Neuro-Nurturing As a Child Grows

The Neuro-Nurturing® Model

The Neuro-Nurturing® Model provides insight into all needs for a developing child. When all needs are provided and nourished, the child thrives and a brain develops in the most healthy ways. 

The design of the model is circular because the overlapping connection of each element complements one another.  Each aspect of development influences and affects other aspects fostering optimal overall development. As shown through the model, Neuro-Nurturing® provides the realization that all aspects of development are necessary. 

For Example:

Imagine a thriving 18 month old. If the child has has established a feeling of security (attachment) with their care-giver(s), at this stage of development, they need to experience things for themselves and ultimately feel the sense of accomplishment that goes along with completing tasks independently. When the toddler is in a relaxed and predictable setting (security) they will begin to explore and experiment (play). Upon exploration into a new activity the 18 month old begins to feel a healthy level stress through their new challenge. If at any point the baby begins to feel overwhelmed, they will seek their care-giver for reassuring help in calming the dysregulation they are feeling before returning to their play. We see this when a toddler requests to be picked up and squirms right out of the arms of the care-giver immediately after, to return to play. Their needs were met  in that short embrace and they can now continue on with the task of learning about the world and their place in it. 
Time for independent trial and error is extremely valuable in these settings (play). At appropriate times, children also need someone available to help and encourage them when things get overwhelming (play, nurturing). Furthermore, in these settings, they desperately require a calm and understanding adult who can help them through the uncertainty of new situations and the feelings of overpowering emotions that they don't yet know how to deal with on their own (security, nurturing).
Due to the extremely rapid growth in the early years, the brains of babies, toddlers and preschool children are especially vulnerable to and are significantly impacted by their environment and the people in it. 

The foundational needs of safety, security, loving experiences, care-giver responsiveness, adequate amounts of sleep, health nutrition, a lack of chaos and safe opportunities to learn through movement, imaginative play with hands-on and sensory exploration and lots of time in nature are all critical to  developing a brain well. 

They will therefore continually adapt to what they are exposed to most frequently and their brain will physically wire based on these experiences.

 

 

“The experiences of early life have the profound ability to shape the infant, child, adolescent, and ultimately the adult. Each child has his or her own unique genetic potential, yet this potential is expressed differentially depending upon the nature, timing, and patterns of developmental experience.”  – Bruce D. Perry 

 

Environments that are chaotic, unpredictable, threatening and highly stressful can leave a direct influence on the developing brain. Impacting learning, self-perception, relationships, behavior, physical and mental health. Whereas, repeated experiences with a responsive and nurturing caregiver can contribute to buffering the impact of adverse experiences especially in infancy. 

 

“When little people are overwhelmed by big emotions, it's our job to share our calm, not join their chaos.”  - L.R. Knost

 

Within a 'brain nurturing' setting, experiences will touch on multiple aspects depicted in the Neuro-Nurturing® model. Valuable brain connections are made in numerous ways.  

It is through these supports that children test new experiences, then naturally relate it to existing knowledge and ultimately store the new information. Through this process they begin to feel confident in their abilities and develop a very healthy self-perception. To support this, adults need to allow (not force) enough time for children to try things repeatedly at their own pace through play. Repeated experiences create strong neural connections for crucial brain pathways.

Children naturally want to explore, spin, yell, pretend, run, pour, skip, create, splash, imagine, hear stories, pound, throw, squish, hop, enjoy music, receive hugs, and figure out the world. They continually seek what their growing brains need.

Understanding adults just need to provide plenty of wonderful opportunities for all of this to occur, while realizing that the children are beautifully reminding them of their valuable and important part of guiding the child to retaining the beautiful and unique brilliance the children already are. 

 

“A person is a person, no matter how small.” – Dr. Seuss
 
Neuro-Nurturing shares the invaluable understanding that a well developed brain allows the unique essence of a child to shine.

We've created a special packets for each age to help you easily create these needed brain development enhancing experiences in everyday life.

The children are cannot wait for all the beneficial fun that will happen.

They provide just what you need.

Check them out right here