Brain development in young children

*Disclaimer*: This post is not a comment on your parenting. It is not pro-working mom or pro-SAHM. It's not an advocate for any one methodology nor for teaching your two year old to read or worrying if your four year old isn't doing so. It's a summary of important and at times surprising information that I feel compelled to share because of the huge impact it can have on the lives of our most important people. 

I am in the final days of a grad class titled "Excelling in the Early Childhood Classroom". My usual style with classes, from HS to my Master's degree, has been to at best skim the readings to find the specific information to answer the questions or write the essays. But this class was different. I read our course textbook from cover to cover. "Developing Young Minds: From Conception to Kindergarten" by Rebecca Shore was a great read, and if you're interested in the research and science behind all of this, I recommend getting a copy, or borrowing mine if you are local. The first eight chapters focused on the science and research, while the last two gave incredibly practical bullet point tips and advice for implementing it in either a classroom setting or at home. 

To be honest, I walked away from most of the reading feeling pretty disheartened and discouraged. The vast majority of our neural network is built in the first three years, and I teach four and five year olds. As the struggles of our K-12 educational system (in the US) illustrate, if we wait until Kindergarten, it's too late. The author gave two illustrations of this that really stuck with me, and hopefully will encourage us to take seriously the congnitive development of babies and toddlers. Her first example was that of a train. Consider the K-12 education system to be a train, and a child's brain to be the tracks, or infrastructure. You can buy the world's most technologically advanced and expensive train and bring it to the US, where we have embarrassingly poor rail infrastructure, or bring it a country such as Japan, which has a highly advanced rail network. The train (or K-12 school) will be practically useless in the States. We don't have enough tracks, nor the right kind of tracks, to make use of that train. Currently, we blame the train and it's conductors. But that same train can function very well in a place where there is a large rail infrastructure which includes the recent technology needed for the train to perform at its best. While many Kindergarten classrooms are full of "Japans" or "Europes" many are also full of "Thailands" or United States" (referring here to rail systems only, not educational systems). At times the lack of infrastructure is due to risk factors such as poverty, but not always. And even if it is, why aren't we addressing it? Why do early childhood classrooms often have teachers with lower levels of education than K-12 teachers who earn less money than other teachers if their job is as important if not more so? Why aren't we getting more and better information into the hands of caregivers (in homes or at facilities) from the very beginning? 

Her second illustration was brief but powerful. When we don't develop children's brains from the beginning, it's a bit like building a skyscraper, and then when you're done, asking K-12 education to install the plumbing. Good luck with that. 

So, how do we install that plumbing from the beginning?  The first step is awareness. Most people know that babies need certain things in order to grow and develop socially and emotionally. But it's not doing them justice if we say "as long as they are well loved they will be okay". Many things have to happen in those early years, things revolving around language, nutrition, music, logic, the five senses, and complexity. This isn't about teaching a child to play the piano at age two, it's about exposing them to music, specifically complex music (specifically Mozart and Bach) and then if possible even teaching music theory (specifically with the Kodaly Method). It's not about teaching your toddler to read, but about talking to them using complex vocabulary and structure, reading to them, talking to them some more, and then when they are developmentally ready, teaching them letter sounds (NOT letter names! Those can come later. It's much more important that they know that M says mmmmmm [not muh] than to know it is called Em, which starts with a short E sound) or to recognize environmental print. And, I say this because it's part of the research, not because I am judging anyone, but one of the big problems or issues is TV and screen time. In 1999 the American Adacemy of Pediatrics made a recommendation for the number of minutes (daily) that a child should have TV or screen time under the age of two. How many minutes? 0. And no, it's not only because of an obesity issue, it's because of what goes on in the brain of a young child when they are watching TV vs. when they are not. This includes educational programming. And yes, there are some "you need to sit here quietly so that mommy can do X, y, or z" alternatives given in the book, but I don't actually think anyone besides the Amish achieves that lofty goal. 

I could go on, but I'm sure you have gotten the point that preparation for school begins in the womb (reading, singing, nutrition, etc.) and not on the first day of Kindergarten or even Pre-K. All of these things can happen in a loving and knowledgable daycare setting, or they can happen in a loving and knowledgable home, or a mixture of the two. They can happen if mom says home with the kids or dad does, if Grandma is the primary caregiver or the child spends most of their day in a daycare/preschool setting. All of those options have the opportunity to develop the child's brain, or not. But we have to know what to look for in quality care for our youngest children, or what to do and provide if we care for them at home. 

The final chapter of my textbook is 15-16 pages of practical specific ideas for things to do at home with a child of 0-60 months, with at least half of it focusing on 0-12 months. If anyone wants copies of any or all of those pages, in lieu of reading the entire book, let me know and I am happy to get them to you. 

I wish I could change the world, the way early education is structured and funded, or the way information is or is not given to new and prospective parents, but I can't. Most people I know do a brilliant job with their kids, in part due to their own education level and access to information and resources. But sadly, it's not all kids. Things like No Child Left Behind fail in large part because many kids were left behind in the five most critical years before they even got to school, and that, I wish I could change. 

Growing strong muscles: the 100th day

Today was the 100th day of school. This was not a thing when I was a kid, but it's become quite the hoopla in younger grades and ICS is no exception. We spent our morning celebrating the 100th day with the other K4, K5, and 1st grade classes. The students rotated between classrooms doing different activities centered around the number 100. In one class they attempted to do 100 exercises. We did not do 100 exercises in my class because I don't have the energy to do that six times (with six classes!). I can't believe that I've already been with these kiddos for 100 days. Watching them learn and grow is a joy and delight. They have their challenging moments, but mostly they are a lot of fun to work with. Each day before lunch the class helper gets to choose whether they want to pray for lunch or they want me to do it. Today's helper (who 100 school days ago didn't know anything about God) chose to pray and this is what they said: Dear God, thank you for the 100th day. It was so much fun. Thank you for exercises to make our muscles healthy and strong. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Although I had a good chuckle from the exercises part, it also got me thinking. I'm not really a big fan of exercising, and I'm definitely not always a big fan of doing things that I know are good for me. Sometimes I don't want to run the miles that will keep me physically healthy. Sometimes I don't want to make the hard decisions that keep me mentally or emotionally healthy. But today that little four year old reminded me that if I don't, I hold myself back from growing stronger and healthier, physically, mentally, emotionally. I have to keep exercising those muscles if I want them to grow, and to thank God for the opportunities he gives me to exercise them. 

Record lows

It's no secret that I am no fan of cold, but the past few days have been epically cold in Bangkok and I am loving it. There is actually a large cold snap moving across Asia, so it's not just us. Record lows are being experienced from Japan and China all the way down to our little corner of the world. There has even been snow in Laos and northern Vietnam. Sadly, the cold has caused quite a few deaths in Taiwan, where the temperature dropped suddenly and many circulatory systems weren't prepared for it. 

How cold has it been exactly? When I woke up this morning it was 61F. That's pretty great considering we get excited if it drops below 80! With all the windows open it was cold in my apartment this morning and I reluctantly dragged myself out from under the warm blankets. I usually lounge around in the evenings in shorts and a tank top (with the AC) but yesterday I got to cozy up in socks and flannel pajama pants. I'm sure it sounds a little crazy to the Michiganders and other northerners, but when you're not used to it or prepared for it, 61 is quite cold. Everyone here is bundled up in sweatshirts and jackets and scarves, which is really fun to see. In the mornings instead of drinking my tea in front of a fan to stay cool I sipped it from under a quilt the last two days. It's been glorious. 

You know you've lived in Bangkok too long when you get downright giddy over a cold snap like this, but low 60s to us is like a blizzard in the US: it's all anyone talks about. The low should be down around 64 again tonight, but the highs tomorrow are expected to reach 88 and then we'll be back to a usual "cooler" temp of mid to high 70s at night and approaching 90 during the day. And that's okay. I love the heat and am happy that I get to live in a place where days like today are exciting. I want to soak up every minute of it, even as my neck muscles are cramping up from being tense in the cold. 

Now, if only I had a fireplace...

Nothing in life is free, except my pressure cooker

It's pretty normal when I travel to the States, especially at Christmas, to bring things back for people. I have a general policy though that I don't go out and hunt down and buy the stuff myself, but have them ship it to me. On this particular trip I knew I'd have excess luggage allowance and agreed to bring back much more than usual. Since my mom was moving in the middle of the Christmas shipping season, I had everything sent to my sister-in-law. She dutifully piled everything up in a corner of the house. A week before I flew back she sent me a picture of the pile of boxes, wondering how it was ever going to fit in my luggage. She couldn't believe that they'd even ordered a pressure cooker. I said as much to my friends, but both of them told me that they hadn't ordered a pressure cooker! To this day we have no idea where the pressure cooker came from or who ordered it, but I did manage to fit it into my suitcase, so now it is mine :). It's a small one, perfect for me really, so now I just need to find some recipes to make in it! 

Happy New Year 2016!

One of my favorite daily reads is Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest". I've been reading the same wrinkled, mashed up, worn out copy for nearly 10 years. Or maybe more than 20 years. I mark and underline as things jump out to me, and will often jot down a date or situation that it applies to. The earlies dates I have recorded are March 2006, but it's possible it took me awhile to start dating things. Anyway. There are a few classic quotes that I try to catch every year and one of them is from December 31. Chambers writes, As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, remembering delight, nor with the flight of impulsiveness, but with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. 

I needed that reminder today, as I need it so many days. My future perhaps looks more unknown on the outside than most, but the truth is none of us knows what tomorrow brings. I am certain of very little in life, but I am certain of God. I am certain that he goes before me. And that brings all the peace I need to step into tomorrow, even when tomorrow is a new year. I know that the Almighty God goes with me, behind and before. So no, I don't know a great many things, but I know enough. This year, may I not be hasty or impulsive (oh so hard for me!) but rather may I be patient and trusting, in my head and my heart right down to the marrow of my bones. 

Happy New Year, dear blog readers, from cold and snowy Bellaire Michigan. May you too know that the God of Israel goes before you and prepares a place for you. 

Lots of love,

Clare 

On figure skating, even if it's not Olympics

I don't usually blog about figure skating unless it is about the Olympics, but I've been enjoying this season so much (thanks in large part to my friend Ann who shares her subscription with me) that I thought a blog post might enoucrage a few casual fans to tune in to the big events in 2016. I have to confess, I was skeptical of the decision to allow lyrics and no one used them in such a way last year that changed my mind. It seems though, that in the second year of lyrics skaters and coaches are bolder in their use and this year I am really enjoying them, especially in my two favorite programs. 

Two must watch programs: 

1. Short dance of Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue. These two have been climbing the ranks this year and I'm sure this program has a lot to do with that. Always emotional skaters, this mesmerizing program highlights all their strengths and draws you in like never before. 

2. Short program of Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim. Wow, this program presents a side of them that we've never seen before and actually makes me want to watch pairs skating again! The music, costumes, and choreography are a perfect fit, and like Hubbell and Donohue, I think it is part of their success this season. 

Two skaters/teams to watch:

1. Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford. They just get better and better every year, and Grand Prix Final aside, they are the ones to beat every time they step on the ice. They have rejuvenated the pairs event and are just plain wow. 

2. Satoko Miyahara. She's tiny, but she's incredible. The only woman with a real shot of topping the Russians at worlds. There are a few (like Mao Asada) who have a shot if they skate perfectly, but they've all been inconsistent this season. Miyahara is a consistent joy to watch. 

One performance to watch:

1. Yuzuru Hanyu's short program at the Grand Prix Final. If figure skating still gave out perfect scores, he would have earned one. He had to settle for a new record score. A quad, quad-triple, and triple axel, all made to look as easy as singles. He floated over the ice. Is he human? 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel: advent reflections on another mass shooting

I am a bit of a news junkie. I have two news sources/sites that I check nearly daily, and another two that I read about once a week. World news, national news, local news- I cover it all. My phone often gives me breaking news banners from several of those sites, so the headlines are often one of the first things I see in the morning. This week I felt so frustrated, discouraged, and angry when I woke up to yet another US shooting in the headlines. They're becoming so common that we can't keep track, that we are no longer shocked, and we are growing numb.

This past week was also the start of the advent season, my favorite time of year. Every morning I sing and listen to one of my all time favorite songs, O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. It is a song of crying out, but also a song of hope. I won't pretend to have any idea where to start with the gun problem in the United States- and it is a problem that we cannot continue to ignore. When I look at it, it feels irreversible and overwhelming. I want to give up. I want to raise a fist in anger at the lack of mental health care or at policies that freed terrorism. But then I sing:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee O Israel! 

Rejoice. Rejoice not because all is well in the world, not because the news headlines are cheerful, not because we know that the road ahead is easy. Rejoice because Emmanuel. God with us. Rejoice because the beginning of the story is Jesus and the end of the story is Jesus. Rejoice because our God is real, he is alive, and he is with us. 

The shootings are tragic. The terrorism is tragic. The wars and ongoing conflicts are tragic. They are heartbreaking and angering and just plain sad. There is not a continent or nation, a color or people, who are not affected. The world is unjust; it spews violence and hatred. There are no words to make that go away. But in the midst of it we cling to God With Us. In the midst of it we rejoice because there is One who has come and paid our ransom while we are yet in mourning. In the midst of it we have hope because the Son of God came first as a baby, then grew and gave his life for us. In the midst of it we sing because we know he will come again. 

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear. 

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel 

shall come to thee O Israel!