LEARNING AND OVER-STIMULATION
What about stimulation and encouraging early learning? There is a lot of pressure from parents or family members for babies to develop fast, to learn to sit or walk or speak faster than others, as if this gives them a head start. Though it is possible to push a child and encourage them to learn at a faster pace, and even succeed through school, a look at the long-term results of this approach are not favourable.[1]
Our society has put all the focus of childhood learning on the intellect, to the detriment of a harmonious relationship with the body and of social and creative abilities. Exposing a child to intense sense impressions on a regular basis or pushing a baby in any realm can have detrimental long-term effects, and may lead to a more dependant child that needs approval and encouragement, instead of finding actions satisfying in themselves and being independent problem solvers. This also has long-term consequences on how the child thinks, how the child relates to the world and people as an adult. [2] This is where we can ask ourselves what our true ideal of success is, and perhaps put aside conventional assumptions of what is considered success, and look at the cost of it on children.
For ideal learning and development circumstances, it suffices us to provide a wholesome environment for the child and be ourselves healthy people to imitate.
See Observing stages
Mother and Child 1888 by Paul Peel
Mother and child by Shriya Das
ARTICLES
Davis and Keyser - on Stimulation.htm
[1] Elkind, David. The Hurried Child. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., Reading, Massachusetts 1989
[2] Pikler, Emmi and Anna Tardos. Laßt Mir Zeit. Richard Pflaum Verlag, München 2001
Conscious Parenting Guide www.consciousparentingguide.com 2009
Welcome About conscious parenting About the site Disclaimer and copyright Bibliography Site map Contact
Copyright © Julie Le Gal Brodeur 2009 Updated July 28, 2010