I find it very distressing to see the new trend of covering a pram or stroller so that the baby or toddler is in a confined space. Yes it makes the baby feel snug and the parent breathes a long sigh of relief when it sleeps ( and its breathing recycled warm air!) but it is missing out on brain development, stimulating eyesight and hearing and ultimately learning.
When a baby and child is free to look at nature it not only gets to know the environment in a safe manner while protected by its parents but it is also stimulating the integration of the two hemispheres of the brain.
Boys have more learning difficulties than girls: Understanding Nature's Impact on Child Brain Development
Boys are slower to integrate the hemispheres of the brain and that is why there are more learning difficulties in boys than in girls. Understanding Nature's Impact on Child Brain Development, this one thing you can do will make a big difference to your son.
When you go out do not cover the pram, allow your baby to look around and see movement - as its eyes develop it will see not only people passing by but also the clouds moving, trees and flowers and grass.
A tree is not a static thing - nor are the grass and flowers static - they are a moving, living organism and as such they have their own music which as city dwellers we have forgotten how to listen to (see Damanhur and the music of the trees) , they have movement which is sometimes gentle and slow while at other times they are blowing with the wind.
When the breeze blows through the tree's leaves the child's saccadic movement in the eye is stimulated by the leaves movement . The child looks at the leaves, at the spaces between the leaves, at the shades of green: they are looking in every direction -left and right, up and down and diagonally, near and far. This movement stimulates the brain and they are getting the best and most natural stimulation to both their eyesight and their brain.
Since covid 19 hit the world (and even before from the 1980s as kids have become more sedentary) more and more children are looking at a flat screen, either TV, iPad, computer and it is not surprising that they are developing myopia and sight problems at much younger ages and in far more of the population than ever before.
When a child is outside playing they are integrating both sides of their brain. when they are inside they are looking at a static environment - the couch doesn't move, the walls don't move, the table doesn't move - everything is static . .
When a baby starts to crawl it takes several crucial steps to help integrate the hemispheres of the brain. Thus it:
1 ) raises its head ( important for the movement of the spinal fluid)
2) looks forward into the distance as far as it can see
3) crawls forward using first one arm and the opposite leg and then the other arm and opposite leg .
4) Then it toddles as it learns proprioception, space and distances.
5) the child makes a commitment to walk and
6) finally run.
These are natural developments and each stage occurs because of the integration of the hemispheres of the brain. .
Now if you add the stimulation of talking to your child , taking them outdoors and into nature so they can see the movement in nature and feel the breeze on their skin, plus drink plenty of clean water ( not juice which has too much sugar in it) you have the best chance of your child fully integrating the brain and minimising the chances of a learning difficulty.
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