surpassed their schoolmates in each space measured.

Will the toy chest be placed within the playroom? Will or not it’s positioned in a child’s bed room? Or maybe it will be put in the front room, recreation room or even the kitchen? A playroom or child’s bedroom are sometimes the preferred places. These places are often embellished with a theme which needs to be thought of along with the kid’s desires and interests. For example, a girl with a love for tolls would do well with a doll-themed toy chest while a boy who dreams of being a musician would love one with a music theme. Almost any type of theme will be found with a little research. If one other room in the home is the planned location, preserving with the decor of that room is an effective strategy. A toy chest in a cherry or oak wooden finish that matches other furnishings within the designated room is commonly a perfect choice. A lounge with whitewashed wooden decor, for instance, would be an incredible location for an antique, whitewashed end, bench-fashion toy chest.

Whereas purchasing particular needs toys to your gifted little ones there are certain belongings you need to keep in mind like the protection of your kids with the toys, entertainment issue, and the educational factor. Little one assist is a technical space. It provides chills after we think a judge can be ruling on how much baby support we personal who knows nothing in regards to the kids. Despite that, the system of at this time is based on how the choose interprets the financial information that he receives from the dad and mom and the attorneys. This is the reason the system cannot be categorised as a perfect one.

Elements You Ought to Know About Baby Assist

Elevating children just isn’t easy it doesn’t matter what era. What resides in the 5 12 months olds that makes play such an important aspect of their development and development? To reply this query, one wants to look at the progression of play throughout early childhood as much as the age of six. For the 2 yr outdated, play consists of doing what the adult does. Fantasy has not but entered, and if one affords a two 12 months old a cake made of sand, he’s very likely to eat it. By the time the kids turn three, this is now not the case, for they’re typically filled with fantasy and creativeness.

Having slightly healthy competitors between siblings just isn’t a bad factor, but it should by no means be born out of a sense of hostility or dad and mom’ favoritism. While the youngsters may compete and attempt to outperform one another, such a statement coming from a parent may seriously harm a baby and make him shut out from the world in addition to from dad and mom. It might additionally harm his vanity and create rivalry or hatred between siblings. Make costumes a mandatory. Halloween is the best time of the 12 months to play dress up. Witches, wizards, zombies, mummies, spiders, joker, pirates, killers, pumpkins, vampires, bats, there isn’t a shortage of Halloween costumes for youths If you want to make it more memorable for your child strive your hand at a few DIY costumes. There is nothing better than sharing some quality father or mother-child time for thrilling birthday preparation.

Kids are sometimes described as sponges. They take in and soak up every thing they hear and see. This applies to the behaviors they see from their mother and father as properly. If a father or mother is berating the cashier in line, then the child is going to think that habits is appropriate. Alternatively, if they see the parent boxing up old clothes to take to the donation middle in town, then they will learn that is the type of conduct anticipated from them as an adult.

Get in touch with your folks who’re also mother and father to present some references for babysitters, daycare facilities and nannies. Record down all your necessities and then zero down on the options to decide on the perfect one that suits your working hours and desires. It is price mentioning that daycare services and nannies with a historical past of long-term commitment often prove to be extra adaptable and dedicated. They will effortlessly handle your newborns and elder children who might need some assist with their homework. Take a observe to check the license of your selected caretaker and ensure that they have completed a background test.

That you must go away house for your children round for them to move around so that they don’t go knocking things round and bumping into them. You may have your family room arrange close to the kitchen as an alternative of near the eating desk in order that the mother and father can completely calm down when the kids are within the banquette space. This is without doubt one of the greatest recommendation an inside design options supplier will give you too. Many of us take into account the particular children a burden on society and spend our complete lives staying away from them. It is a extremely unhealthy attitude and must be reprimanded at all levels.

Sample And Cultural Influences Of Music By May Smith

Youngsters’s minds are as delicate as their our bodies. Pay heed to all the priorities in your loved ones. Note down all of the monthly bills along with the dates when they are due, vital faculty events plus capabilities, birthdays, and should shop issues etc. This manner you will turn into a pro at dealing with important day-to-day duties. Staying organized and pre-planning will help you win both the worlds: your profession and your family life. Whether it is troublesome to plan for the entire month, then think about planning on a weekly foundation. Take some time on Sundays to plan for the coming week. After five to 6 weeks you’re going to get used to such planning after which you possibly can easily step as much as monthly planning. If you’re looking for the most effective calendar app then consider using Google calendars as they are often easily shared between totally different units and you may get entry to them in your workplace, your home and even in the go.

You might want to leave area to your kids around for them to move around so that they don’t go knocking things round and bumping into them. You may have your loved ones room arrange near the kitchen instead of near the eating table so that the dad and mom can absolutely loosen up when the kids are in the banquette area. This is likely one of the best recommendation an inside design solutions supplier will give you too. Many people consider the special children a burden on society and spend our entire lives staying away from them. It’s a highly unhealthy angle and needs to be reprimanded at all levels.

Normally, people only know about one form of baby assist. Actually, there are three forms. The first one is termed as ‘primary baby support’. That is the amount acknowledged by the calculator. Additional two varieties aren’t current in all the circumstances. These are medical insurance coverage help for kids and childcare support. That is the place the calculator permits to enter the amounts spent on a month-to-month basis beneath these categories and likewise who accounts for them. This may have a direct influence on the amount of kid help acquired by the get together.

It is far better to make your baby feel self-reliant and accountable as they grow up. It can be a hard task for parents to see their youngsters in problem and not leap proper in to help them, however good parents notice that it is a necessary a part of their kids’s correct growth and growth. Listed below are some ideas to help parents recover from their concern of letting their little one be and as a substitute nurturing and bringing him up in the perfect manner doable. There are various board video games for the gifted children like ludo, monopoly, and snakes, ladders, and so on. All of these video games help in the event of their communication expertise. These video games normally require multiple individual to play, so it helps in growing social abilities, manners, and morals. Board games can be played with family and friends, hence giving a chance for an excellent get together and enjoyable time.

Get in touch with your pals who’re additionally mother and father to give some references for babysitters, daycare services and nannies. List down all your necessities and then zero down on the options to choose the most effective one which fits your working hours and needs. It’s price mentioning that daycare amenities and nannies with a historical past of long-time period commitment typically prove to be extra adaptable and dedicated. They can effortlessly handle your newborns and elder kids who might need some assist with their homework. Take a word to verify the license of your chosen caretaker and make sure that they have completed a background verify.

How To Balance Work And Household

All of us normally have this notion that the toys for teenagers with special needs are only out there at expensive boutiques. One of the main adjustments in public faculty education in the past fifteen years has been the transformation of the kindergarten room from a kids’s backyard” filled with toys and play-like exercise right into a pre-first grade, full of labor sheets and learning stations. There has been an assumption that every one of that is applicable for the five yr previous and will assist the child in its tutorial work and in its growth and improvement typically. More and more, that assumption is now being challenged.

Professional carpet cleansing is the most acceptable approach to give your carpets the cleansing they deserve. Licensed carpet cleaners are the only individuals who have the correct truck-mounted equipment to get the job accomplished right. They use highly effective sizzling water extraction that goes past the carpet, cleaning the padding and backing for a extra complete clear-up. Set technology-free zones in both time and house. There ought to be areas in your home the place no electronics should be current. Additionally, you must set activities that involve zero-tech corresponding to a household sport night or meals. Also, decide the minimize-off time for the use of technology in your home. This is the time when you may additionally change off the Web. Ensure that your kids go to bed totally relaxed and go to sleep immediately.

Youngsters hearing things from their mother and father is a beneficial resource. However, the extra exposure and reinforcement that youngsters get, the more likely that compassionate and charitable behaviors will change into second nature to them. They will see it as an accepted part of participating in society. In addition, they are going to receive optimistic feedback from a larger group of individuals instead of just their parents. As you’ll be able to see within the image above, a smart constructing depends on a collection of techniques and sensors that enable it to perform.

Does your 5-year previous really need a smartphone? Schoolchildren would possibly want them as, unfortunately, that is the way children communicate right now, and nobody goes to call your landline. If you wish to stay in management and restrict access, you may get one of the outright unlocked telephones accessible Your children can share this phone and they can every have their own sim card to make use of when needed. Additionally, you’ll be able to let your children share a computer. There isn’t any need for each one among them to have their own. They’ll merely use one in a communal space.

Make ‘residing within the second’ your mantra. For example, if you’re out in the park along with your children then avoid checking emails and messages as soon as they pop-up on your screen. You may at all times test such notifications when your youngsters are sleeping. Similarly, if you end up in the workplace, avoid multitasking and wasting your time. You possibly can by no means be productive while exchanging emails, casual Internet browsing and gossiping all at the identical time.

Denims

Many dad and mom are confused once they go for choosing an art desk for their little one, particularly when the children need to review or do homework. Toys which use water resembling water weapons, slip-n-slides, boat, interactive sprinklers, etc. improve the hand-eye coordination by squeezing, pouring and squirting. It additionally helps the gifted kids to make use of their imagination while enjoying and enacting numerous roles. Moreover these, it additionally helps in enhancing their downside-solving expertise whereas they’re taking part in with the floating boards and sinking objects. Whereas taking part in with water toys they get to study that the lighter objects float and heavier one sinks.

Every child deserves kindness, care, love, and a focus, however the children with particular wants and sure disabilities require further love and attention. These kids are either unable to carry out their tasks themselves or face some difficulties of their lives and works. Some sensors verify whether the individual is within the apartment or not. Others measure the within and outdoors temperature. Some sensors can measure how many individuals are going out and in of the constructing, whereas more of them can be utilized for tracking the variety of free parking areas.

It’s the motive that the young kids require particular consideration and care from everyone around. How do they perform as part of the family? Interest and dedication may sound severe, however everybody can show them at an age-appropriate degree. Spending high quality time with the household determines a toddler’s emotional growth. Be certain the electronics should not current during household time and you have common household activities deliberate. The window seat is claimed to be an excellent storage possibility and resolution. It gives snug seating in your breakfast nook or a nook that is unused and will also be very clean and straightforward to pick up. The toys which can be plush can be tossed inside and be hidden when any company arrives.

So in this article, I’ve shortlisted all the bizarre toys which might be available available in the market which will not solely entertain the children with special needs however may also help in their general growth. You’ve probably already guessed the answer, the buds. These are the tiny little nubs on the limbs. When spring is sprung these buds will unfold to show the leaves or flowers that seem. Form, dimension and coloration will all fluctuate from tree to tree. Learning the differing bud traits will probably be your guide in chilly winter months.

Celebrated on December 25th every year with great fanfare, to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas is a broadly noticed holiday. Increasingly celebrated by several non-Christians as well, standard modern day traditions for the competition embody gift giving, caroling, household get-togethers, show of Christmas decorations, and many others. Christmas is commonly thought of a festival of miracles and is associated with spreading cheer and love. Buzzle spreads the Christmas spirit with a plethora of articles on the history of the pageant, its many traditions, well-liked recipes, adorning and reward concepts, and rather more.

6 Powerful Factors That Influence a Child’s Intellectual Development

Einstein. When we think about incredible braininess, nine out of ten times, that’s the name that pops into our heads. Einstein is best known for his theory of relativity, but that’s academic. He became the most renowned scientist of the 1900s, and his most famous equation is one that many of us learned before high school physics class: e=mc2.

Einstein’s work has become famous in Berlin Ohio and worldwide, for his contribution to numerous scientific developments, including the atomic bomb. Einstein earned the Nobel Prize in 1921, and Time magazine honored him in 2000 as the most important person of the 1900s.

How smart was Einstein? His extraordinary intelligence has often been compared with Sir Isaac Newton, and the whole line of Baby Einstein products have been named after him. But was Newton born smart or did he become smart? One of the main issues today about intelligence is related to the “Nature versus Nurture” debate. In other words, are genes or learning more influential on a child’s intelligence? How much do Baby Einstein products help in developing a child’s mind?

Researchers are continuing to learn about the impact of nature and nurture, on intelligence. However, they have already made some important discoveries:

1. Children learn differently. Some children learn more by seeing, while others learn better by seeing, or doing. Even children who grow up in the same family and learning environment can learn at different rates and in different ways.

2. The education and guidance that parents provide their children are the most important factors in nearly all children’s mental development. It should be noted that this also includes the support that they supply indirectly, through another means. For instance, when a parent provides his or her child with nursery school or Baby Einstein products, the child’s intellectual development can still be improved.

3. A system for a child’s learning should focus on multiple facets of a child’s development, rather than just one of them. Instead, it should develop the child’s total collection of experiences in the world. While it is important for a child to develop his or her logical skills, mastering the skills needed for language learning are just as important.

4. Creating experiences that allow children to learn will affect several aspects of their intelligence, such as their musical, linguistic, mathematical, creative, logical and interpersonal intelligences. That’s what makes Baby Einstein products so special. For example, Baby Einstein books not only introduce children to letters and numbers, but they also allow children to use different facets of their intelligence, to help improve their skills in other areas.

5. Parents in Berlin Ohio and elsewhere should help develop several of the intellectual building blocks that children need for learning, before he or she turns two-years-old. Thus, it is important to use products such as Baby Einstein books and Baby Einstein DVDs, to develop the mental skills that children will need for future learning.

6. Both “nature” and “nurture” are vital in shaping a child’s intelligence. It cannot be reasonably argued that only one aspect is important. Also, it cannot be proven that either factor is more important than the other one. While a child’s genes certainly have an influence on how intelligent he or she can become, nurturing is needed in order to mold those genes into a mind that is ready to learn, and is capable of learning.

Researchers will continue to learn the ways that nature and nurture influence a child’s intellectual development. However, it is certainly clear that Baby Einstein products can improve this development in children living in Berlin Ohio and elsewhere. Maybe your child will be the next Einstein!

How To Plan A Halloween Birthday Occasion For Youngsters!!

All of us usually have this notion that the toys for kids with particular needs are solely accessible at costly boutiques. Additionally, the constructing system is related to the entire good grid, sharing information with other buildings, permitting it to optimize power expenditure even higher in the future. The toy dogs are usually comprised of the miniature version of the other groups of canines. Nevertheless, quite quite a lot of these varieties are historical in origin, which makes it difficult to hint them with different dog varieties. This group contains: Chihuahua, Papillion, Japanese Chin, Poodle, Pug, and the Toy Fox Terrier.

The unstructured play helps children in discovering themselves and in identifying who they’re. It’s such a large societal dilemma that we spend the whole life without realizing who we’re, what we like and dislike, and where we need to be. Your little one would go through the same drawback if you do not let him play freely. Admit it; we all are fond of children. Children are essentially the most precious creatures on the planet. Their smile, laughter, noises, and babbling provides to the beauty of the universe. Quite the opposite, the disappointment and sickness of the youngsters snatch the sleep from the parents’ eyes.

The culture of music is such that we share a typical set of associations with different music types, linking some with parts of the world, sure durations in history, or sure groups of individuals. In some instances this is perhaps amazingly closely outlined sub-kinds of music which to individuals of one other “tradition” might all sound “the identical”, but sometimes it may be as simple as a certain instrument or rhythm being sufficient to recommend the style. Because of these associations we may be drawn towards or away from certain types of music, such that we could enjoy Tibetan music because it is linked to our religion, or perhaps we hate Rock and Roll because our mother and father find it irresistible. So as well as a big set of cultural music associations, we’ve got some very individual associations which alter our musical perceptions and appreciation.

In at this time’s times, vinyl is taken into account as the most versatile manmade plastic on this planet. Vinyl is a type of PVC supplies that has many alternative variations depending on its properties most particularly the burden and texture. It’s also broadly used as dwelling ornament, automobile branding, and printing on various items. Blocking apps on your child’s Android device might help you filter what are being uploaded or performed in their gadgets. You could have complete authority on what is allowable and not. By doing this, you are making sure that your youngster only uses apps permitted by you or uses them solely throughout those instances that you just allowed them to.

It is interesting to note that all the printed studies which look into the question of early teachers show disadvantages for kids who begin educational work underneath the age of six. We’ve got yet to find a study which reveals a protracted-time period advantage to these starting early. More and more books are being printed in regards to the issues youngsters encounter when rushed into academic work earlier than true readiness has taken place. This is usually a very complicated time for parents who see that their five year olds want to learn their letters and numbers, and assume that their youngster is ready for educational work before a real type of tutorial readiness has really taken place. In addition, one must take care of a great deal of social stress from neighbors, friends, and household as to why one doesn’t want to rush one’s baby.

The Difference Between Being Smart, Educated, and Intelligent

I’ve always been intrigued by the subject of intelligence. As a child my mother would refer to me as “smart,” but I quickly noticed that all parents refer to their children as smart. In time I would discover that all children are not smart, just as all babies are not cute. If that were the case, we’d have a world full of beautiful, smart people – which we don’t.

Some of us are smart; but not as smart as we think, and others are smarter than they seem, which makes me wonder, how do we define smart? What makes one person smarter than another? When do “street smarts” matter more than “book smarts”? Can you be both smart and stupid? Is being smart more of a direct influence of genetics, or one’s environment?

Then there are the issues of education, intelligence and wisdom.

What does it mean to be highly educated? What’s the difference between being highly educated and highly intelligent? Does being highly educated automatically make you highly intelligent? Can one be highly intelligent without being highly educated? Do IQs really mean anything? What makes a person wise? Why is wisdom typically associated with old age?

My desire to seek answers to these questions inspired many hours of intense research which included the reading of 6 books, hundreds of research documents, and countless hours on the Internet; which pales in comparison to the lifetime of studies and research that pioneers in the fields of intelligence and education like Howard Gardner, Richard Sternberg, Linda S. Gottfredson, Thomas Sowell, Alfie Kohn, and Diane F. Halpern whose work is cited in this article.

My goal was simple: Amass, synthesize, and present data on what it means to be smart, educated and intelligent so that it can be understood and used by anyone for their benefit.

PRENATAL CARE

With this in mind, there was not a better (or more appropriate) place to start than at the very beginning of our existence: as a fetus in the womb.

There is mounting evidence that the consumption of food that’s high in iron both before and during pregnancy is critical to building the prenatal brain. Researchers have found a strong association between low iron levels during pregnancy and diminished IQ. Foods rich in iron include lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, seafoods, nuts, dried fruits, oatmeal, and fortified cereals.

Children with low iron status in utero (in the uterus) scored lower on every test and had significantly lower language ability, fine-motor skills, and tractability than children with higher prenatal iron levels. In essence, proper prenatal care is critical to the development of cognitive skills.

COGNITIVE SKILLS

Cognitive skills are the basic mental abilities we use to think, study, and learn. They include a wide variety of mental processes used to analyze sounds and images, recall information from memory, make associations between different pieces of information, and maintain concentration on particular tasks. They can be individually identified and measured. Cognitive skill strength and efficiency correlates directly with students’ ease of learning.

DRINKING, PREGNANCY, AND ITS INTELLECTUAL IMPACT

Drinking while pregnant is not smart. In fact, it’s downright stupid.

A study in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has found that even light to moderate drinking – especially during the second trimester – is associated with lower IQs in offspring at 10 years of age. This result was especially pronounced among African-American rather than Caucasian offspring.

“IQ is a measure of the child’s ability to learn and to survive in his or her environment. It predicts the potential for success in school and in everyday life. Although a small but significant percentage of children are diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) each year, many more children are exposed to alcohol during pregnancy who do not meet criteria for FAS yet experience deficits in growth and cognitive function,” said Jennifer A. Willford, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Paul D. Connor, clinical director of the Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit and assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington has this to say about the subject:

“There are a number of domains of cognitive functioning that can be impaired even in the face of a relatively normal IQ, including academic achievement (especially arithmetic), adaptive functioning, and executive functions (the ability to problem solve and learn from experiences). Deficits in intellectual, achievement, adaptive, and executive functioning could make it difficult to appropriately manage finances, function independently without assistance, and understand the consequences of – or react appropriately to – mistakes.”

This is a key finding which speaks directly to the (psychological) definition of intelligence which is addressed later in this article.

ULTRA SOUNDS

Studies have shown that the frequent exposure of the human fetus to ultrasound waves is associated with a decrease in newborn body weight, an increase in the frequency of left-handedness, and delayed speech.

Because ultrasound energy is a high-frequency mechanical vibration, researchers hypothesized that it might influence the migration of neurons in a developing fetus. Neurons in mammals multiply early in fetal development and then migrate to their final destinations. Any interference or disruption in the process could result in abnormal brain function.

Commercial companies (which do ultrasounds for “keepsake” purposes) are now creating more powerful ultrasound machines capable of providing popular 3D and 4D images. The procedure, however, lasts longer as they try to make 30-minute videos of the fetus in the uterus.

The main stream magazine New Scientist reported the following: Ultrasound scans can stop cells from dividing and make them commit suicide. Routine scans, which have let doctors peek at fetuses and internal organs for the past 40 years, affect the normal cell cycle.

On the FDA website this information is posted about ultrasounds:

While ultrasound has been around for many years, expectant women and their families need to know that the long-term effects of repeated ultrasound exposures on the fetus are not fully known. In light of all that remains unknown, having a prenatal ultrasound for non-medical reasons is not a good idea.

NATURE VERSUS NURTURE…THE DEBATE CONTINUES

Now that you are aware of some of the known factors which determine, improve, and impact the intellectual development of a fetus, it’s time for conception. Once that baby is born, which will be more crucial in the development of its intellect: nature (genetics) or nurture (the environment)?

Apparently for centuries, scientists and psychologists have gone back and forth on this. I read many comprehensive studies and reports on this subject during the research phase of this article, and I believe that it’s time to put this debate to rest. Both nature and nurture are equally as important and must be fully observed in the intellectual development of all children. This shouldn’t be an either/or proposition.

A recent study shows that early intervention in the home and in the classroom can make a big difference for a child born into extreme poverty, according to Eric Turkheimer, a psychologist at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The study concludes that while genetic makeup explains most of the differences in IQ for children in wealthier families, environment – and not genes – makes a bigger difference for minority children in low-income homes.

Specifically, what researchers call “heritability”- the degree to which genes influence IQ – was significantly lower for poor families. “Once you’re put into an adequate environment, your genes start to take over,” Mr. Turkheimer said, “but in poor environments genes don’t have that ability.”

But there are reports that contradict these findings…sort of.

Linda S. Gottfredson, a professor of educational studies at the University of Delaware, wrote in her article, The General Intelligence Factor that environments shared by siblings have little to do with IQ. Many people still mistakenly believe that social, psychological and economic differences among families create lasting and marked differences in IQ.

She found that behavioral geneticists refer to such environmental effects as “shared” because they are common to siblings who grow up together. Her reports states that the heritability of IQ rises with age; that is to say, the extent to which genetics accounts for differences in IQ among individuals increases as people get older.

In her article she also refers to studies comparing identical and fraternal twins, published in the past decade by a group led by Thomas J. Bouchard, Jr., of the University of Minnesota and other scholars, show that about 40 percent of IQ differences among preschoolers stems from genetic differences, but that heritability rises to 60 percent by adolescence and to 80 percent by late adulthood.

And this is perhaps the most interesting bit of information, and relevant to this section of my article:

With age, differences among individuals in their developed intelligence come to mirror more closely their genetic differences. It appears that the effects of environment on intelligence fade rather than grow with time.

Bouchard concludes that young children have the circumstances of their lives imposed on them by parents, schools and other agents of society, but as people get older they become more independent and tend to seek out the life niches that are most congenial to their genetic proclivities.

BREAST-FEEDING INCREASES INTELLIGENCE

Researchers from Christchurch School of Medicine in New Zealand studied over 1,000 children born between April and August 1977. During the period from birth to one year, they gathered information on how these children were fed.

The infants were then followed to age 18. Over the years, the researchers collected a range of cognitive and academic information on the children, including IQ, teacher ratings of school performance in reading and math, and results of standardized tests of reading comprehension, mathematics, and scholastic ability. The researchers also looked at the number of passing grades achieved in national School Certificate examinations taken at the end of the third year of high school.

The results indicated that the longer children had been breast-fed, the higher they scored on such tests.

TALKING TO YOUR CHILDREN MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Thomas Sowell, author of Race, IQ, Black Crime, and facts Liberals Ignore uncovered some fascinating information that every parent should take note of. He writes:

There is a strong case that black Americans suffer from a series of disadvantageous environments. Studies show time and again that before they go to school, black children are on average exposed to a smaller vocabulary than white children, in part due to socioeconomic factors.

While children from professional households typically exposed to a total of 2,150 different words each day, children from working class households are exposed to 1,250, and children from households on welfare a mere 620.

Yes, smart sounding children tend to come from educated, professional, two-parent environments where they pick-up valuable language skills and vocabulary from its smart sounding inhabitants.

Mr. Sowell continues: Black children are obviously not to blame for their poor socioeconomic status, but something beyond economic status is at work in black homes. Black people have not signed up for the “great mission” of the white middle class – the constant quest to stimulate intellectual growth and get their child into Harvard or Oxbridge.

Elsie Moore of Arizona State University, Phoenix, studied black children adopted by either black or white parents, all of whom were middle-class professionals. By the age of 7.5 years, those in black homes were 13 IQ points behind those being raised in the white homes.

ACCUMULATED ADVANTAGES

At this juncture in my research it dawned on me, and should be fairly obvious to you, that many children are predisposed to being smart, educated, and intelligent, simply by their exposure to the influential factors which determine them long before they start school.

An informed mother, proper prenatal care, educated, communicative parents, and a nurturing environment in which to live, all add up to accumulated advantages that formulate intellectual abilities. As you can see, some children have unfair advantages from the very beginning.

Malcolm Gladwell, author of top-selling book Outliers, wrote that “accumulated advantages” are made possible by arbitrary rules…and such unfair advantages are everywhere. “It is those who are successful who are most likely to be given the kinds of social opportunities that lead to further success,” he writes. “It’s the rich who get the biggest tax breaks. It’s the best students who get the best teaching and most attention.”

With that in mind, we turn our attention to education and intelligence.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE WELL EDUCATED?

Alfie Kohn, author of the book What Does It Mean To Be Well Educated? poses the question, does the phrase well educated refer to a quality of schooling you received, or something about you? Does it denote what you were taught? Or what you remember?

I contend that to be well educated is all in the application; the application and use of information. Information has to be used in order to become knowledge, and as we all have heard, knowledge is power.

Most people are aware of the floundering state of education in this country on some level. We tell our children that nothing is more important than getting a “good” education, and every year, due to government budget shortfalls, teachers are laid off, classes are condensed, schools are closed, and many educational programs – especially those which help the underprivileged – are cut.

The reality is, we don’t really value education. We value it as a business, an industry, political ammunition, and as an accepted form of discrimination, but not for what it was intended: a means of enriching one’s character and life through learning.

What we value as a society, are athletes and the entertainment they offer. The fact that a professional athlete makes more money in one season, than most teachers in any region will make in their careers, is abominable. There’s always money to build new sports stadiums, but not enough to give teachers a decent (and well-deserved) raise.

Ironically, the best teachers don’t go into the profession for money. They teach because it’s a calling. Most of them were influenced by a really good teacher as a student. With the mass exodus of teachers, many students are not able to cultivate the mentoring relationships that they once were able to because so many are leaving the profession – voluntarily and involuntarily – within an average of three years.

At the high school level, where I got my start, the emphasis is not on how to educate the students to prepare them for life, or even college (all high schools should be college-prep schools, right?), it was about preparing them to excel on their standardized tests. Then the controversial “exit” exams were implemented and literally, many high schools were transformed into testing centers. Learning has almost become secondary.

This mentality carries over into college, which of course there’s a test one must take in order to enroll (the SAT or ACT). This explains why so many college students are more concerned with completing a course, than learning from it. They are focused on getting “A’s” and degrees, instead of becoming degreed thinkers. The latter of which are in greater demand by employers and comprise the bulk of the self-employed. The “get-the-good-grade” mindset is directly attributable to the relentless and often unnecessary testing that our students are subjected to in schools.

Alfie Kohn advocates the “exhibition” of learning, in which students reveal their understanding by means of in-depth projects, portfolios of assignments, and other demonstrations.

He cites a model pioneered by Ted Sizer and Deborah Meier. Meier has emphasized the importance of students having five “habits of mind,” which are: the value of raising questions about evidence (“How do we know what we know?”), point of view, (“Whose perspective does this represent?”), connections (“How is this related to that?”), supposition (“How might things have been otherwise?”), and relevance (“Why is this important?”).

Kohn writes: It’s only the ability to raise and answer those questions that matters, though, but also the disposition to do so. For that matter, any set of intellectual objectives, any description of what it means to think deeply and critically, should be accompanied by a reference to one’s interest or intrinsic motivation to do such thinking…to be well-educated then, is to have the desire as well as the means to make sure that learning never ends…

HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF IQ

We’ve always wanted to measure intelligence. Ironically, when you look at some the first methods used to evaluate it in the 1800s, they were not, well, very intelligent. Tactics such as subjecting people to various forms of torture to see what their threshold for pain was (the longer you could withstand wincing, the more intelligent you were believed to be), or testing your ability to detect a high pitch sound that others could not hear.

Things have changed…or have they?

No discussion of intelligence or IQ can be complete without mention of Alfred Binet, a French psychologist who was responsible for laying the groundwork for IQ testing in 1904. His original intention was to devise a test that would diagnose learning disabilities of students in France. The test results were then used to prepare special programs to help students overcome their educational difficulties.

It was never intended to be used as an absolute measure of one’s intellectual capabilities.

According to Binet, intelligence could not be described as a single score. He said that the use of the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) as a definite statement of a child’s intellectual capability would be a serious mistake. In addition, Binet feared that IQ measurement would be used to condemn a child to a permanent “condition” of stupidity, thereby negatively affecting his or her education and livelihood.

The original interest was in the assessment of ‘mental age’ — the average level of intelligence for a person of a given age. His creation, the Binet-Simon test (originally called a “scale”), formed the archetype for future tests of intelligence.

H. H. Goddard, director of research at Vineland Training School in New Jersey, translated Binet’s work into English and advocated a more general application of the Simon-Binet test. Unlike Binet, Goddard considered intelligence a solitary, fixed and inborn entity that could be measured. With help of Lewis Terman of Stanford University, his final product, published in 1916 as the Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale of Intelligence (also known as the Stanford-Binet), became the standard intelligence test in the United States.

It’s important to note that the fallacy about IQ is that it is fixed and can not be changed. The fact is that IQ scores are known to fluctuate – both up and down during the course of one’s lifetime. It does not mean that you become more, or less intelligent, it merely means that you tested better on one day than another.

One more thing to know about IQ tests: They have been used for racist purposes since their importation into the U.S. Many of those who were involved in the importation and refinement of these tests believed that IQ was hereditary and are responsible for feeding the fallacy that it is a “fixed” trait.

Many immigrants were tested in the 1920s and failed these IQ tests miserably. As a result, many of them were denied entry into the U.S., or were forced to undergo sterilization for fear of populating America with “dumb” and “inferior” babies. If you recall, the tests were designed for white, middle class Americans. Who do you think would have the most difficulty passing them?

Lewis Terman developed the original notion of IQ and proposed this scale for classifying IQ scores:

000 – 070: Definite feeble-mindedness
070 – 079: Borderline deficiency
080 – 089: Dullness
090 – 109: Normal or average intelligence
110 – 119: Superior intelligence
115 – 124: Above average (e.g., university students)
125 – 134: Gifted (e.g., post-graduate students)
135 – 144: Highly gifted (e.g., intellectuals)
145 – 154: Genius (e.g., professors)
155 – 164: Genius (e.g., Nobel Prize winners)
165 – 179: High genius
180 – 200: Highest genius
200 – higher ?: Immeasurable genius

*Genius IQ is generally considered to begin around 140 to 145, representing only 25% of the population (1 in 400).
*Einstein was considered to “only” have an IQ of about 160.

DEFINING INTELLIGENCE

Diane F. Halpern, a psychologist and past-president of the American Psychological Association (APA), wrote in her essay contribution to Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid that in general, we recognize people as intelligent if they have some combination of these achievements (1) good grades in school; (2) a high level of education; (3) a responsible, complex job; (4) some other recognition of being intelligent, such as winning prestigious awards or earning a large salary; (5) the ability to read complex text with good comprehension; (6) solve difficult and novel problems.

Throughout my research and in the early phases of this article, I came across many definitions of the word intelligence. Some were long, some were short. Some I couldn’t even understand. The definition that is most prevalent is the one created by the APA which is: the ability to adapt to one’s environment, and learn from one’s mistakes.

How about that? There’s the word environment again. We just can’t seem to escape it. This adds deeper meaning to the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” It means recognizing what’s going on in your environment, and having the intelligence adapt to it – and the people who occupy it – in order to survive and succeed within it.

There are also many different forms of intelligence. Most notably those created by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University.

Dr. Gardner believes (and I agree) that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live.

He felt that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on IQ testing, was far too limited and created the Theories Of Multiple Intelligences in 1983 to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults.

These intelligences are:

Linguistic intelligence (“word smart”)
Logical-mathematical intelligence (“number/reasoning smart”)
Spatial intelligence (“picture smart”)
Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (“body smart”)
Musical intelligence (“music smart”)
Interpersonal intelligence (“people smart”)
Intrapersonal intelligence (“self smart”)
Naturalist intelligence (“nature smart”)

Not associated with Dr. Gardner, but equally respected are:

FLUID & CRYSTALLIZED INTELLIGENCE

According to About.com, Psychologist Raymond Cattell first proposed the concepts of fluid and crystallized intelligence and further developed the theory with John Horn. The Cattell-Horn theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence suggests that intelligence is composed of a number of different abilities that interact and work together to produce overall individual intelligence.

Cattell defined fluid intelligence as “…the ability to perceive relationships independent of previous specific practice or instruction concerning those relationships.” Fluid intelligence is the ability to think and reason abstractly and solve problems. This ability is considered independent of learning, experience, and education. Examples of the use of fluid intelligence include solving puzzles and coming up with problem solving strategies.

Crystallized intelligence is learning from past experiences and learning. Situations that require crystallized intelligence include reading comprehension and vocabulary exams. This type of intelligence is based upon facts and rooted in experiences. This type of intelligence becomes stronger as we age and accumulate new knowledge and understanding.

Both types of intelligence increase throughout childhood and adolescence. Fluid intelligence peaks in adolescence and begins to decline progressively beginning around age 30 or 40. Crystallized intelligence continues to grow throughout adulthood.

SUCCESSFUL INTELLIGENCE

Then there’s Successful Intelligence, which is authored by intelligence psychologist and Yale professor, Robert J. Sternberg, who believes that the whole concept of relating IQ to life achievement is misguided, because he believes that IQ is a pretty miserable predictor of life achievement.

His Successful Intelligence theory focuses on 3 types of intelligence which are combined to contribute to one’s overall success: Analytical Intelligence; mental steps or components used to solve problems; Creative Intelligence: the use of experience in ways that foster insight (creativity/divergent thinking); and Practical Intelligence: the ability to read and adapt to the contexts of everyday life.

With regard to environment, Mr. Sternberg writes in his book Successful Intelligence: Successfully intelligent people realize that the environment in which they find themselves may or may not be able to make the most of their talents. They actively seek an environment where they can not only do successful work, but make a difference. They create opportunities rather than let opportunities be limited by circumstances in which they happen to find themselves.

As an educator, I subscribe to Mr. Sternberg’s Successful Intelligence approach to teaching. It has proven to be a highly effective tool and mindset for my college students. Using Successful Intelligence as the backbone of my context-driven curriculum really inspires students to see how education makes their life goals more attainable, and motivates them to further develop their expertise. Mr. Sternberg believes that the major factor in achieving expertise is purposeful engagement.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

In his best-selling 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman reported that research shows that conventional measures of intelligence – IQ – only account for 20% of a person’s success in life. For example, research on IQ and education shows that high IQ predicts 10 to 25% of grades in college. The percentage will vary depending on how we define success. Nonetheless, Goleman’s assertion begs the question: What accounts for the other 80%?

You guessed it…Emotional Intelligence. What exactly is emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence (also called EQ or EI) refers to the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions. Many corporations now have mandatory EQ training for their managers in an effort to improve employee
relations and increase productivity.

TACIT KNOWLEDGE aka “STREET SMARTS”

You’ve heard the phrase, “Experience is the greatest teacher…”

In psychology circles knowledge gained from everyday experience is called tacit knowledge. The colloquial term is “street smarts,” which implies that formal, classroom instruction (aka “book smarts”) has nothing to do with it. The individual is not directly instructed as to what he or she should learn, but rather must extract the important lesson from the experience even when learning is not the primary objective.

Tacit knowledge is closely related to common sense, which is sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. As you know, common sense is not all that common.

Tacit knowledge, or the lessons obtained from it, seems to “stick” both faster and better when the lessons have direct relevance to the individual’s goals. Knowledge that is based on one’s own practical experience will likely be more instrumental to achieving one’s goals than will be knowledge that is based on someone else’s experience, or that is overly generic and abstract.

BEING BOTH SMART AND STUPID

Yes, it’s possible to be both smart and stupid. I’m sure someone you know comes to mind at this precise moment. But the goal here is not to ridicule, but to understand how some seemingly highly intelligent, or highly educated individuals can be so smart in one way, and incredibly stupid in others.

The woman who is a respected, well paid, dynamic executive who consistently chooses men who don’t appear to be worthy of her, or the man who appears to be a pillar of the community, with a loving wife and happy kids, ends up being arrested on rape charges.

It happens, but why? I found the answer in Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid. Essentially, intellect is domain specific. In other words, being smart (knowledgeable) in one area of your life, and stupid (ignorant) in another is natural. Turning off one’s brain is quite common especially when it comes to what we desire. A shared characteristic among those who are smart and stupid, is the difficulty in delaying gratification.

Olem Ayduk & Walter Mischel who wrote the chapter summarized: Sometimes stupid behavior in smart people may arise from faulty expectations, erroneous beliefs, or merely a lack of motivation to enact control strategies even when one has them. But sometimes it is an inability to regulate one’s affective states and the behavioral tendencies associated with them that leads to stupid and self-defeating behavior.

The central character in this book who many of these lessons regarding being smart and stupid revolve around is Bill Clinton and his affair with Monica Lewinksky.

WISDOM & CONCLUSION

My great grandmother, Leola Cecil, maybe had an 8th grade education at the most. By no stretch of the imagination was she highly educated, but she had what seemed like infinite wisdom. She was very observant and could “read” people with startling accuracy. Till the very end of her life she shared her “crystallized intelligence” with whomever was receptive to it.

She died at the age of 94. I often use many of her sayings as a public speaker, but most importantly, I use her philosophies to make sure that I’m being guided spiritually and not just intellectually. Many of us who are lucky enough to have a great grandparent can testify that there is something special about their knowledge. They seem to have life figured out, and a knack for helping those of us who are smart, educated and intelligent see things more clearly when we are too busy thinking.

What they have is what we should all aspire to end up with if we are lucky: wisdom.

Wisdom is the ability to look through a person, when others can only look at them. Wisdom slows down the thinking process and makes it more organic; synchronizing it with intuition. Wisdom helps you make better judgments regarding decisions, and makes you less judgmental. Wisdom is understanding without knowing, and accepting without understanding. Wisdom is recognizing what’s important to other people, and knowing that other people are of the utmost importance to you. Wisdom is both a starting point, and a final conclusion.

Gian Fiero is a seasoned educator, speaker and consultant with a focus on business development and music/entertainment industry operations. He is affiliated with San Francisco State University as an adjunct professor and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) where he conducts monthly workshops on topics such as career planning, public relations, and personal growth.

Improving Intelligence in Children

Children began to respond to their environment while still in the womb. As their organs develop they start to use them. When our youngest son, Jim, was born my wife was learning to play the guitar. The guitar was next to her abdomen and the vibrations could be heard and felt by the baby. We brought him home from the hospital when I was strumming on the guitar next to my wife. The baby flailed his arms and tried to grab the guitar. He wasn’t satisfied until I let him grab those strings. Jim took professional guitar lessons for many years and still plays when he has time to do so.

Providing stimulus to our children improves their mental capacity. I thought my children to play chess when they were about four years old. I taught my oldest son algebra when he was five. I painted in oils to see if my children would develop art abilities. I wrote stories and poems with them to develop their desire to write and to analyze. Children will always explore but you can do a lot to enhance that exploration.

Kids learn everyday in school, church, scouting programs and just while horsing around. A good place to get mental juices flowing is in museums and zoos where the operators cater to children. In museums such as the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia they can be exposed to many areas of science and the world they live in. National parks and reserves are great places to learn.

Hobbies are good teachers. Collecting stamps can help a child learn about countries and cultures. It brings history alive.

Birding teaches them to learn the names and habits of our flying friends. Most kids like bugs when they are little. Such hobbies can lead to careers.

Intelligence is a measure of how well we fit into our environment. Expanding or probing our environment expands our intelligence.

You can motivate your children into having a desire to help others, to be independent, to do difficult things. I always told my kids and I still tell my grandchildren to take difficult courses in college. It expands the mind and cuts down the competition. Four of my children (and one spouse) chose the medical fields where they are able to support themselves and help others at the same time. They shortened the time in college by taking advantage of advanced course work in high school and by learning a second language while giving service overseas.

Nothing happens without faith. No achievement can be obtained unless you have faith enough in yourself to achieve a goal. Children gain self-esteem by doing things. Even learning to tie his or her shoes the first time adds to self-esteem. Building a paper airplane that flies adds to self-esteem. So, parents should play with their kids. They should work with their kids because kids learn to accomplish things when they work.

When I worked in Colorado in a technical environment we hired farm kids because they had mechanical skills and they were hard-working. If you live on a farm, lucky you. You get to work with your parents and siblings.A