10 Myths of Early Childhood Development

Parents are Central Role Models

• An article on Parenting.com outlined this issue. No matter how much you want to shape the behavior and personality of your child, especially at an early age, your child's genes and other environmental factors help make your child a unique person. Nurture your child to the best of your abilities, but allow him or her to become who he or she is.

Always be there to Nurture the Child

• Eventually, a parent must let go of their child, at some point. Even at a young age, parental control and watching must be cut out. Allowing a babysitter or caregiver to look after your child will not harm your child at all. It will allow the child to grow and learn to take care of him- or herself. What is debatable is what specific age to do that, and that is different for each parent.

Don't Talk to a Baby too Young

• A child's brain is consistently growing and developing. From infancy to early childhood, the brain activity of a child is higher than an adult. It is recommended then that you should be talking to your child constantly. Even if he or she is still an infant and has not spoken his or her first words, the stimuli of words will help brain development.

Buy Creative Products to Spark Imagination

• Although creativity can be helped by products, such as painting gear, musical instruments, or scientific tools, a child will not become an artist or scientist just because you throw creativity products at your child. Instead, read and talk to your child consistently and your child's creativity can naturally spark.

Motor Skills Must Be Perfected

• If your six year old cannot catch a ball, there is no reason for concern. Studies by North Dakota State University claim that at the age of 12, full motor control of your child should be developed. Parents should be more concerned of important development skills, such as crawling and walking, than if they can draw correctly or interact well in sports.

If They Do not Talk, Something Is Wrong

• Talking skills for an infant to early childhood vary for each child. Scientists at North Dakota State University argue the brain is able to absorb and understand language and a higher rate from birth to the age of 10. Speed impediments or late talking are concerns that can be mitigated with more interaction and learning, not overreaction.

Children should interact later in Childhood

• Contrary to what many people might think, a child needs to be social with other children his or her age while very young. Researchers at North Dakota State University claim that birth to 18 months old is the best time for a child to be social. Early social learning during this time is seen as extremely helpful to a child's emotional health.

My Child Has a Big Brain From a Large Head

• Brain size is not congruent with intelligence. Some parents do believe that, without a proper skull circumference, the brain cannot flourish and grow. This is completely untrue since brain size is only from brain matter, not actual neurological health.

Listen to Classical Music All The Time

• Often cited as the Mozart Effect, this is from a study by University of California that was actually applied to college students. The argument goes that listening to classical music increases neurological health. However, parents use this argument to make their children listen to music from the womb until they are teenagers. There is, however, no correlation between classical music listening and intelligence.

The Brain is Completely Developed at Birth

• One of the strongest myths is that when a baby is born their brain must automatically be well equipped as much as any organ. Not only is this false, but this myth takes control over all other myths. The child's brain grows throughout his or her entire life, especially radical growth in his or her early childhood. Parents should always be cautious before jumping to a detrimental conclusion concerning his or her child's development.