Nuturing Mindset

Nuturing Mindset

by Nizie Lokman

Nasreen Ma, a Certified Brain Health Coach from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, speaks about parenting and educating children with Meaningful exhilaration from within.

A believer that every human life possesses unique potential, Nasreen Ma, a former founder of a brain development school Tadika Daya Bestari (TDB), created new brain capability paths for excellence in young kindergarten students.

Her contribution to society became apparent as she appeared as a guest on the “Hello Doctor’” program on Malaysia’s live national TV in 2019, discussing dyslexia and hyperlexia issues in children. While the school has been bringing out the best in children since 2010, unfortunately, it shut down for good due to the pandemic in June 2020.

As a chirpy and bubbly woman, Nasreen took the pandemic positively and decided to continue to provide a one-stop solution for children, parents, and educators. From rationalizing a school to establishing a consulting entity called Meaningful Activation, she continued to help parents and educators overcome challenges with children by deepening how the brain and body respond to the three-prong approach of movement, nutrition, and communication. Exploring the meaning of a mothering mindset and how nurturing, educating, and teaching begins at a young age, similar to the long-life process of mothering a child.

NL: What was the motivation to study brain development in children?

NM: Even though childhood seemed normal and regular with plenty of physical activities, I struggled with academics. I realized I couldn’t digest what I was reading well enough. I just couldn’t score on tests no matter how hard I studied. I often wondered why I had difficulty making sense of what I read and putting thoughts on paper. I knew from a young age I had a brain that is always on overdrive mode. A very restless brain, perhaps, to which I realized I had undetected Attention- Deficit/ Hypertension Disorder (ADHD).

While I was pregnant with my eldest daughter, I wasn’t aware that I had ADHD yet. But, I knew that I didn’t want my eldest daughter to face a reading and comprehension disability as I did. So, I started to learn all about brain development and parenting through reading materials. I diligently practiced what I’ve learned on my daughter’s brain health even when she was in my womb.

She was one of the easier ones to deal with due to all the stimulation she received. It grounded her well and, by eight months, she communicated with sign language, which reduced unnecessary frustrations. By two-plus years old, she was reading on her own. Watching her development healed some parts of me. It made me realize how powerful it is to leverage on interest to learn something with ease. This was a big motivator to continue with research on brain development.

NL: What led you to deepen your curiosity in human brain potential for other children?

NMIt started with my curiosity about why I struggled in school, yet I excelled well in college. I was comfortable with problem-solving and the will to survive as well as multitasking. I did make several achievements, including obtaining a Master’s degree on scholarship and awarded the best lecturer in my department in my short stint lecturing. After running my brain development school, TDB, in the first year, my reading ability significantly improved.

That’s when I realized everyone has their unique potential and abilities. It needs a different solution, especially for those who go through dramatic life challenges. Our education system is only fit for certain types of children. Hence, I wanted to find ways to support children like me, who are not made to benefit much from the existing school system. What better way to look into brain function especially seeing the remarkable progress and potential in the children.

While observing my daughter, she went through advanced development in her school at one-year-old, the teachers were curious about how I developed her at that level. I thought to myself, if I can build my own child into advanced learning, it could help a lot of other struggling children, too.

My daughter’s school triggered the interest to get qualified with a Montessori certification. I became interested to learn more about the Montessori method of education. It focuses on concrete foundation building and a friendlier approach on academics towards children’s natural ability by going back to basics and targeting the foundation building of the brain and body of every child.

It was apparent that many people succumbed to the existing systems and disregarded the more important aspect of foundation building in children. Personally, I was dreaming of an education revolution by running a school differently through a three-prong approach—facilitating children, educating/supporting parents, and training teachers. Unfortunately, the Montessori shut down right after I completed the course. I couldn’t find another school quite like it, so I decided to create one on my own.

NL: How was your school different from others in Malaysia?

NM: Most kindergarten schools in Malaysia are skewed to academics learning, reading, writing, and counting. Tadika Daya Bestari (TDB) champions holistic child development through combining brain and body wellness, communication, creative and meaningful learning, and active inquiry.

Our school had a very unique program introducing kids to the world. Knowing how much kids are exposed to now, traveling more, seeing and exposed to all kinds of information, we focused on meaningful learning, which really connected with the kids. This way, the teachers automatically had to increase their general knowledge while preparing for the session with the children.

We had both neuro-typical children and kids with challenges—be it development, learning, or behavior. So because we tackled brain development from the very start to support a child’s foundation, we could already see significant children’s progress. Through word of mouth, however, we were getting more special kids. I began to dive further into supporting special kids with more in-depth research.

I found that everything I did for the special kids benefitted the neurotypical kids, too. Many nutrition picky eating issues, parenting challenges, developmental and communication delays, and skills have been addressed during the 10 years in operation. All are areas supporting every single child’s foundation building. My dream for TDB to become a wholesome school for all children became a reality, but the pandemic short-lived it.

NL: TDB was shut down after 10 years. How did you transition from an entrepreneur in education to become a certified brain health consultant during this pandemic? How did you get the name Meaningful Activation as your consulting firm?

NM: With very controlled movement during the lockdown and the cessation of operation of the school, we decided to offer an interim program for parents from July to December 2020, hoping that within six months, they’d be able to find another school. My heart went to the children in need. We also introduced the Pandemic Parenting Guide for parents and guardians facing so many challenging moments managing children who are cooped up at home.

I still remembered when the school shut down in June 2020, and we were still servicing some parents and their kids. These parents do see the value of what we do because they are willing to travel all the way and pay the higher consultation fees. As we are no longer operating as a school, we summed up what we’re doing with everyone as “Meaningful Activation” from within through synchronizing the brain and body.

In adding more value to my clients, I continued to invest in training because I just feel it is never enough. I decided to upskill myself to a certified brain health consultant and coach and a Feldenkrais Method Practitioner in the US from 2018- 2020. I have been traveling back and forth between Malaysia and the US. However, the Feldenkrais training has been put on hold due to the pandemic.

I have one more year to go. This accreditation will give more credibility as a brain health consultant and coach to my clients, children, and parents in maintaining a strong foundation of brain health and body wellness. Parents would have the capacity and knowledge to bring their children up to be well-balanced, functional adults.

NL: On your observation, what are the most significant problems women face in this new norm?

NM: From my experience as a health and wellness consultant at a corporate company, I could see many women who are surviving on unstable foundations due to the lack of foundation building during childhood. Or perhaps they have experienced some form of childhood trauma. As they grow into adulthood, they may be living rather unhealthy lifestyles, all of which affect the ability of the person to really enjoy living a productive, less stressful life.

The everyday responsibilities in integrating work, family, and children and taking care of themselves during this pandemic can be extremely challenging. This gets more serious if their spouses are busy and can’t provide the time and support in the area of child care or give the woman some time off to recharge.

If time management is not adequately planned, they will eventually experience adrenaline exhaustion or some might suffer depression and anxiety. Mothers with special kids who may have more challenges could most likely be completely exhausted because it is tough to be living under the conditions of a pandemic where children are being kept at home.

This pandemic has made us re-evaluate the importance to humanity amidst modern living. When we go back to basics, a lot of the complications can be removed and simplified.

NL: What are the main takeaways you would like to inspire others, especially women?

NM: A lot of women put priorities on others before themselves. I hear it all the time. I wish that women will love, respect, and build a connection with themselves first. So that they can live on a solid foundation and be a more capable provider in every way to all those around them whether they depend on them or not, especially children and spouses. Our biggest fans are our kids and family members, following us as mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically strong, and stable women who are doers, thinkers, and influencers.

Being a woman is about mothering your mindset with tender loving care. It is just as important as how you would mother your child with love and attention.

Meaningful Activation is about transforming communities through better brain and body connections. It shifts mindsets through discovering the disconnect from within. With a deeper understanding and discovery of the brain and body, a solid

foundation then begins to form which then spontaneously activates a shift in the system towards better brain and bodily function where one would experience holistic healing, stronger relationships, composed behaviour, elegant mobility and overall health & wellness.

​We believe that everyone deserves a chance to be heard and recognised for who they really are despite their challenges.

INSTAGRAM: @MEANINGFULACTIVATION

FACEBOOK: @MEANINGFULACTIVATION

PHOTOS BY: MEANINGFUL ACTIVATION

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