Gem Educare Educates Parents on Improving their Child’s Cognitive and Brain Development

Gem Educare embraces a philosophy of learning through play while fostering emotional intelligence, self-confidence, creativity and critical thinking. “Children learn from the environment and from the people around them,” said Eileen Manoukian, founder, and director of Gem Educare. “Being a parent is difficult. To be a supportive and proactive parent, you need to be very patient and allow your child to learn by experimenting and experiencing.”

To help parents improve their child’s cognitive and brain development, Manoukian offers the following four tips on how to create a learning environment that is age-appropriate and that brings up love of learning in children:

No. 1: Create the right environment. “It is imperative to use the entire house as a learning and playing field for your child and avoid putting them in a small play space for a long period of time,” stressed Manoukian. “Children need to explore to learn. If they have a separate sleeping or playing room, try to accommodate them by providing shelves, libraries, and toy stands that are at their height so they can access the toys and the books at any time on their own. This will help the child learn resourcefulness and instill self-confidence.”

No. 2: Speak in a descriptive way. The best way to teach children is by talking to them and being descriptive. From the day a child is born, the parent should use every opportunity to talk to them. “For example, show the child a toy and tell them the color, shape, size, etc., and talk to them about emotions, thoughts, and behaviors,” added Manoukian. “When they are smiling, tell them, ‘I can see you are feeling happy, you are smiling.’ When they are crying, tell them, ‘I can see you are feeling upset or uncomfortable or sad. It is OK to be sad or upset, but let’s see what we can do to change your mood,’ and then give them options from which to choose.”

No. 3: Know the child’s abilities and provide the appropriate toys. Children are unique in their abilities, and parents should pay attention to their interests and talents and get them toys that will help them develop. “If your child is ahead of their age group’s language development, provide them with games and toys that will help develop language more. You don’t have to go by the age written on the box,” noted Manoukian.  “You should, however, pay attention to the warnings, especially choking hazard warnings.”

No. 4: Be supportive of children and encourage creativity. It is crucial that parents engage in their child’s growth and development, and create real-life scenarios and let them use their imagination. “If your child says they are going shopping, ask them where, what are they going to get, how much are they going to pay for the items they buy, what are they going to make with what they have bought, etc.,” concluded Manoukian. “This helps the child use their imagination. Don’t be afraid to let them choose their clothing or shoes. Let them find a way to solve problems. If necessary, guide them, but let them use their mind, imagination, and problem-solving abilities.”

About Gem Educare

Gem Educare is a multicultural education setting that provides children with the opportunity to play and learn in a clean, warm and safe home-based environment. It accepts children between the ages of 0-5 years old. Gem Educare provides tours on Monday and Wednesday mornings. To schedule a tour, email info@GemEducare.com, or call (818) 858-5955. For more information, visit www.gemeducare.com. Gem Educare is located at 5536 Tampa Ave., Tarzana, CA 91356.

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