I heard part of this on the radio the other night and was really intrigued. It was so good.
Not only does it have very interesting things to say about pushing LOs to learn too quickly, it also has wonderful suggestions/discussions for a nurturing and respectful way to support your LO's learning.
VERY thought-provoking discussion on the use of DVDs like Baby Einstein and TV in general and its effects on the developing brain.
You can download it for free.
Here's the link:
https://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/hurried-infant/index.html
Here is a little bit of the intro:
Episode 1
From the earliest moments of their newborn’s life, parents have always wanted the best for baby. And then of course there have always been parents who wanted their baby to be best. Over the years, a few books reflected this desire: Give Your Child a Superior Mind or, How to Raise a Brighter Child. Twenty years ago, there were just a few products on the market that claimed to raise baby’s IQ. Until parents learned of something called the Mozart Effect.
The Mozart Effect was the culmination of one study of college students who listened to Mozart before taking a test. It appeared that these students scored slightly higher marks after listening to Mozart. The message? Mozart, and indeed any classical music will stimulate the brain. Science says it’s so. Soon, other brain enrichment practices were encouraged. Parents were told to set up black and white squares around baby’s crib, this will enhance visual development. A multi-textured blanket will provide sensory stimulation.
In the past 10 years though, the brain claims have intensified, fuelled by commercial forces. It’s called “edutainment”, the multi-billion dollar educational toy market has products designed to accelerate an infant’s growth with names like: Baby Einstein, Brainy Baby, Jumpstart Baby, Baby Genius.
Part of what’s fuelling the billion dollar baby is brain science. Studies over the decades claim that baby’s brain is a vast resource that can be enriched through stimulation. So a young child can learn colours, count and even read earlier than ever before. The explosive growth of baby learning products has sent parents scrambling to ensure their baby is as bright as bright can be. So, are the scientific studies behind this social force real or exaggerated? In this series, IDEAS producer Mary O’Connell explores what some are calling a brave new age of infant determinism.
Episode 2
Today, parents and their young children are being tossed about in the perfect storm: Brain science claims, economic anxiety, and a billion dollar toy industry that’s pressuring parents to expose their young children to early academics. Especially when it comes to reading. In the second hour of The Hurried Infant, IDEAS producer Mary O’Connell sat down to discuss what some are calling the re-invention of childhood itself with two leading child advocates and researchers, neuroscientist Maryanne Wolfe and psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.
Not only does it have very interesting things to say about pushing LOs to learn too quickly, it also has wonderful suggestions/discussions for a nurturing and respectful way to support your LO's learning.
VERY thought-provoking discussion on the use of DVDs like Baby Einstein and TV in general and its effects on the developing brain.
You can download it for free.
Here's the link:
https://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/hurried-infant/index.html
Here is a little bit of the intro:
Episode 1
From the earliest moments of their newborn’s life, parents have always wanted the best for baby. And then of course there have always been parents who wanted their baby to be best. Over the years, a few books reflected this desire: Give Your Child a Superior Mind or, How to Raise a Brighter Child. Twenty years ago, there were just a few products on the market that claimed to raise baby’s IQ. Until parents learned of something called the Mozart Effect.
The Mozart Effect was the culmination of one study of college students who listened to Mozart before taking a test. It appeared that these students scored slightly higher marks after listening to Mozart. The message? Mozart, and indeed any classical music will stimulate the brain. Science says it’s so. Soon, other brain enrichment practices were encouraged. Parents were told to set up black and white squares around baby’s crib, this will enhance visual development. A multi-textured blanket will provide sensory stimulation.
In the past 10 years though, the brain claims have intensified, fuelled by commercial forces. It’s called “edutainment”, the multi-billion dollar educational toy market has products designed to accelerate an infant’s growth with names like: Baby Einstein, Brainy Baby, Jumpstart Baby, Baby Genius.
Part of what’s fuelling the billion dollar baby is brain science. Studies over the decades claim that baby’s brain is a vast resource that can be enriched through stimulation. So a young child can learn colours, count and even read earlier than ever before. The explosive growth of baby learning products has sent parents scrambling to ensure their baby is as bright as bright can be. So, are the scientific studies behind this social force real or exaggerated? In this series, IDEAS producer Mary O’Connell explores what some are calling a brave new age of infant determinism.
Episode 2
Today, parents and their young children are being tossed about in the perfect storm: Brain science claims, economic anxiety, and a billion dollar toy industry that’s pressuring parents to expose their young children to early academics. Especially when it comes to reading. In the second hour of The Hurried Infant, IDEAS producer Mary O’Connell sat down to discuss what some are calling the re-invention of childhood itself with two leading child advocates and researchers, neuroscientist Maryanne Wolfe and psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek.