Love Is The Key To The Development Of The Brain
In addition, the brain grows larger and makes new connections. One thing is certain, however: love is the key to brain development.
Let us remember: the pillars of emotional intelligence in the brain arise in the first years of its development.
The way we raise a baby is critical to its development. By giving them affection and helping them grow little by little, we ensure that they become emotionally healthy and strong adults.
Without a doubt, meeting a child’s needs is a challenge. To do that, we need to understand how a baby’s brain matures.
The better we are informed, the sooner we can apply the information when the time comes. Then we are able to decide when and how it is best used.
How does the human brain mature?
The brain matures from the inside out and from the back to the front.
It may seem strange, but it is. As we all know, the brain of a newborn baby is not yet mature.
Like a flower, we must help the brain to bloom. Gradually it should mature and thus develop its potential.
After birth, the newborn’s brain is still in the process of completing some structures. It creates connections and forms areas of the brain in which fundamental processes of information processing take place:
- communication
- Move
- coordination
- Problem solving
Up to 3 years of age, a child’s brain has twice as many synapses as an adult’s. That’s why stimulating babies is so important.
From birth to the age of 3, a multitude of changes take place in the brain. The formation of synapses (connections between neurons) is progressive. This is a process that is no longer repeated afterwards.
In order for this process to take place properly, the child must experience interactions with people around him. Because love is the key to brain development.
From the inside out and from the back to the front – but love is the key to the development of the brain
The human brain is made up of different areas, including the part where the spinal cord connects to the brain. Thanks to this connection, the body performs reflexes such as breathing and heartbeat.
Newborns have this structure too, but it is not yet fully developed.
- Behind the brain stem and under the upper part of the brain lies the cerebellum. It controls processes like balance and coordination. The cerebellum develops slowly but steadily.
- The forebrain also develops very gradually. Structures such as the cerebral cortex and the neocortex can be found there. These play a role in more advanced functions such as remembering, learning, making decisions, solving problems, and planning.
Magical things happen in the brain. There you can find the compass that controls the emotional world of every person. Structures such as the limbic system, amygdala, and hippocampus are all areas that regulate basic functions and behavior in a baby.
Stimulating synapses – love is key to brain development
Our genes are essential for the brain to organize itself. This self-organization is based on experiences with the environment.
If the experiences are positive, stimulating and loving, then the activity of the nerve cells is stronger and thus also combats possible enemies such as fear and stress.
- The repeated and constant interaction with the environment comes from outside and thus creates a strengthening of the synapses.
- This is another reason why it is important that we as parents cultivate a consistent style of upbringing. This leads to a positive development of the brain, in which connections are created.
- For example, it is ineffective for us to take care of a 6 month old baby if it cries only to stop a short time later because we now feel it needs to “grow up”.
By the age of 3, children have not yet developed a full sleep pattern. They also still lack neurological processes to feel safe at night. So they still need us to be close.
Milestones in your baby’s brain development
3-6 months : In the second trimester, a biomembrane forms in some nerve cells. This process continues until adolescence. It allows accelerated processing of information.
6-9 months : The cerebral cortex begins to develop. Babies now show an initial interest in interactions.
First year : In the first year, the brain triples its size. The frontal lobe and the temporal lobe develop, which gives children more confidence in their movement. At the same time, they show an increased interest in communication.
At the age of 2 : this is the age at which the most intense changes take place in the language center.
At the age of 3 : These are magical years because the density of synapses in the frontal lobe of the brain is now at its peak. Compared to an adult, children at this age have three times the amount of neural connections. Her only interest at this stage is learning to interact and discovering the world with her hands.
If we guide them with love and respect, our babies will become emotionally strong children and adults. Always keep one thing in mind: love is the key to brain development.
