Mi Choza De Nipa

Septagram illustrating disciplines which comprise cognitive science (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) BY PHYLLIS KORKKI Since ancient times, the elusive concept of wisdom has figured prominently in philosophical and religious texts. The question remains compelling: What is wisdom, and how does it play out in individual lives? Vivian Clayton, a geriatric neuro psychologist in Orinda, California , developed a definition of wisdom in the 1970s that has served as a foundation for research on the subject ever since. After scouring ancient texts, she found that most people described as wise were decision makers. So she asked a group of law students, law professors and retired judges to name the characteristics of a wise person. She determined that wisdom consists of three key components: cognition, reflection and compassion. Research shows that cognitive functioning slows as people age. But a recent study in Topics in Cognitive Science pointed out that older people have much more info...

By Dr Bill Maier Watching a child’s mind develop is a fascinating process. A child’s brain begins to grow and develop from the moment of conception. In fact, studies done on newborns show that they recognise stories that were read to them while they were still in the womb. Young babies don’t appear to be doing much more than sleeping and eating, but they’re amazingly intelligent. And they learn new things every day. At age two, imagination kicks into high gear, and kids start to learn through make-believe. When we see them playing house or dress-up they’re actually stimulating their cognitive growth. Each game instills new reasoning and critical thinking skills. Then around seven, they become more logical and practical thinkers. They play games like checkers and Battleship, learning to solve problems that they couldn’t have done before. So encourage your kids to play all they want, and have fun watching their brains grow. From TODAY, Voices - Monday, 03-May-2010 -----...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson How does a happy, cooperative 12-year-old boy or girl suddenly turn into a sullen, depressed 13-year-old? There are two powerful forces that overtake our children in the early pubescent years, and account for some of the strange behaviour that drives parents crazy. The first is social in nature , with incredible pressures being inflicted on adolescents by the peer group . But the second, which I think is more important, is hormonal in nature. We can see the effect of these hormones on the physical body, of course, but something equally dynamic is occurring in the brain . Human chemistry apparently goes haywire for a few years, affecting mind as well as body. This internal upheaval will motivate a boy or girl to do things that make absolutely no sense to the adults watching anxiously on the sidelines. There’s a tendency for parents to despair during this period of transition. Everything they’ve tried to teach their sons and daughters ...

Image via CrunchBase I don't have ADHD kids, and while I may say that I empathize with parents who do, I can't really wear their shoes. Nor am I a trained professional who can help in more ways than I usually can. But with what I can, I post this article. An Ezine article original, may this short writing bring help to those who need it most. Read on... ---------- Dealing With ADHD Kids Dealing with ADHD kids is one of the most difficult challenges any parent will face. They are a handful, taking unnecessary risks and showing an seemingly endless array of impulsive behavior. They typically underachieve academically as well, presenting an additional layer of parental challenges. But where does a parent start when attempting to find solutions to these very difficult challenges? The first thing is to recognize that it is not anything you did wrong as parent that caused your child to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder . Brain Resent research has revealed the co...

Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson Every parent of a teenager may wonder at some point if their son or daughter has gone crazy. How can you tell the difference between normal behaviour and the beginnings of mental illness ? Dr Paul Meier explains that all teenagers exhibit some symptoms of what appears to be mental illness. It's just part of growing up. But there are some serious warning signs parents should watch for. Beware if your teenager begins to lose touch with reality; if he develops illusions or actually hears voices; if he accuses you, with all seriousness, of poisoning his food ; or he's convinced that people are trying to read his mind. Such behavior requires immediate attention. Symptoms that remain untreated for six months or longer may become permanently ingrained in the chemical pathways of the brain . While a parent of a teen must accept some distressing behaviour as normal, prompt response to the early signs of mental illness will offer the greatest h...

By Dr Bill Maier Are you wondering if your 12-month-old is ever going to walk? Babies don’t always develop as quickly as we’d like and parents are natural worrywarts. A good friend of ours recalls watching his 13-month-old boy crawling around the room, while a 10-month-old playmate walked circles around him. At the time, he wondered if something might be wrong with his toddler . Of course, he was worried about nothing. Within a few months, he was running with the rest of his friends. No two babies develop at exactly the same rate, and it has nothing to do with intelligence or maturity. Physical skills are linked directly to brain growth, and brains develop at a pre-determined rate. It’s all written into our genetic make-up. Babies walk and talk when their bodies tell them it’s time. Obviously, nutrition and fitness are important, but beyond that, there’s not much we can do to hurry them along. From TODAY, Voices – Thursday, 07-May-2009