Early childhood provides an essential window of opportunity to shape a child’s holistic development and lay the groundwork for their future. Children require health care and nourishment, protection from harm, and a sense of security, as well as opportunities for early learning and responsive caregiving – such as talking, singing, and playing – with loving and caring parents in order to reach their full potential.
Having said that, the first two initial years of a child’s development are the most critical. These are the precious and most demanding moments parents need to emphasize the most—to be able to raise a perfectly nourished and develop child.
It is the stage when your toddler learns to talk, walk, climb, leap, run, and be a ball of energy. Your child’s vocabulary is expanding, and they are learning new words regularly. They can sort shapes and colors and may be interested in doing many things. And as your child gets more independent, they may exhibit signs of rebellion as they push boundaries and explores the world around them.
Children’s brains develop in real-time as they interact with their surroundings. More than one million brain connections are established per second during the first few years of life, a rate that will never be replicated. The quality of a child’s early experiences makes a significant difference in the development of their brains, providing either strong or weak foundations for learning, health, and behavior throughout life.
That is why it is critical for parents, specifically new parents, to be attentive and focused as their bursts of sunshine keep growing. According to S. H. Jacob, Ph.D., the acclaimed author of Your Baby’s Brain, Intellect, and You, a parenting handbook about cognitive development and nurturing your child’s mind, believes that warm and caring parenting is crucial for raising a healthy, happy, and confident infant. Growing up, children who are admired are more cooperative than those who are neglected or belittled. While setting boundaries for poor behavior is essential, being overly strict with your kids will increase their likelihood of misbehavior. For your child to prosper in life, you, as a parent or caregiver, must strike a balance between being too rigid and too forgiving.
Your child’s early years are more than just learning the ABCs, shapes, and fundamental math principles. It is also a critical period of social and emotional development as your youngster is discovering the meaning of love and care. They learn how to socialize with people and what behavior is acceptable and inappropriate. Kids are learning the fundamentals of managing their own “big” feelings, though these skills will undoubtedly need to be refined along the way.
In terms of “school” or academic skills, your child will learn many vital skills in the first few years of life, including early literacy and math skills, as well as cognitive skills like understanding cause and effect and similarities vs. differences. Aside from these learning ideas, your child will learn to be a good listener, persevere in the face of learning hurdles, and emotionally self-regulate.
While some of these abilities will be taught in formal education programs such as preschool and pre-kindergarten, many should be taught at home during the formative years to ensure your child’s success in every aspect of life. You are your child’s first teacher in terms of both socio-emotional and academic skills. Therefore, it is your responsibility to provide them with the best, especially in the first initial years of development. And you can do that by implementing the tactics and steps guided by S. H. Jacob, Ph.D. in Your Baby’s Brain, Intellect, and You, an easy-to-read and practical guidebook for parents that provides valuable facts, guidelines, and age-appropriate activities to help children develop critical thinking skills during the crucial first two years of their lives. With over 200 illustrated play activities, this book enables you to make the most of your baby’s rapid development so that they can develop skills such as curiosity, imagination, learning, memory, comprehension, problem-solving, discovery, and creation for a prosperous future. The book is available on Amazon for Purchase!