3 'golden' periods for intellectual development

Research by Professor Richard Weissbourd, a child behavior scientist at Harvard University, has found that children have three opportunities to become smarter. This means that brain development is phased and this period is very short, so parents should not miss it.

Through his research, Professor Richard Weissbourd discovered that before the age of 12, the neural connections in the brain related to vision, hearing, language, and cognition develop rapidly and are almost complete. After the age of 12, the development of these brain functions slows down compared to before.

This study also fully demonstrates why humans have the longest childhood among primate species. Childhood is of great importance to humans. This is the time when children gain essential experiences and lessons through interaction with adults and are fully prepared for adulthood.

Through his research, Professor Richard Weissbourd discovered that before the age of 12, the neural connections in the brain related to vision, hearing, language, and cognition develop rapidly and are almost fully formed. (Illustrative image)

Through numerous large-scale experiments, scientists have shown that:

- Before age 3: Children have only developed 60% of their brain.

- Before age 6: That number increases to 80%.

However, it tends to slow down when children are between the ages of 10 and 13, because by this time brain development is essentially complete.

- After the age of 15, a child's brain basically remains almost unchanged.

In addition, psychologists also conducted another experiment with newborns. They placed the babies in two different environments:

The first group of newborns was placed in a normal, quiet environment with walls. The second group of newborns, however, was placed in a more vibrant environment, filled with music, stories about art, and the sounds of doctors and nurses busy with their daily work.

After some time, experts discovered that the intellectual development of children in group one was 3 months slower than that of children in group two. At the same time, the experts also concluded that the cognitive abilities and memory of children in group two were significantly better than those in group one.

Therefore, it can be seen that external factors greatly influence a child's IQ development. No matter how strong the parents' genes are, unscientific parenting methods can hinder a child's development.

To avoid potential problems and improve their children's IQ, parents should focus on the following three crucial stages:

1. Stage 0 - 3 years old

If your child is in this stage, parents should pay attention to their own behavior. (Illustration: pixabay)

This is the stage where children are curious about the world around them; they gradually develop self-awareness and a desire to explore everything, imitating everything they see.

Young children are especially fond of imitating their parents' behavior; they are always very focused on what their parents do, carefully observing and memorizing it in their brains, and then repeating that behavior.

Furthermore, children at this stage also have a strong sense of competition. For example, when two children eat together, they will eat much faster than when eating alone. Or when playing with toys together, children tend to want to snatch the toy that the other child is holding.

At this stage, a baby's brain has three main functions: absorbing novelty, repetition, and finally, memorization. Babies memorize information incredibly quickly, four times faster than adults.

If your child is in this stage, parents should pay attention to their own behavior, correct bad behaviors, and guide and encourage their child to exhibit good behaviors in order to build independence.

2. The period from 5-7 years old is when children's IQ develops.

Children aged 5-7 absorb and learn new things quickly. (Illustration: pixabay)

This is the second golden period for a child's IQ development. At this stage, a child's personality is relatively fully expressed. Therefore, this is also the time when parents need to focus on shaping and modifying their child's character.

Children aged 5-7 absorb and learn new things quickly, but they haven't yet learned to distinguish right from wrong. They can quickly pick up both good and bad things. Therefore, parents need to monitor their children carefully. When children exhibit bad behavior, it needs to be corrected immediately.

Hitting or scolding children at this stage is also not recommended. This is because children are also prone to psychological distress during this period. They will react to scolding or physical punishment from their parents with negative and rebellious behavior. Therefore, instead of hitting or scolding them, try to analyze the situation and help them understand and change their behavior.

Parents should buy age-appropriate, educational toys to help their children develop their intelligence. At this age, children are also interested in puzzles. Parents should frequently play with their children, giving them simple, familiar puzzles to help them practice their thinking skills and learn how to reason and analyze problems. In addition, children should be regularly taken to places like parks, zoos, educational playgrounds, and public places to discover new things and learn how to interact and socialize with others.

3. The age range of 8-10 years old

The period between 8 and 10 years old is crucial for a child's IQ development. (Illustration: pixabay)

Professor Richard's research shows that the neural connections of vision, hearing, language, and cognition... are largely developed when children are 1 year old and stagnate after age 12. Therefore, the period from 8-10 years old is very important in the development of a child's IQ.

At this stage, children become less curious about the world, lose interest in learning, and show signs of rebellion and stubbornness, often disobeying their parents. Children between the ages of 8 and 10 are quite competitive. They always try to express themselves, even if that way is wrong.

This is also a crucial stage in shaping a child's future personality. Therefore, parents need to be even more attentive to their children at this age. Children's studies shouldn't be neglected, but don't be overly controlling! Teach your child how to balance learning and play so they don't get bored and can learn more easily.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/giao-su-dai-hoc-harvard-3-thoi-diem-vang-phat-trien-tri-tue-cha-me-dung-bo-lo-de-boi-duong-iq-vuot-troi-cho-con-172240329153940243.htm