Every Experience Counts

This is Pang, the author of our second entry on
chapter 5, when she was a toddler. She said she
was laughing at her aunt because she kept
playing "peek-a-boo" with her.

When I read the chapter Love Grows Brains: Teaching Children Neuroscience, I realized how important life is as a child. When something is important, I believe you remember it more easily. I remember playing with blocks, cardboard boxes, and a small chair when I was about five years old. I would build houses, cities, and drive around pretending to be mayor of the city. The interesting part about this was that I played in the kitchen and my mom never disapproved of it.  Instead, she encouraged my learning experiences regardless of the setting. It was reading this chapter that made me agree with Gordon about brain development in the baby or child.         

When I was playing with the blocks and cardboard boxes, I was probably learning the different ways of constructing houses. At this time I also learned how to add and subtract. I took away and added blocks or boxes when I wanted the houses to be taller or bigger. I subtracted boxes if I thought the houses looked too big.  This made me realize why I now like to make gingerbread houses so often and why I enjoy putting things together without reading the instructions right away. Therefore I would have to agree with Gordon’s statement that, “Curiosity and imagination are key features of optimal development in the early years” (p.75). It was the connection between me, my boxes, and blocks that made me understand how important it is for parents to let their child play.

In this chapter, Gordon also highlighted “Parents [being] the models from whom children learn if life is exciting or tiresome” (p. 77). Being the oldest child in my family, I did not have anyone to look up to. Therefore, I looked up to my parents. My parents always had us doing something fun. They made life so interesting when it came to outdoor living. They had us do activities while we went camping. These activities included scavenger hunting, volleyball, and fishing. My parents always encouraged me and my siblings to continue our education and to strive for the best. I have become the person that I am today because of the strong positive support I received from my parents. These experiences have shaped me into a more rounded person. I have learned to never give up on my dreams and that anything is possible.

The simple memory of playing with blocks and boxes suddenly became important to me after reading this chapter. It also made me understand that the experiences in my childhood had a major impact in my life. My parents opened the doors to everything by allowing me to play without restriction but with caution. I learned that if I do not do something with my life, I will end up on a dead end. These experiences follow me through my life and I am appreciative that my parents allowed me to play as a child. The simple act of allowing me to play as a child fostered my brain to grow into what it is now.