Parents all want their children to be smart and adorable. To foster their intellectual development, they spare no effort—doing everything possible to ensure their kids grow up healthy and bright. In truth, raising a smart child isn't that difficult. But it turns out some inappropriate parenting methods not only hinder a child's intellectual growth but can actually make them less intelligent! Parents, learn which practices may hinder your child's development and what precautions to take in daily life.
Parents, How Many of These Habits Are You Doing That Might Make Your Child Less Smart? (Public Health Network)
1. Introducing Knowledge Too Early
Some parents, enthusiastic about "intellectual development," actively—even rigorously—train young children in reading, writing, and arithmetic.Some parents even schedule intensive courses for drawing, calligraphy, piano, and other specialized skills. Such overwhelming schedules not only deprive children of the joy of free play during their childhood but also burden them with the pressure of parental expectations.Parents often overlook that such academic knowledge contradicts young children's cognitive development patterns. While children may memorize facts through rote learning or parroting, they may not truly understand them. If the child lacks genuine interest, this approach offers little benefit to their intellectual growth. Instead, it creates significant stress and may extinguish their natural curiosity.
"Interest is the best teacher" has become a well-worn adage, yet many parents still overlook it. If we want children to grow smarter and develop a love for learning, we must prioritize sparking and nurturing their interest in learning activities.
2. Games They Can Never Win
Parents enjoy playing games with their children. We should choose games that are easy for children to understand—ones where a simple explanation or demonstration suffices for them to grasp the rules. This allows children to experience the joy of play and the thrill of success.Now imagine if the game is beyond their comprehension, and the parent's explanation falls short. The child might lose repeatedly to their parent. Not only would they fail to experience the game's joy, but from the child's perspective, these losses could make them feel stupid. What should be a fun game shouldn't be forced into a lesson about "perseverance through setbacks."
Parents needn't worry about children becoming "bad losers." In daily life, we can encourage them to boldly try new things and embrace challenges. For instance, involve them in household chores like tidying rooms and toys. Have them compete with mom and dad to see who can make the room cleaner and neater. This lets children experience the joy of victory through their own efforts.
3. Overwhelming Negative Suggestions
Consider this allegorical tale: A beautiful princess, imprisoned since childhood by a wicked witch atop a tower, saw only the witch daily. The witch taunted her: "You are so ugly that anyone who sees you will run away in fear." The princess believed the witch's lies, fearing ridicule, and dared not escape. One day, a prince passed by the tower, saw the princess's beauty, and was amazed. He rescued her. The princess couldn't believe it when she looked in the mirror and saw how truly beautiful she really was.>In truth, many parents may unwittingly play the role of the "witch." They might speak too modestly in front of relatives and friends, uttering negative remarks, or constantly compare their child to more accomplished peers, saying things that deflate their spirit. These actions can gradually influence the child, "imprinting a mark" on them, making them feel they truly are the kind of child their parents describe. This can even lead to the adverse consequences of the "suggestion effect."Imagine being constantly "immersed" in such a deluge of negative suggestions—how could a child not come to believe, utterly hopeless, that they truly are stupid?Many parents focus solely on what knowledge or skills their child acquires in the short term, or reshape their child's future in the name of love. In reality, we should pay more attention to the development of a child's behavioral habits, interests, imaginative thinking, emotional intelligence, and social skills. These are the crucial qualities and determining factors that shape a bright and outstanding child into a capable individual.Therefore, we should embrace the positive and avoid the negative. Encourage and appreciate your child more, participate in play-based learning activities at appropriate times and in appropriate amounts, and let your child think diligently and exercise their brain. Believe that our children will become smarter and smarter.