During the month of February with Valentine’s Day looming, the subject of hugs is as prevalent as the Hallmark offerings are. But according to recent research by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine, encouragement and support can “actually make a difference in how our children’s brains develop.”
For you deep thinkers, there is brain-imaging evidence that hugs and nurturing at an early age, help children develop a larger hippocampus. And I’m sure we all know that this is “a key region of the brain that’s important to learning, memory, and response to stress.” (This was published last month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.)
Could this fact be another key to the extraordinary learning, as well as happiness, at our school? Who knew there was scientific evidence that what we do daily and naturally was having such a lasting impact on our students? I invite you to visit the Lower School and witness the encouragement that goes on in every classroom and every enrichment area everyday! As I tell many visitors at the end of a tour,” I’m a hugger, not a shaker”, mostly because I grew up in a family of huggers. Now, I have no idea how big my hippocampus is, but I’m happy to know that I’m joining our teachers in the growth of our students' brain power.
I have a greater appreciation now of the accolades I hear on a regular basis in our classrooms. “Great job! You knew that a question mark came at the end of that sentence because it was asking! I’m so proud of you!” That was something I witnessed just last week in Pre-K—and of course, it was accompanied by Mrs. Smith's hug and a smile.
Recently in Kindergarten, I heard a student being praised for working hard on a math concept and being able to explain the answer. Again, as Mrs. Cox was bending over the child’s work, her hug reinforced her words. Walking through the gym just yesterday I heard Coach Dulaney shout how proud she was of her small aerobics stars as they hopped and ran behind her. And can you imagine the smile of pride when a child receives Mrs. Moore’s hug and praise for an original creation they’ve completed in art? I've seen it!
Positive reinforcement is rampant at the Lower School—and now we know it not only boosts our children’s self-esteem, but their brain power as well. I constantly say that here, we continue and support what our parents have begun and it only takes a few minutes on campus to see this is true.
A previous principal and friend once told me that happy children are much more eager to learn. I have shared this with countless families as they see the smiles throughout our campus. Obviously, our teachers have always known this and make sure on a daily basis they do their part to contribute to larger hippocampuses. Have you hugged your child today?
