Denny Strecker’s Blog

Summer time is one of the most wasted times of the year for children here in the United States. Parents allow their children to become slugs - sleeping all day, laying on the couch, watching TV or playing video games. This is not a good habit to allow children to learn. Today’s article talks about how successful parents stimulate their child’s thinking and using those creative thoughts to create a way of living for them as they grow older.

“Pint Sized Entrepreneurs” By Joel Boggess
As the excitement of school children builds to super-charged levels as they prepare to shift gears and fly into summertime, there has never been a better time for students to let their entrepreneurial wings catch the wind and soar. There are at least two reasons for this.

Number one: No one dreams better, about things that aren’t, than kids. Take 11 year-old, Richie Stachowski. In the crystal-clear waters of Hawaii, his imagination swam beneath the ocean’s surface with him and the idea for an aquatic walkie-talkie bubbled to the surface. Ritchie shared his deep-sea thinking with retail giants Wal Mart and Toys R US and they bought into it, hook, line, and sinker. Two years later, the young inventor, not yet old enough to drive himself to the bank, sold his toy company for a cool million.

The second reason for students to climb aboard the entrepreneurial flight deck is what John Maxwell calls the “law of timing.” Let’s just call it the “cuteness quotient.” Simply put, kids will never be as cute as they are today. Ask your local Girl Scout troop about the cuteness quotient and they’ll not only tell you that sales are good, they’ll also tell you that “Thin Mints,” “Samoas” and “Caramel deLites” make up about 44% of all Girl Scout cookie sales. The million-dollar question for pint-sized rain-makers is easy, “What is it that my school, church, or community is hungering for that I can provide with enthusiasm and excellence?”

John Shorb found a hunger. As his sixth-grade classmates were sleepily brushing away the newness of the dawn, this entrepreneur was busily working on the neighbors’ lawns. Through the teenage years, while some of his classmates were earning minimum wage, John was creating a legacy. At 19, his gross sales reached $125,000.

Do your children have a passion for animals? Why not encourage them to start their own pet grooming business? Do they have the skilled hands of a craftsman? A mobile car detailing business might be the perfect match. Both of those businesses can be started on a shoestring with NO PARENTAL TRANSPORTATION REQUIRED. Kids can start at one end of the neighborhood and go door-to-door delivering crackerjack service along with a toothy grin.

One of the best kid entrepreneur stories out there is about 15 year-old Chris Paolini. He used the fruit of his childhood fantasies to satisfy the craving for entertainment. He brought together tales of dragons and make-believe and put them in book form. “Eragon” went on to become a best seller with more than seven million copies sold. As a movie, the series grossed a quarter of a billion dollars worldwide.

What are your kids doing this summer? Consider the possibilities and make this summer count.

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Today we finish the article from my previous post. Make sure you read my previous post and see how you can help maximize your child’s abilities.

4. Nature Does Not Always Have The Last Word In Your Child’s Learning and Brain Power

The nature vs. nurture debate. Some think that nature and genetics are the most important factors in how “smart” your child is, but newer research says nurture and environment can actually play a bigger role.

Did you know that hugging and kissing your child can actually enhance learning by increasing a fatty substance covering the nerves? Medically, this translates into faster thinking and better motor control.

I have a personal confession that shows you can nurture your child into learning to be smarter in a certain subject area.

My high school math teacher told me I was “dumb” and would never understand math. I was determined that my own children would never have to suffer over math the way I did.

From birth on, I told them how brilliant they were in math. My son graduated from college and doesn’t need math in his profession; however, my daughter actually used her advanced math skills in medical school, and fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a pediatrician.

Even though she was born very prematurely, which normally affects the brain and those quirky I.Q. scores, my daughter won advanced placement math contests with her high school classmates. So much for genetics. I’ll opt for nurture and learning every time.

5. Parents Influence Their Child’s Character, Attitude and Behavior

During the first five years of your child’s life, doctors, parent experts and child psychologists say that you are the primary person who helps shape your child’s character, attitude and behavior.

However, unless you find out all you can about good parenting, you’re likely to recreate your own childhood. This does not mean your childhood was bad, it simply means you have the ability to give your child better than the best and make your child smarter with a little extra effort.

Children model what they see, so giving them unconditional love, advice, instruction and specific ways to make tough choices when they need to, will do more for their character, behavior and attitude than any other thing you can do. My favorite book on this subject is Have A New Kid By Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman.

6. Brain-Body Connection: Smarter Foods Equals Smarter Kids

In 1997, I wrote a book called, What’s Food Got To Do With It? 101 Natural Remedies For Learning Disabilities. Medical science has proven beyond a doubt that there is a strong connection between food and learning.

As you’re grocery shopping, consider some of these facts:

The CDC states we have an obesity and Type II diabetes epidemic. Diet can often prevent both of these. The smarter child tip: keep your home filled with healthy foods, fruits, veggies and as many organic proteins as you can.

Want a smarter test taker? Eat protein before the test, not snacks to get a sugar high. Protein will stabilize blood sugar levels and improve learning, focus and memory.

The bottom line – food impacts your child’s learning ability and behavior. Show that you care for your child’s health and learning by reading more and asking your doctor what is healthy and what is not.

7. Belief In A Higher Power Can Make A Child Smarter Too

Kids who believe strongly in a higher power are more likely to make smarter choices. Their belief in a ‘higher power’ can be the conscience that helps them understand every action has a consequence. You may want to look into programs that instruct your child about God, spirituality or a higher power because it can help them behave with more integrity and act in a kinder, more loving way.

This article was written by best selling author Pat Wyman.

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I found this article that discusses 7 ways for parents to help raise a smart child. The article was written by best selling author Pat Wyman - www.RaisingSmarterChildren.com.

If you’re serious about wanting a smarter child in brain, body and spirit, here are 7 new learning discoveries to give your child an advantage in school, home and life.

1. There Is More To Smart Than A High I.Q.

I.Q. scores are very limited and frequently used to measure a gap between learning potential and actual performance in school, so I.Q. cannot possibly be the only hallmark of your child’s learning ability.

I show kids how to learn and succeed in school, but never advise that you pressure your child for A’s so much that they become anxious and unhappy.

Your child has many talents that make him or her very unique. Nourish each of these if you want a smarter, more well rounded child, and you just may find you have the next Pavarotti on your hands.

2. Give Your Child’s Brain A Big Boost With These Fats

The World Health Organization and respected medical journals have proven that omega 3 fats like DHA and ARA (such as those found in fish oil) can give your child’s brain just the boost it needs for learning, faster thinking and better memory. One study even shows that Omega 3’s can reduce or eliminate ADD/ADHD symptoms.

Omega 3’s have close to a thousand other health benefits so many doctors now recommend taking them in supplement form. (Ask your doctor before taking any supplements).

Check the quality of omega 3 supplements because some are contaminated with toxins like mercury. Toxins can be safely removed but not all brands do this.

One Omega 3 supplement my family takes comes from Norway and is on our site at HowToLearn.com/omega3.html. It is certified number one in safety and quality by the organization with the most stringent safety standards in the world.

3. Music Can Make Your Child Smarter

Controversy aside, new research on “The Mozart Effect”, says it has a molecular basis in the brain and improves spatial abilities. Your child uses spatial abilities in subjects like math and science. Several studies show higher I.Q. scores after listening to certain Mozart selections too. Do yourself a favor and type in “The Mozart Effect” in Google for more information.

To Be Continued…

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