March 12, 2011

I spent 2 hours brain training my 4 yr old daughter Holly today. She simply could not walk the path of the infinity symbol I chalked on the pavement in our backyard. She would follow the outer path of the number 8, instead of cris-crossing the infinity path. She was apprehensive and frustrated at the task at hand. You would be surprised how many learning difficulties are a direct result of hidden neural underdeveloped pathways in children and adults.

So I stopped the exercise seeing her distress and knelled down at her level. I pointed to one side of her head, “Holly, did you know that you have an idea here that wants to meet another idea over there” And I then moved over to the opposite and furthest side of her head. Her pained grin turned into a smile. I love that about children. I then explained that this exercise we are learning helps an idea meet up and be friends with other ideas anywhere in her brain! She seemed rather pleased at the possibility!

So we began playing! Through encouragement, fun scoring and rewards she progressed at an alarming rate and loved it so much, she was pushing me for more. I made a funny ‘woo’ when she got it correct and a ‘eh eh’ sound when she deviated. I bellowed an exceptional double ‘woo woo’ when she criss-crossed without hesitation. I scored each woo (1 point for a correct cross) and woo woo (2 pts for a correct cross without hesitation) until she got to 10 points.

We celebrated like crazy with my ‘woo woo woo woo’ alarm, wriggle-flashing my 10 fingers. Her delight was extraordinary! She wanted a higher goal so we went to 20 points before we celebrated. She urged me to go higher, so we went to 50 points. (this was 25 cris-crossing in a row without hesitation). Each achievement came with picking her up and spinning her around with jubilation. She also got 2 stars when she got to 10 pts just for having a go and experiencing her potential being realised. She got another start because of her passion taking her to 50 pts! Her stars are on a chart that takes us to a big surprise!

There were many times where she got close and made a mistake, which meant we had to start all over again. This was my highlight and such a profound learning experience for me. Holly did not feel deflated at all. She laughed at missing out and eagerly said, “let’s go again!” This attitude in all of us would move mountains.

Through the learning process and the neural pathways forming, Holly ended up running the correct path 25 times without hesitation or mistake on the final 3 attempts. The importance of helping my daughter make new neural connections, thereby forming new pathways between her right and left hemispheres (neo cortexes) of her brain means she can better associate existing problems with ideas that will solve them. It really is that simple. Intelligence and coping with situations is based on the ability to perceive and alter our perspective to one that identifies the solution.

“We can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it” – Albert Einstein. So what makes up a mind? It is the existing neural wiring throughout the 100 billion neurons that forms our paradigms and predetermines what we can perceive. By increasing our neural connections, we increase our glial cells that assist the process. Albert Einstein had a smaller brain than the average person, yet his glial count was incredibly high.

Braining Training is just one way to increase intelligence and it is just as relevant for the healthy development of our children as it is for adults, regardless of age.

To your intelligence rising

George Helou Founder of MindPower Coach Online Life Coach

You would be surprised how many brain training exercises children struggle with because of their hidden neural underdeveloped pathways.

MindPower inquiries: www.mindpowercoach.com. Free sign up and free access to ebooks; Your Beautiful Mind and Solving Depression.

George Helou has 15 years personal development and life coaching experience and a two time best selling author. For more information on Perth based and online Life Coaching service and his EP7 Empowered for Purpose Coaching program visit www.lifecoachperth.com or call (08) 9380 8350.