In truth, while you're constantly learning so many things, your child isn't just learning too—they're learning thousands, even tens of thousands of times more than you! From the moment a baby is born, they experience the world through their eyes, ears, mouth, skin, and even their entire body. Every child is a natural-born learner, fascinated by everything around them.Shadows on the roadside, distant dog barks, voices on the phone, the clatter of building blocks, the swaying of toy bells—these are all wondrous things to a young child. What parents need to do is make good use of their child's curiosity. If parents can share in and understand their child's curiosity and joy, the child will feel that their observations and reactions are acknowledged and receive adult attention.
At birth, infants possess only innate reflexes, with only the brainstem fully functional. As nerve cells develop, the brain's commands are transmitted completely, enabling complex muscle control techniques. This ensures that when the brain instructs the right hand to scratch the nose, it doesn't result in kicking the left foot instead. Therefore, physical activity is essential for children to develop their nervous system and muscle control.Regularly taking children outdoors for exercise and providing small toys like building blocks and shape sorters helps develop both gross and fine motor skills. The process of learning to speak actually begins in the womb. Some parents use pictures and flashcards to teach language, but the most effective method is connecting language learning to real-life experiences.Research indicates that infants as young as four days old can already distinguish different speech sounds and languages. Loving gestures from parents and caregivers, attentively listening to and responding to the child's words, combined with lively expressions and playful language during games, all provide excellent opportunities to promote the baby's language development.Experts have also discovered that breastfeeding and frequent physical affection not only aid in nutrient absorption and weight gain but also help establish a secure attachment between parents and child, fostering healthy personality development. While some believe personality is innate, research indicates that postnatal experiences significantly shape character.Babies are born with individual differences. A child who frequently smiles and makes eye contact with others has, to some extent, adapted to their environment—an environment that in turn shapes the infant's personality. When parents speak gently to their child or happily wrinkle their nose, they simultaneously nurture the child's innate optimism. For instance, a shy child who is highly sensitive and overly vigilant about their surroundings can have their anxieties and fears eased by parents using a soft yet firm approach.Personality is malleable. The debate over when to begin early education—specifically whether to introduce reading, counting, or computer skills prematurely—persists. Some experts contend that exposing children too early to literacy, numeracy, or technology is less beneficial than allowing them to explore diverse toys. Through tasting, touching, and manipulating real objects—such as building blocks, jars and containers, toy carts, and small tools—children gain tangible understanding.Brain research confirms educators' long-held view: early social and emotional experiences are crucial for intellectual development. Parents and teachers should tailor approaches to each child's experiences and needs, providing a rich physical environment with diverse toys and a harmonious home atmosphere that fosters feelings of love and security, encouraging exploration and experimentation.