Your Baby’s Ability Develops Early
Through repeating activities, your baby’s ability can develop early. Dr. Shinichi Suzuki believed that the Mother-Tongue Method of Education best helps children to learn. This method involves steady repetition of new skills. Then, those skills build on each other to create ability.
“Ability equals knowledge plus 10,000 times.”
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki
One of the Beliefs of Suzuki Early Childhood Education is Ability Develops Early. In fact, science is proving what Dr. Suzuki believed as early the 1940’s. He believed that babies begin learning from birth. We also now know that babies actually begin learning BEFORE birth.
As early as the 1980’s, Dr. Suzuki believed that the a child begins learning 9 months before birth. He even said (possibly in a joking manner or not), that a child may begin learning 9 months before the mother was born!
All that is to say that a parent must recognize that learning should begin as early as possible. It is your job to recognize your baby’s unlimited potential to learn. It is your job to develop your baby’s abilities early rather than later.
You have opportunities to expose your baby to good and beautiful things such as, listening to music, singing songs to them, showing them beautiful art, reading good books and poetry.
“There is no telling what heights children can attain if we educate them properly right after birth.”
Shinichi Suzuki
Did you know that between the ages of 0-5 years, your baby’s brain develops more and faster than any other time in their life? That early brain development affects how your baby will learn, develop high ability, and, eventually, succeed in life.
Dr. Suzuki knew that early experiences affected how a child’s brain develops. This is what he had to say on that subject:
“Parents who say, ‘This child has no ability’, harm the development of so many children with this horribly mistaken idea.”
Shinichi Suzuki
He does sound pretty harsh. But, at the time, people believed that talent was inborn. In other words, you had no chance of getting any talent if you weren’t born with it. Sadly, some people still believe that.
However, Dr. Suzuki also had some good news for parents:
“With patience and repetition, the seed (your baby) blossoms.”
Shinichi Suzuki
Repeat the Good Skills and Grow Your Baby’s Brain
Check out these numbers on how your baby’s brain grows:
- At birth, your baby’s brain is about 25% the size of an adult brain
- Your 1-year old’s brain will double to 50% the size of an adult brain
- At age 3, your child’s brain will grow to 80% of an adult size brain
- By age 5, your child’s brain will be 90% of an adult size brain
Look at that last percentage again. That tells you how important it is to begin educating your baby from Day 1. Your newborn baby has all the brain cells (neurons) they will ever have.
Between the ages of 0 and 5 years, at least 1 million (1,000,000) NEW neural connections (synapses) are made EVERY SECOND! All those brain connections help your baby to move, think, communicate and do just about everthing.
Different parts of the brain do different things to develop your baby’s early abilities. They also develop at different rates. Your baby’s brain actually builds on itself. These connections then link with each other to create more complex abilities.
So your baby is developing high ability by repeating the activities that help their brain grow.
Repeat Experiences and Grow Your Relationships
From birth, brain connections are created through your baby’s experiences with you. Your baby needs a strong, loving relationship with you and your family. Be dependable and respond when your baby invites you to interact with them. Those repeated activities with you are building your baby’s brain.
For this reason you must talk, sing, and read to your baby EVERY DAY from the moment of their birth. Also, when you play with them, they are able to explore the world around them. They can explore the safe environment you provide for them.
Your baby will begin to develop high ability through repeating activities and experiences with you.
Ways to Help Your Baby Develop Ability Early Through Repeated Activities
Suzuki Early Childhood Education (SECE) Baby Class program can give you and your baby opportunities to experience musical activities that will help your baby develop high ability.
Many of the Baby Class activities involve repeating the the action many times. Other activities repeat the action but in a slightly different way.
For example, in one activity, the beat of a rhyme is kept by patting hands on the knees. Then it is repeated tapping on the head or the elbow, etc. This is especially fun if the child is verbal and can decide what body part to tap on their turn.
Babies also learn by watching the other children do the activities. Baby Class is set up for children ages 0-3 years old. The younger children learn from the older ones. The older children learn to become leaders and good examples for the younger ones.
In Baby Class, parents get to do all these wonderful activities with their babies and they learn together.
Knowledge, Repetition, and Relationships Develop Baby’s Ability Early
Knowledge and repetition are important to developing your baby’s ability. However, Dr. Suzuki did not believe it should come first. He said that fine character should come first. Then ability can be developed to a high level.
All of the activities in SECE Baby Class are designed to help children and parents become fine human beings. They help foster love and a deep relationship with your baby. When these are present, the skills are better learned. Then, baby can develop high ability early.
I leave you with some of Dr. Suzuki’s wise words:
“Any skill can be acquired by constant repetition.”
“Develop excellence with repetition.”
“Parents should strive to deeply instill a beautiful, sensitive heart and splendid ability in children, believing that every child can develop into an adult who has these basic characteristics.”
Dr. Shinichi Suzuki
On the “Beautiful Heart Musical Journey” with you,
Susan
Share and Comments
How will develop your baby’s ability this week? Start by simply talking to your baby. Show them objects and name them. Of course, saying “I love you” is most important.
Sing favorite songs. It is calming for both of you. Or read a favorite book over and over. So many things to learn in so many ways. Share in the Comments below what you want to do to start developing your baby’s ability.
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