the martin twins under the lights of lawlor
FALL 2018
hands-on learning by the discovery museum straight from neuroscience with zoo-phonics
Ava i
le 24/7 b a l
PBS KIDS is #1 in preparing kids for success in school and in life
Parents report that TV is one of the top ways they spend time
together as a family
1
PBS KIDS is the best use
of families’ screen time 1
37%
Which media brand do you think is the best use of your family’s screen time?
24%
PBS KIDS
Disney Jr.
12%
11% Sprout
Nick Jr.
2% Cartoon Network
PBS KIDS
Children’s Educational
Media Brand
2
PBS KIDS is #1
in school readiness
How well did/does each of these networks prepare your child for school?
81%
50%
31% 70%
59%
Sprout
35%
35%
64%
PBS KIDS
36% 31%
19% Helps somewhat
28%
Disney Jr.
28%
Nick Jr.
10% 9%
1
KNPB PBS KIDS on Channel 5.3 Also streaming online and on the PBS KIDS Video Apps
knpb.org/knpbpbskids #pbskids247
Cartoon Network
Helps a lot 1.Online survey of 1,004 parents of children ages 2-6. Maru/Matchbox, November 30 - December 15, 2016.
2. Survey of 1,002 adults, 18 years of age and older, who participated via phone. Marketing & Research Resources, Inc. (M&RR), January 3-10, 2017.
contributors
p u b l i s h e r ’s n o t e For many couples wanting to start a family, getting pregnant literally happens overnight! For others, the journey can be mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting to the point where giving up seems like the best option not only to preserve sanity but also to save the relationship. For couples determined to start a family, technology provides a solution with methods like IVF. IVF can be a Godsend but can also lead to high-risk pregnancies, twins, and more than was bargained for!
KIM SURRATT Founder
LESLIE McCARROLL Co-Founder | Publisher
This is such a fantastic issue covering everything from the experience of having twins & IVF, the famous UNR Basketball Martin Twins, setting your child up for college, hands-on learning, and keeping our children moving to improve their mind and enhance learning. It is a great pleasure to have the Martin Twins grace our cover and allow us to peek inside their childhood and learn about the struggles they experienced. We know their amazing mom is a warrior who raised all of her sons with strength and empowered them to be their best. It’s not a surprise that the Martin twins are as successful as they are. They are blessed with a great role model. This is our final issue of the year, and we are so thrilled to be able to provide you with relevant information covering everything you want to know about starting a family. We strive to keep up on the latest technological advances and deliver information to help you get through parenthood the best way we know how. Fall is here, and the Holidays are fast approaching! Remember to take time to enjoy the moments with your loved ones and remember to be kind to yourself. Stay cozy, keep your sanity and see you next year!
DEBBIE MCCARTHY Co-Founder | Director of Editorial
Leslie McCarroll Publisher and Co-Founder/Bliss Babies Magazine Publisher and Founder/Bliss Babe Magazine Leslie@BlissBabe.com
our team MEG STEINITZ Editor-in-Chief
LINDSAY ROHLFSEN Creative Director | Designer
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Jorja Bentley David Bradfield, Reno Dads Tracie Cambell Deana Christy Katie Coombs Said Daneshmand, M.D., F.A.C.O.G Elisabeth at Little Betty Photography Sarah Gobbs-Hill Kathleen & Don Hanley Tina Kim Ho KNPB Mike McDowell, Reno Dads
Erin Meyering Shannon Moore Meghan Ochs Danell Wilson- Perlman Jerrine Plunket, I Deux Photography Elisabeth Thompson Reyes Rob Sabo Tony & Tricia Shell Katie Silva Alyssa Starr Cinnamon Steinhardt Patrick Turner
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table of contents
18 on the cover: (left) Caleb & Cody Martin
10
WHAT’S family making
8 10
Risks of a Twin Pregnancy
baby book
14
Wolf Pack’s Future
Fathering Twins
baby business
16
Paying for College
feature
The Martin Twins: Under the Lights of Lawlor
parenting
18 22 24
inside
Hands-on Learning: The Discovery The More Kids Move
6 B l is s B a b ie s | Fall 2 0 1 8
WANTING TO ADOPT A CHILD OR USE A SURROGATE IN NEVADA?
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family making
pregnancy RISKS OF A TWIN
Rethinking Multiple Embryos in IVF by Dr. Said T. Daneshmand, M.D., F.A.C.O.G | San Diego Fertility
This Summer, Louise Brown, the world’s first “Test Tube Baby” celebrated her 40th birthday. In the decades since the birth of Louise Brown, there has been tremendous progress in the technology associated with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), which has led to high success rates and safer procedures. This advancement in IVF technology and practice has also led to a rash of multiple births; twins and beyond. About 2% of all babies born in the U.S. are conceived via IVF and close to 40% of all IVF births are multiple pregnancies. This increase in number of twins and triplets is a direct result of transferring two or more embryos into the uterus, a technique that is motivated by the goal of increasing the success of IVF. It may surprise you that Louise Brown was conceived via the transfer of a single embryo. With all of the advances in IVF and freezing techniques, there is an argument to be made that transferring a single embryo should be the standard of care in the field of IVF.
a great deal of risk for the mother and babies. The risks include premature birth, diabetes, high blood pressure, cesarean deliveries, prolonged hospitalizations, placental abnormalities, and miscarriage. For starters, close to 60% of twins are born premature, and while most of these babies do well because of the advances in medicine and neonatal care, some are born so premature that they have difficulty breathing on their own and need to spend many weeks and even months in intensive care. Some premature twins can have internal brain bleeding which can cause both short and long-term health problems, including a delay in normal healthy development. For mothers, pregnancy with multiples carries the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure which may not be able to be controlled with medications, necessitating an early and premature birth. Most complications that we think about in pregnancy are much higher with multiple pregnancies.
While twins and triplets seem like a great way of creating a large family at one time, especially for older women who have been suffering from infertility for years, multiple pregnancies carry
Recognizing the risk of multiple pregnancies and the danger they pose for mothers and their babies, many professional medical organizations have made strong recommendations for the
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transfer of only one embryo. It seems like many Doctors have taken this advice to heart, as the rate of IVF cycles that led to multiple pregnancies and births dropped from 50% to 22% between 2009 and 2014. Three significant advances in technology have also helped in making single embryo transfer a more attractive option: First, the rate of success with frozen embryos has skyrocketed in recent years, allowing patients to keep their embryos stored frozen for later transfer, rather than transferring two or more at the same time. Second, chromosome analysis of embryos with specialized techniques has allowed us to determine which embryos are chromosomally normal, allowing Doctors to pick the single best embryo to transfer to maximize success. Third, my colleagues and I have discovered the time when the uterus is most receptive to the embryo, which has led to more successful attachment of the embryo to the uterus and more successful and healthier pregnancies. Essentially, the embryo and uterus need to be in sync with one another for a successful pregnancy to occur. Through extensive research, this best window of time
has been discovered, leading to more and more successful IVF journeys. As physicians, we have a duty not only to help our patients overcome the obstacles of infertility, but we must at the same time maximize the health of the mother and child. We must take the time necessary to discuss the risks of twin and triplet pregnancies with our patients, and also lay out a plan for them that draws from the latest innovative technologies and research, to maximize the chances of a healthy pregnancy. This is the ultimate covenant with our patients.
Said Daneshmand M.D. is a Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (F.A.C.O.G.) with a Subspecialty Board Certification in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is an internationally recognized fertility specialist with extensive experience in providing third-party reproductive services. He has collaborated to develop IVF protocols to improve pregnancy rates, including post-thaw extended culture (PTEC), which is one of the most successful IVF regimens currently available. He speaks French, Spanish and Farsi. For more information about Dr. Daneshmand and San Diego Fertility Center visit www.sdfertility.com.
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future
family making
WOLF PACK’S by Debbie McCarthy photos by Little Betty Photography
Chris and Shenea Strader knew early on in their marriage that they wanted two children. They just didn’t plan on having them both at the same time. After a period of infertility, the Straders underwent several rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) before becoming pregnant with their son Silas and daughter Siena. But before their journey to parenthood, Shenea and Chris were just two undergraduate students at the University of Nevada living in the residence halls in 2000. “I transferred to Nevada from Western Nevada College my sophomore year, and I was not thrilled with the idea of living in the dorms with the freshmen,” Shenea recalled. “After I took the campus tour I decided I wanted to get input from an actual student and get an unbiased opinion.” Shenea used the Nevada Residence Hall group on AOL instant messenger to choose a random person to ask her questions. It just so happened that she chose Chris, a sophomore biochemistry major. After a few innocent chats online, and a phone call or two, Shenea moved into Nye Hall, while Chris resided in Canada Hall across the way. As fate would have it, Shenea and Chris both ended up on the fifth floor of their buildings with windows directly facing one another. After a few more online chats, they finally met face to face in the lobby of Nye Hall. But it was far from love at first sight for Shenea. “He was super skinny—115 pounds sopping wet—and he had a bowl haircut.” Shenea laughed. “I was not super interested.”
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Siena and Silas
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The Strader family
A persistent Chris continued to reach out to Shenea, and after a few more calls, and a haircut, they began their relationship. They were both actively involved in life on campus, participating in Greek life, student ambassadors, and a host of other clubs as they earned their undergraduate degrees. They continued their student careers at the university by enrolling in the Masters of Business Administration program together and earned their MBAs in 2007. They remain active in multiple alumni organizations, even founding a few, and are proud supporters of Nevada athletics. After a move to the Bay Area and time spent advancing their careers, the idea of starting a family became a more serious discussion. 12 B l is s B a b ie s | Fall 2 0 1 8
When they decided to try for their first child, the Straders faced some unexpected challenges. It was a year into trying to conceive when they chose to pursue fertility treatment. “Doctors were not certain why we couldn’t get pregnant,” Chris explained. “We were just told that we had ‘unexplained infertility,’ so they really didn’t know what they were trying to fix.” On the advice of their doctor, they began IUI procedures with the hopes of avoiding the more invasive, and expensive, alternative of in vitro fertilization (IFV). The procedure is also known to have a lower chance of having multiples. It was after the fourth round of IUI that the Straders got the happy news that they were not only pregnant but expecting twins.
The die-hard Wolf Pack fans got a little insight about the unique bond that twins share from some of the most famous twins in Reno—Nevada basketball players Cody and Caleb Martin. So what does life with twins look like for Chris and Shenea? It all boils down to how organized they are, according to Chris. “No matter what you do, they’re not always going to feed on time, or sleep when they should,” he explained. “And sometimes they’ll do exactly what they’re supposed to, and you’re so glad you were organized.” For Shenea, a self-proclaimed type-A personality, it’s important to savor the special time they are in.
“The moments of them being this small are fleeting. I have to remind myself to sit down and enjoy these moments with them.”
You may know Debbie McCarthy as “About Town Deb.” Debbie focuses on sharing community events in your town. As a traveling journalist, influencer, and media gal, Debbie is often seen helping at charitable events, spreading the word about a new business, and providing readers and listeners an inside look into what’s happening around your community. Debbie is a writer, photographer, radio host, and co-owner of Bliss Babe and Bliss Babies Magazine.
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baby book
twins
FATHERING
by Mike McDowell
Not much can prepare you for the news that you’re having twins. In fact, most dads will never know what it’s like to raise twins or multiples. So, we asked dads with first-hand experience to give us a little insight. Here’s what they had to say:
How did you react when you found out you were expecting twins? u “Although it was a surprise, we embraced the thought of having twins almost immediately. Due to miscarriage, we had experienced so much loss before we found out she was pregnant with our sons. There was nothing that was going to cause us to pause and have second thoughts.” u “I was really excited when the doctor gave us the news. I remember driving home almost in a fog once the reality of two kids at once hit me. I really was unsure if I could handle all that came with having twins.” u “My wife had been joking about having twins for years. So when the doc said, “Huh, do twins run in the family?” My instant reaction was, “You got to be f*#%ing kidding me.” She was not.”
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What is the worst thing about having twins? u “The pregnancy. My wife started pre-term labor at 27 weeks, was on bed rest for another seven weeks and then my son and daughter were in the NICU for about a month.” u “The lack of sleep and energy. They always seem to be going in opposite directions and when one is napping or asleep the other isn’t.” u “There is no downtime, especially the first six months. My wife and I were at least able to divide and conquer. I empathize with those who have triplets or more, and no help.” u “When our girls were born, and we would go out in public, people would always be excited to see twins. But, they would always tell my wife how sorry they were for her. Twins are a blessing; not something to feel bad about.”
What is the best thing about having twins? u “I really enjoy watching them interact with each other. They obviously love each other, and now that they’re older they’ll give one another impromptu hugs and kisses and say, “I love you” to one another. Everyone talks about the twin bond, and it’s a legit thing.” u “They have a best friend for life. They are so close and so loving that no matter where life takes them, they will have each other. No one will know them better than their sister does. It is a special bond that not everyone will fully understand.” u “You have two more people who will call you Dad. Best feeling in the world.” u “Watching them grow up completely independent of the other. They still have a very strong bond with each other, but they are two extremely different children.” u “A lot of people would say the best thing about twins would be that you get double the love. They’re right.” Thank you to the awesome dads who answered our questions about multiples: Leon Myers, Michael Friend, Greg Lintz, Steve Pirates, Rich Gomez and Spike Zelenka (creator of Fathers of Multiples).
You can find Reno Dads online at renodadsblog.com and on Facebook at Reno Dads. Mike McDowell is one of the founders of Reno Dads. He’s a Reno native and passionate about giving back to his city. In addition to being a devoted Dad to his two sons, Mike geeks out over marketing, sports, and perfectly placed puns.
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baby business
PAYING FOR COLLEGE CAN BE WICKEDLY
expensive by Rob Sabo
Average tuition at public four-year state colleges for the 2017-2018 academic year was just under $10,000, the College Board reports, while room and board cost an additional $10,800. Only 10 years earlier, tuition at those same institutions averaged $6,185, and room and board cost $7,404. That’s a 53-percent increase in a decade. For new parents, college tuition costs are likely to be significantly higher when their kids pursue postsecondary education. That’s why it’s important to begin saving for your child’s college education today. Nevada parents have many different options when it comes to college savings plans, including 529 plans and the Nevada Prepaid Tuition Program. The biggest advantage of the Nevada Prepaid Tuition Program is the fact that tuition plans are locked at current tuition costs. No matter how high tuition escalates, the program pays full in-state tuition so long as beneficiaries enroll in a Nevada college or university. For students who attend college in a different state, the program transfers the number of in-state credit hours purchased to participating institutions. “Nevada is one of only 11 states still offering a prepaid tuition program,” says Sheila Salehian, deputy treasurer for the State of Nevada. The Nevada Prepaid Tuition Program is currently 132% funded, meaning that if every participating member cashed out tomorrow, the program still would have funds available. The State Treasurer’s Office administers the program through the Board of Trustees of the Nevada College Savings Plans.
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Parents can choose from a variety of prepaid tuition plans:
Four-year university plan (120 credit hours) Two-year university plan (60 credit hours) Two-year plan (30 credit hours) Two-year community college plan (60 credit hours) Two + two plan, community college and university (120 credit hours) There are a range of payment options as well, including paying in full, paying in five or 10 years, or through an extended 18-year monthly installment plan. Payments don’t change regardless of future tuition increases; however, installment plans carry a 6.25% interest rate. Beneficiaries have six years from graduation to use their funds, although extensions are available for students who serve in the military or pursue religious/charitable service. For parents of high-achieving students who earn full-ride scholarships, their funds will be refunded in full if not needed. There’s also no penalty for early cancellation – parents can withdraw funds at any time for financial hardship. The State also offers four different qualified 529 savings plans and an adviser-sold 529 plan. With 529 college
savings plans, account holders direct how funds are invested, which provides savvy investors an opportunity to grow the account over time. With adviser accounts, a third party directs investments. “The benefit of 529 plans versus prepaid tuition is that 529 plans can be used to pay for room and board,” notes Jim Foster, a Certified Financial Planner with the Edward Jones office in Carson City. Additionally, family members and friends can contribute. Instead of a purchasing a plethora of random birthday gifts that likely will end up at the bottom of the toy box, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends can put money into a 529 savings account for a child’s future use. Salahian says a solid savings strategy for parents who want to fully fund their kids’ college education is to buy into both. “Tuition is a just a portion of the costs of a college education,” she says. “Families can purchase prepaid tuition and also open a 529 plan that lets family and friends contribute. When the child goes to college, then you can dip into both.”
Rob Sabo has spent more than two decades working as a sportswriter, business reporter, editor, copywriter and web content creator. He lives in Reno with his wife and young daughter.
Katherine L. Provost, Esq. 3303 Novat St., Ste. 200, Las Vegas, Nevada 89129 | 702-823-4900 katherine@kainenlawgroup.com
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feature
18 B l is s B a b ie s | Fall 2 0 1 8
UNDER THE
Lawlor LIGHTS OF
by Elisabeth Reyes professional photos by Elizabeth at Little Betty Photography family photos courtesy of the Martin family
When Cody and Caleb Martin step on the court at Lawlor Event Center, Wolf Pack fans go wild. The 6 foot 7 twins have proven themselves to be standout players for Nevada, and have earned numerous accolades, including Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year for Cody, and 2017-2018 Mountain West Newcomer of the Year for Caleb. But before the awards, the fandom, and the scholarships, the Martin twins were just a couple of kids being raised by a single mother in Cooleemee, North Carolina— population 960. Life wasn’t always easy for the twins, their mother Jenny Bennett, or their older brother Raheem. They resided in a small single-wide trailer, with approximately 300 square feet of space for the four of them. With their father out of the picture, Jenny worked three jobs to provide for her boys. Despite her efforts, there was never enough food or beds for the family, and insects were a constant problem. “As kids, we didn’t realize that we lived in an environment and others didn’t,” Caleb recalled. “It was just what we were used to. But looking back now I realize how much our mom had to sacrifice to make sure we were taken care of. All the times she didn’t eat, so we could—it’s really incredible.” As the boys got older, the dangers of being biracial in the South became a reality. A burning cross in the front yard, coupled with neighborhood shootings and drugs made for an increasingly unsafe environment for them. Jenny always made it a point to teach her sons the importance of integrity, humility, and doing what is moral, knowing it was the best way for them to succeed.
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Their brother served as more of a father figure for the twins and provided the strong male role model that they never got from their biological father. “When other kids our age were going out to parties, and we had to make time to work out so we could play our best, mom would always tell us ‘sacrifice now to enjoy later.’” Caleb said. “That has always stuck with me.” Because of Jenny’s perseverance, the twins were positioned well to excel in their lives. Their natural athleticism meant that they were constantly playing either basketball or football. Ultimately, basketball won their preference, and they both spent two years playing at North Carolina State before transferring to Nevada on full-ride athletic scholarships. The bond they share is unique, even for twins. They prefer to be roommates, take the same classes, enjoy the same foods, and they even share similar tastes when it comes to fashion. Neither of them looks forward to a time when they don’t spend every day together. And while both of them love the game of basketball, what truly defines them is the upbringing their mother made possible—even through the all of the challenges. Both of them regard her as their hero, for all of the times she went without to ensure they didn’t have to. “We appreciate everything she did for us,” Caleb said. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without her.” What the future holds for the Martin twins only time will tell. Both have an interest in continuing their education at Nevada and extending their time on the team. They withdrew from the 2018 NBA draft to return to UNR for their senior year, but the interest in their talents has not waned. Cody was recently invited to participate in the Nike Basketball Skills Academy—an opportunity to play with some of the most highly regarded collegiate players in the game. One certainty for the twins is that their bond with one another, and their bond with the woman who helped make all of this possible, is as strong as ever. “Everyone always tells us that our mom must be so proud of us,” Cody explained. “And she is. But what people don’t realize is that we are just as proud of her for everything she did to make sure we got here.”
Elisabeth Reyes is a Nevada alumna, a communications professional, and a police wife. Writing has always been her passion, and she loves telling the stories of dynamic and influential people who make the world a better place.
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Bl i s s Ba bies.com 2 1
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” – Aristotle
HANDS-ON LEARNING BOOSTS LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS by Sarah Gobbs-Hill | photos courtesy of The Discovery
Every parent agrees that education is an integral part of raising children, and positive exposure to learning at a young age helps to set children up for long-term educational success. Recent studies have shown that hands-on learning in the early stages of children’s formal education is crucial to connecting what they learn in the classroom with what happens in life and the world around them. Science centers like The Discovery provide a laboratory where concepts can be explored thoroughly, tried, retried, and shared with others. Young learners are little sponges when it comes to soaking up information that is presented to them in the classroom, but when it comes to associating what they’re learning with experiences outside of school, there isn’t always a strong connection. Creating opportunities for children to engage in hands-on learning in a fun environment can help bridge this gap. When parents pair experiential learning with what their children are learning in the classroom, teachers have increased opportunity to connect knowledge to experience.
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parenting
Children also learn that not every experiment ends in success. The scientific method is built around the idea that experiments must be repeated in order to be deemed conclusive. Failure leads to further refinement of the pursuit of understanding. Failure is not always easy for children to manage, but through hands-on experiences, the role of failure and its importance begins to become more comfortable. Creating learners who aren’t afraid to try something new due to fear of failure contributes significantly to long-term educational success. The most important thing hands-on learning can do for young learners is teach them how to learn. The classroom setting is an excellent way for children to have information presented to them, but hands-on learning allows them to create their own lesson plan. Rather than follow the lead of the teacher, young learners can decide what concept interests them and how to explore it. When these students reach college or their future career, the ability to determine how to learn, rather than merely apply what they’ve learned will serve them well. So, as you watch your children learn and grow, support them in the classroom setting, but also take every opportunity to create hands-on learning experiences. Those experiences are sure to help develop healthy learning habits, which will lead to later success in the education setting and future careers.
Sarah is VP of Education & Exhibits at The Discovery. She is also mom to two active boys and a passionate supporter of hands-on education.
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parenting
THE MORE KIDS MOVE, THE MORE THEY
Learn
by Meg Steinitz
Anyone over 40 can tell you that we had a different childhood than children today. We were sent outside to play and spent hours away from adult supervision. We moved constantly, riding bikes, exploring canyons, and creating our own games. In school, we had recess and P.E. Charlene A. Wrighton, Ed. D. Author, CEO, The Zoo-phonics Mnemonic and Multisensory Language Arts Program Co-Director, Safari Learning Academy 995 Morning Star Dr. STE B Sonora, CA zoo-phonics.com
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In schools today, including preschools, opportunities for movement are limited. Wiggly kids are asked to sit still and focus for hours. One of the problems is that the adults who teach preschoolers and kindergarten children have forgotten the need for children to be in constant motion. Teachers want children to sit “crisscross applesauce” and listen quietly. There is a problem with that. It isn’t possible. Many elementary schools across the U.S. have eliminated recess because kids are falling so far behind in literacy. The thinking behind this is that more classroom instruction time is needed to gain critical skills. Some schools require hours of uninterrupted reading instruction, even for kindergarten children, forcing them to sit at their desks for way too long. The craziest thing is that this flies in the face of studies from neuroscience on the subject,” says Dr. Charlene Wrighton, Ed.D. “In fact, I challenge you to find a study that says, “The more children sit in their seats without movement
or recess, the greater their school performance.” There are thousands of studies on the importance of play, movement, and recess, and its causal relationship to learning, memory, and positive student academic performance. This noteworthy research study explains what happens physiologically when the body moves: “Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are currently considered as key proteins that are upregulated after exercise, and that can promote cell proliferation and growth for neuronal development and functioning” (Maass et al., 2016). “In other words, when the body moves, the brain remembers,” explains Dr. Wrighton. “Interestingly enough, this same research demonstrates a positive effect on adults! Children move naturally and constantly. Stopping movement, as too often teachers and parents do, stops the natural process that children need to conquer their worlds.” Dr. John Ratey,
M.D., who is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the brain-movement connection, refers to BDNF, IGF-I, and VEGF as “Miracle-Gro for the brain.” “Parents and teachers need to encourage movement not limit it, especially while learning new information,” according to Dr. Charlene Wrighton, Ed.D. “Pantomime, acting out the story, retelling events using gestures, hopping, skipping, jumping, and running are all significant for memory. Teachers can utilize kids’ ‘wiggliness’ and integrate it into the lessons. Children should be moving with the alphabet and with math, moving when learning about the life-cycle of plants and the solar system.”
Meg Steinitz is a San Diego-based freelance writer and social worker who specializes in adoption and foster care. She loves bringing people together. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, photography, and eating cheese.
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