The parenting checklist

Independent think tank CentreForum have come up with a check list suggesting five daily tasks for parents which could help their children to develop:

1. Read

Children’s brains become more accustomed to language during the early years if they are exposed to as many different words as possible. Reading to them for just 15 minutes each day could really help to build their vocabulary and will help them to learn language much more easily.

2. Play

Infants reach out for interaction through gestures and babbling, so encourage this by playing with them at their physical level – on the floor, for at least 10 minutes every day.

3. Talk

Turn the TV off for 20 minutes and talk to your children. According to research, children who are from poor backgrounds hear less spoken words in a day than children from wealthier backgrounds. Switching off the TV and talking will help to improve your childs verbal and literacy skills ensuring they are adequately prepared for school.

4. Praise and positivity

Obviously don’t praise your children when they are being naughty, but every time they do something good you should take the opportunity to let them know. There is significant evidence to show that ‘positive parenting’ helps to reduce toxic stress levels within children and will also help to strengthen relationships between parents and their children.

5. Good nutrition

It goes without saying that children need a healthy and nutritious diet to aid development and to promote growth. Parents should try to feed their children at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and this will help the brain to develop.

View the original Telegraph article.