7 Secrets to Raising Smart Kids

This is an excellent article that I highly recommend. According to BabyCenter, below are the 7 secrets to raising smart kids:

1. Feed the brain

The article provides some ideas such as whole grain tortilla with sliced banana and peanut butter or sunflower seed butter and honey here:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_secrets-to-raising-smart-kids-feed-the-brain_10336239.bc

2. Know your child's learning style

3. Learn a language

This article quoted Ingrid Pufahl, a linguist and research associate at the Center for Applied Linguistics in Washington, D.C. who said that "There's a lot of research that shows kids who learn a foreign language show amazing growth in cognitive skills, creativity, English, math, and science. They're also better problem solvers, and can think out of the box, because they've been exposed to different points of view and different languages."

4. Play music

Amongst others, the article pointed out that "multiple studies show that kids who have learned how to play an instrument perform better in tests associated with literacy, verbal memory, math, and IQ than those without music lessons. The article quoted Joseph Piro, an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Long Island University that "The areas of the brain called upon when your child learns music may enhance the regions of the brain that involve reading, math, problem solving, and spatial reasoning."

5. Read!

The article quoted the researchers at the University of Chicago who found that "reading to a baby creates valuable brain cell connections that will remain in place for the rest of their lives." and that "that children who are read to at home as preschoolers are much better able to learn how to read when they get formal instruction in school."

Read more on how to read to your child from the article:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_secrets-to-raising-smart-kids-read_10336248.bc

6. Explore the globe

You don't have to trot the globe to do so. Read more in the article to find out how:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_secrets-to-raising-smart-kids-explore-the-globe_10336249.bc

7. Get creative

According to the article which quoted Eric Jensen, a researcher and author of Arts with the Brain in Mind that "Arts enhance the process of learning," and "Kids who are taught art perform stronger academically, are able to retain information longer, have more confidence and better-developed independent-thinking skills. This explained by art and crafts is a main part of preschool. You can read more here:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_secrets-to-raising-smart-kids-get-creative_10336250.bc

You can read the details of the whole article  here:

http://www.babycenter.com/raising-smart-kids?scid=bigkid_20141216_A

Additional Information:

This article confirms what we believe in and what we are doing, and provides a checklist for reviewing ourselves.

1. I have placed importance on nutrition from breakfast to lunchbox. "Oatmeal made with milk, topped with raisins, wheat germ, and almonds" is our current breakfast for our Little FECS, although as our Little FECS grows older, I find myself slacking a little. Thus, this article is a very good reminder for me.

2. I think we have tried to do all, except no. 2, which we still have rooms for improvement.

3. We have placed importance in learning languages. I attend Chinese class with our Little FECS every Saturday. We go to church on Sunday, where he is exposed to English. Our Little FECS is learning three languages.

4. Our Little FECS is taking piano lessons since he was almost 4 years old.

5. We read to our little FECS since he was a baby, and every evening today.

6. We travel at least once a year overseas, although we have not really explore the globe. So this aspects can be improved.

7. Get creative - Think we try, but we still have room for improvement.