Life is art. The way we treat our bodies, the decisions we make, the dreams we follow . . . all create our present and our future. Most, if not all adults have regrets about some of the seeds we’ve sown: missed opportunities, age old fears continuing to plague us . . ..
I think about this a lot, especially as it applies to early childhood. Newborns arrive with the cleanest slate they will ever have. Though most organs are complete, but miniature, the brain is very unfinished—one hundred billion brain cells waiting for life to wire them up. A month later connections between these brain cells increase twentyfold: one thousand trillion connections!
In truth, our kids are the most actively creative humans on this planet. Moment by moment, experience by experience they are creating their brains, their health, their emotional intelligence, their belief systems, who they are and who they can and will become.
The key words here are “they are creating”. Research shows that kids are in learning mode all the time. That means that what they see, hear, and experience, they become. What they eat drink breathe, not only builds the health of their body, but also affects brain development/ and function. Today’s parents are the first generation to know this.
For me, as a social artist, this is the most powerful information in existence. It empowers us to join in the creative dance going on inside the developing brains and hearts of our children. The quality of their learning, and physical health depend on the adults they hang out with (us) and the world our society has created for them. Playing a conscious role, big or small, the life of a young child allows us to help create the most powerful art on this planet.
I’ll talk more specifically about this next time.
© Nancy Tracey 2019