3 minute read
Perspectives on Childhood, Education and Parenting: Healthy Decisions Should Start Early and Often
Perspectives on Childhood, Education and Parenting: Healthy Decisions Should Start Early and Often
By Tom Northrup
Recently, a friend recommended “The Alzheimer’s Solution” (2017) by neurologists Dean and Ayesha Sherzai. While the book title is a bit hyperbolic (rarely is there a “solution” for a condition of this complexity), the authors construct a convincing and scientifically based case that making healthy lifestyle choices offers us the best prospect of preventing Alzheimer’s Dementia (AD) in our later years.
Most relevant for this column: the Sharzais created an acronym –NEURO—for understanding and remembering the fundamentals of long-term brain health. N=nutrition; E=exercise; U=unwind (stress management strategies); R=restorative sleep; and O=optimize (develop cognitive reserves as an adult). The authors state that the foundation for this longterm cognitive health is rooted in good “NEURO” habits developed in childhood.
Although this isn’t a new set of principles, it seems to me we could pay deeper attention to our responsibility to our children to provide the structure and conditions for them to develop those healthy habits.
Let’s consider the parents of Charles, thirteen, who takes his cell phone to bed. His sleep cycle is disrupted throughout the night by pings. He rarely gets enough R (the restorative) sleep that is crucial for his growth. Despite his intelligence and personality, he is underachieving academically and unhappy socially.
To address this behavior seems straightforward: don’t permit Charles to have his mobile phone in his bedroom. But his parents disagree. One believes Charles deserves the autonomy to make the decision himself; the other feels that Charles isn’t mature enough to make such an important decision.
So far, Charles prevails.
We could cite many cases that illustrate the challenges parents confront in developing healthy habits in each area of NEURO with their children, especially with the additional stress of social media.
Charles Duhigg’s book, “The Power of Habit” (2012), is an apt companion piece to consider. He explains the science that governs the habit loop: cue-routinereward, and why it is difficult, but possible to extinguish negative habits and establish positive ones.
In Charles’ case, the negative habit is the cell phone in the bedroom.
Cue: Time for bed, simultaneous desire to be in touch with friends.
Routine: Have cell phone at bedside, available to respond to pings from friends at any hour.
Reward: Friendships reinforced.
Refraining the habit:
Cue: Time for bed, desire for a good night sleep.
Routine: Put away cell phone and other electronic devices 1-2 hours before bedtime.
Reward: Feel rested and alert the next morning.
The likelihood that Charles, at 13, will be persuaded to change his behavior by this rational approach is slim. The pre-frontal cortex (the brain’s seat of decision making) fully develops in the midto late 20s, according to NIMH research. Charles’ decision is largely driven by his need for peer approval.
Undoubtedly, one of the most challenging aspects of parenting early adolescent children is understanding how to strike an appropriate balance between establishing clear non-negotiable limits and granting children the latitude necessary for them to make and learn from mistakes.
The most effective parents I’ve known often second guess themselves on whether they’ve made the right call. The significant underlying message is for children to see that our efforts, however imperfect, are grounded in our love and care for them.
