Social skills are the skills we use to communicate and interact with each other, both verbally and non-verbally, through gestures, body language, and our personal appearance. Through social interaction, we develop social abilities. Communication, interpersonal, and listening abilities are all part of social skills and these skills are an essential aspect of interactions. Struggling with sociability will have a significant impact on one’s social life and profession. Thus it is crucial for everyone to counter the nervousness and awkwardness in daily life, especially at a social event.Being sociable can start with giving a smile. “A sociable smile is nothing but a mouth full of teeth,” says Jack Kerouac. When you genuinely smile at people they feel more comfortable engaging you in a conversation. Smiling makes you appear more approachable and friendly. It also signifies that you're interested in speaking with others. Give complimentsGiving compliments is one of the best ways to appear sociable after a smile. Giving compliments can help to break the ice and reduce awkwardness.Commit names to memoryCalling people by name is a great way to set yourself apart in a conversation. It makes them feel acknowledged when you remember their names. Start small by going to gatherings, birthday parties, weddings, or joining a club. Talking with familiar faces is easier as it makes you more comfortable to engage with rather than having a new friend. However, enrolling in a club teaches you to be vocal and more confident in interacting.Ask open-ended questions.Open-ended questions are question that requires no prolonged conversation. It can be as easy as a “yes or no” question or What are your plans for the weekend?Do you play any sports?Where are you working at?When you are comfortable enough, be interactive and create a conversation with others tooChoose general conversation topics.It is best to have a general conversation topic as heavy topics can lead to an awkward conversation. General conversation can be about the weather or making an observation about what’s going on around you. Look for opportunities.When speaking in a group, look for opportunities. You should know when to interrupt but do not cut other people when they are talking. This also includes you to excuse yourself if the conversation gets heavier.Pay attention to your body languageBody language plays the biggest role when engaging with others. Eye contact and hand movement will make people focus on what you are speaking. Avoid looking down when presenting or when speaking as that will make you appear less attentive. Most importantly, be confident when you are having a conversation and relaxed. Good postures help you to look interested and engaged.Develop listening skill To be sociable, you must be able to listen to others. Listening to people around you and understanding what they are talking about will make you look interested.Read books and blogs related to social skillsReading books and blogs related to social skills will help you discover the methods and benefits of being sociable. Not just for sociable, for any other tips and recommendations can be found on the internet. The more you learn, the more you gain, the more you practice, the better it gets therefore, we should never stop learning.Having good social skills is all about keeping things light and going with the flow. Chris Sergin stated that "when people become lonely and isolated, whatever social abilities they have tend to atrophy from misuse” which implies that even when you are born with a sociability skill, you will lose the skill when it is not used as it limits the capacity to normally communicate with others. Being social and interactive is crucial, therefore even if you lack these traits naturally, there are ways to cultivate and improve them.When you have good social skills, it brings many benefits and opens many opportunities. Therefore, parents should unleash their child's inborn talent from an early age. Check out our Decode Talent DNA Test and its linked traits to sociability like empathy, extraversion, verbal intelligence, and many other traits to learn more about your EQ strengths and weaknesses. Knowing your genetic traits can assist you and your parents in determining the best approach to improve these traits.

Friendship conflicts are a natural part of growing up. Kids will inevitably experience conflicts with their friends, such as disagreements over sharing toys, conflicting interests or opinions, misunderstandings, or even hurtful words exchanged in the heat of the moment. These conflicts can range from small squabbles to more significant challenges that test the strength of their friendships. While it may seem daunting, these conflicts are actually a natural part of friendship and provide valuable opportunities for growth and learning, as the saying goes:   “Conflict is the beginning of consciousness.”  – M. Esther Harding, British-American psychoanalyst.   As parents, we can play a crucial role in teaching our children how to effectively navigate these conflicts, fostering healthier and more resilient friendships. Let’s explore these tips to help you guide your kids in managing conflicts with their friends:   1. Helping Kids to identify and manage their emotions Teach them to recognize and understand emotions like anger and frustration. Encourage them to express their feelings in healthy ways and provide them with techniques to remain calm during heated moments. By developing emotional awareness, children can better understand their own reactions and make more thoughtful choices in conflict situations.   2. Identifying the Root of the Conflict To resolve conflicts effectively, it's essential to identify the underlying cause. Encourage your child to explore the original source of the conflict and dig deeper to understand the root issue. By helping them pinpoint the core problem, they can work towards finding more meaningful solutions rather than merely addressing surface-level disagreements.   3. Brainstorming Solutions Empower your child to develop problem-solving skills by engaging them in brainstorming sessions. Encourage them to generate a variety of potential solutions without judgment. Guide them in evaluating the pros and cons of each option. This process helps foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, allowing them to find mutually beneficial resolutions with their friends.   4. Practicing Effective Communication Effective communication is vital for resolving conflicts. Teach your child the value of using words to express themselves respectfully and honestly. Encourage active listening, which involves understanding and acknowledging the perspectives of others. Encourage your child to ask questions, reflect back on what they hear, and practice open and honest communication with their friends. Journaling can also be a helpful tool for children to explore and express their thoughts and feelings.   5. Encouraging Perspective Shift and Empathy: Sometimes, conflicts persist despite best efforts. If that happens, then it's best for you to encourage your child to take a mental step back and gain a new perspective. Help them understand that one behavior doesn't define an entire person. Teach them empathy by encouraging them to put themselves in their friend's shoes. Additionally, teach them that it's okay to walk away from toxic friendships when necessary, emphasizing that true friendship is based on mutual respect and shared values.   Building stronger Friendships with children  Studies have shown that children with high emotional intelligence have an easier time adjusting to and maintaining stronger friendships (Galloway et al., 2006). To better understand your child's emotional intelligence, tools like the Decode Talent DNA Test can provide invaluable insights into their genetic tendencies toward various emotional traits. This allows you to tailor your parenting approach, nurturing their emotional intelligence and skills to navigate conflicts and foster stronger friendships. The best part is, these skills are not limited to childhood but will benefit them throughout their lives in building positive and fulfilling relationships.   Check out our Decode Talent DNA Test and start shaping a personalized parenting plan for your child's development today.    References   Garey, J. (2023, March 28). Teaching Kids How to Deal With Conflict. Retrieved May 18, 2023, from https://childmind.org/article/teaching-kids-how-to-deal-with-conflict/   Pruett-Hornbaker, L. (2022, May 17). 5 Ways to Help Kids Handle Disagreements With Friends. Retrieved May 18, 2023, from https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/ways-to-help-kids-handle-disagreements-with-friends   Galloway, S. H., Groves, M., & Devonport, T. (2006). Emotional Intelligence and friendship patterns among Sport Studies Students, School of Sport. Performing Arts and Leisure. CELT Learning and Teaching Projects 2005/2006.   

In these modern days, most children spend their time on screens. Unlike in the old days, when children were eagerly waiting for 6 pm every evening so that they could go to the playground. These days, children may not be spending time outside due to many reasons. The most obvious reason has to be the domination of gadgets in children. Parents may not see this as an issue for them, in fact, they may feel relieved that they do not need to spend their time outside guarding their children playing. As simple as they may think, letting children play and spend time outside comes with a lot of benefits. Some are:Physical and Health DevelopmentDecrease the risk of MyopiaMyopia, sometimes known as short-sightedness, is becoming more prevalent worldwide. By 2050, this vision impairment will impact roughly 4.8 billion people, 2.8 billion more than in 2010. Myopia is a condition where light entering the eye is focused in front of the retina rather than directly on it, causing blurred distant vision. This distant vision issue typically arises when the axial length of the eyes grows excessively long from the front to the rear and most commonly occurs when the eyes are still developing in childhood.Myopia can be inherited or caused by specific lifestyle choices, such as spending too much time in front of a screen or performing other close-up jobs. Although people commonly blame this on genetics, genetics by themselves cannot account for this rapidly developing issue. Instead, specialists claim that we have been underestimating how the environment, and the outdoors, affects our eyesight.The eye muscles also require relaxation after long hours of constant use, just like other muscles in the body. Eye muscles relax when you are outside and concentrating on distant objects, especially after spending all day staring at a device or in a classroom. A number of studies have suggested that letting kids play outside can reduce their risk of myopia. One study by Wu encouraged young Taiwanese children to spend more time outside and after a year, students who spent at least 11 hours a week outside had much less axial elongation and myopic shift than those who stayed indoors. Exposure to sunlightWhen children play outside during the day, they will be exposed to the natural sunlight. Safe play in the sun can supply good nutrients like vitamin D to children. Additionally, the human brain can tune its ‘biological clock’ by using light cues. So, this can also ensure that children can maintain a healthy sleeping rhythm. A healthy sleeping rhythm is crucial for children to have a good rest and are always energetic and ready to learn, explore, or simply get through their day.However, we still need to take note of not exposing children to excessive amounts of sunlight, as this can lead to skin cancer and other skin problems.Improve motor skillsChildren develop 2 types of motor skills: 'fine' motor skills and 'gross' motor skills. Fine motor skills engage with smaller muscles of the body such as fingers. Gross motor skills, on the other hand, engage with the larger muscles of the body to coordinate and make larger movements.Fine motor skills let your child make use of small muscles as in their hands or fingers to do activities like holding, grasping, or pinching. They will learn how to use their hands which eventually will help them in bigger daily activities as they grow up such as holding a pencil to write. Gross motor abilities refer to activities like crawling, running, jumping, and throwing that require the use of the bigger muscles in the arms, legs, and torso. You might have noticed that children do not like to remain still, right? This is normal as your child grows up because they are developing their gross motor abilities by constantly making movements and exploring what their muscles can do.It is proven that children who play outside develop and improve their motor skills such as coordination, balance, and agility at a higher level than their "indoor" peers. Outdoor play encourages children to move in ways that strengthen their bones, muscles, and physical strength when they do activities that trigger their motor skills such as playing catch and run, kicking a ball, or climbing the stairs to go down on a slide.Help children stay fit and prevent diseasesNot just adults, children also need cardiovascular exercise to maintain good health. Your child usually has more room and freedom to make large actions like running, jumping, kicking, and throwing when they are outside. These kinds of physical activities are beneficial for your child's physical growth and fitness. This can also prevent children from suffering from obesity since the prevalence of obesity among children is worrying. Children who spend more time outside being active are less likely to become obese since they are being energetic getting rid of the calories. Obesity has many awaiting health complications in the long run. Some of these complications are diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or asthma.Children exposed to outdoor play from an early age are more likely to have the awareness to take care of their health and fitness when they grow up. Besides being fit to efficiently carry out daily activities, this may also develop their interest in participating in sports. In fact, Children are advised to exercise at least an hour every day. Of course, they can exercise indoors but getting them to play outside will certainly encourage and excite them to actively play, which can also be a form of exercise for them.Intellectual DevelopmentImproving children’s five sensesChildren who spend time indoors watching TV or playing mobile games usually use only two out of five of their senses which are hearing and sight senses. On the contrary, children who spend time playing outside have more chances to utilize more of their senses. While playing, they see, hear, touch, smell, and perhaps, even taste. This can enhance their ability to respond to and process the sensory stimuli they encounter.Helps children in learning new words and conceptHands-on learning is one type of learning that can help children in understanding new words. Especially words related to the things that they can experience physically such as words related to movements or textures. A study revealed that it is much easier to understand what is meant by “squish” if you experience and feel mud squishing through your fingers. Children are more likely to learn and understand the concept of certain words by experiencing it on their own. Therefore, going outdoors can broaden their sensory experience and develop an intuitive knowledge of how things work.Social DevelopmentContribute to social and communication skillsA study shows that children who spend their time mostly outdoors are more socially expressive, which means they are able to verbalize their ideas and desires. They will also have a low tendency to have any problems fitting in and playing with others. Playing together requires teamwork which helps contribute to a positive peer-to-peer relationship. In addition, interacting with other children while they are having fun outdoors indirectly contributes to the development of their social skills. While playing, of course, they will be talking to each other, this also helps to hone their communication skills as well.Instill good behaviorWhen children play outside, they might also encounter other children’s parents and other individuals as well. This can introduce them to valuable social lessons. Some grown-ups may display good behavior, for example, turn-taking and being compromised towards others. Children, with their nature of imitating what they see or hear around them, will be influenced and eventually follow the good behaviors modeled.Furthermore, children who play outdoors have more self-awareness and compassion toward others. Studies showed that children who play outdoors have less tendency to be a bully.Boost self-confidenceBeing used to having interactions and socializing with other people from a young age will benefit children in the future. As they grow up, they will be familiar with the situation with crowds and strangers and will always be confident to communicate and socialize. Crowded situations and meeting new people can be overwhelming for some people and make them become socially awkward. However, this is not the case for children who have been exposed to such situations from young.So dear readers, by now it is clear that letting children play outside brings benefits to them in not just one aspect, but holistically. It covers and prepares them for their growing years. So, it is important for you to let your child explore, discover and experience new things during their outdoor playing activities, which can contribute to nourishing and nurturing their potential talents and abilities. To find out more about your child’s talents and abilities, the Decode Talent DNA Test will get you covered! Please visit www.agtgenetics.com for more information.

Intelligence. This is a word that I'm sure everyone has heard of. But what does it actually imply and how does it affect an individual? Researchers developed an IQ test to measure how well someone can use information and reasoning to answer questions or make predictions. IQ tests measure short-term and long-term memory and how quickly one can solve puzzles and recall information. It helps researchers check whether they are testing for the same “kind” of intelligence or different. In short, intelligence is the ability to derive knowledge, learn from experience, adapt to the environment, comprehend, and correctly apply cognition and reason in a psychological context. However, it does not encapsulate the complexity of the mind.​Folks often believe that video games rot a kid's mind, making them passive resulting in poor social skills, but a new study argues that the opposite could be true. Children actually might get a brain boost from playing video games. Many people claim that video games make you smarter. However, intelligence is a broad concept, and we don’t know what effect video games have on it. Even then, lots of research have shown that video games can have a tangible impact on cognition,  particularly "action" video games and it improves cognitive performance in a wide range of ways (Green & Seitz, 2015).Video games are commonly believed as a time-killing activity, but you will be amazed to realize that they have favorable advantages.Do you know that video games can help you enhance your manual dexterity, increase your brain's grey matter, and strengthen your problem-solving skills? Video games can improve manual dexterity Manual dexterity or fine motor ability is the coordination of small muscles in movement with the eyes, hands, and fingers. The neurological system is linked to the various levels of manual dexterity that individuals possess. Fine motor abilities contribute to the development of intelligence and continue to develop throughout the stages of human development. In a study involving a group of surgeons, researchers found that those who played video games were faster at performing advanced procedures and made 37 percent fewer mistakes than those who didn’t (Dobnik, 2004). This proves that controller-based games can be great for your hands. Video games can boost and improve hand-eye coordination and reaction times.Video games can increase your brain’s grey matterMuscle control, memories, perception, and spatial navigation are all associated with gray matter. Gaming enables the brain to be more responsive when it comes to reporting new data. Gaming is primarily mental training that is disguised as entertainment. Smarter people are more likely to become addicted to video games because they may not be challenged enough at school or work, and video games fill that void. According to studies from Nature and Science Alert, playing video games on a daily basis may increase grey matter in the brain, and improves brain connectivity, which aids memory development. As a result, it improves players' memory capacity.Games can teach you to be a better problem-solver and decision makerChildren who played strategy-based games improved their problem-solving skills and consequently tended to obtain better marks the next school year, according to a long-term study published in 2013, proving that gaming has an impact on intelligence. The majority of video games necessitate a significant amount of problem-solving. Various games, on the other hand, necessitate different types of problem-solving. Video games, particularly action games, necessitate immediate, on-the-fly decision-making. Gamers with a lot of experience can make quick judgments under pressure. Since video games boost critical thinking and reflective learning capacity, they also improve communication skills, resourcefulness, and flexibility. Not only do video games provide many benefits but they also give positive effects on attention, determination, and mental health.Below are some examples of the positive effects of playing video games:Effect of video games on attentionGreen and Bavelier discovered that action video games improve attention control. Most action games demand that the player maintains a laser-like focus on specific elements or characters. As a result, action games significantly improve selective attention, or the ability to focus on a single stimulus. This appears to provide the greatest perceptual and attentional benefits.Effects of video games on the determination It motivates you to be more persistent because, in video games, you either win or keep trying until you attain your objective, learning from your mistakes as you go. As a result, some researchers and academics say that video games could teach people to be more self-assured and to work toward their goals, treating each failure as an opportunity to learn.Effect of video games on mental healthSome video games have been proven in studies to improve mood and heart rhythms, indicating that they may also effectively relieve stress. Numerous unrelated research has shown a link between video games and stress, which is why video games have been utilized in therapies for over a decade.However, with the good comes the bad.Although the benefits and positive effects of video games on the intellect have been covered, playing video games for long periods of time can also have negative consequences. Too much screen time can affect sleep, well-being, and academic performance. Therefore, gaming and other physical activities must be managed accordingly by parents. Gaming should always be done in moderation. Intelligence is a broad topic to be discussed. But in this write-up, we can come to an agreement that video games make you smarter in the aspects of cognition, memory, and problem-solving skill and how video games have positive effects on them. This is evident when gamers tend to rank higher for these cognitive abilities than the rest of the population.To learn more about your child's potential and abilities, check out our Decode Talent DNA Test where you can unleash your child’s inborn potential! ​ ReferencesAnish Dube, MD, MPH, associate professor, psychiatry, Charles R. Drew University of  Medicine and Science, Los Angeles; Karolinska Institute, news release, May 12, 2022; Damon Korb, MD, director, Center for Developing Minds, Los Gatos, Ca.; Scientific Reports, May 12, 2022Crew, B. (2018, December 8). Gamers have more grey matter and better brain connectivity, research suggests. ScienceAlert. Retrieved July 26, 2022, from https://www.sciencealert.com/gamers-have-more-grey-matter-and-better-brain-connectivity-st    udy-suggests-2018Dobnik, V. (2004, April 7). Surgeons may err less by playing video games. NBCNews. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna4685909 Editor. (2022, February 1). Benefits of video games for Kids & Adults. GEICO Living. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://www.geico.com/living/home/technology/9-reasons-to-give-video-games-a-try/ Green, C. S., & Bavelier, D. (2012). Learning, attentional control, and action video games. Current biology: CB, 22(6), R197–R206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.02.012Green, C. S., & Seitz, A. R. (2015). The Impacts of Video Games on Cognition (and How the Government Can Guide the Industry). Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2(1), 101–110. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732215601121Kabir, L. (n.d.). Video games make you smarter: Backed up by research. Healthy Gamer. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://www.healthygamer.gg/blog/video-games-make-you-smarter-backed-up-by-research#:~:text=Video%20games%20increase%20your%20attention,cognitive%20abilities%20that%20society%20values. Kühn, S., Gleich, T., Lorenz, R. et al. Playing Super Mario induces structural brain plasticity: gray matter changes resulting from training with a commercial video game. Mol Psychiatry 19, 265–271 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2013.120​Thompson, D. (2022, May 19). Could video games boost A child's intelligence? WebMD. Retrieved June 21, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20220519/could-video-games-boost-a-childs-intelligence

Parents are always on the lookout for their child's gifts. "Is my child gifted in math, music, sports, or arts?" is a common thought, be it consciously or subconsciously. Most parents, if not all, would wish for their child to have a special talent. While that may be the case, what's more to know about the talents of children?  Talent can be defined as a natural ability that one is an expert in. It is extremely important that we identify and nurture it from the very beginning.  “Creativity follows mastery, so mastery of skills is the first priority for young talent.” This is believed by Benjamín Bloom who was an American educational psychologist who made contributions to the classification of educational and Co-curriculum objectives. According to Benjamín Bloom, if a child’s talent is achieved successfully, teachers’ and parents’ fundamental duties of teaching basic skills and subject matter can be immensely rewarding. Discovering and cultivating unique talents in children and young people, and watching those students and their talents grow are among the great joys of teaching.Stages of Talents Development Children go through distinct periods of development as they grow from infants to young adults. During each of these stages, multiple changes in the development of the brain are taking place. What occurs and when approximately these developments transpire are genetically determined. According to David Henry Feldman, a college professor, who researches the growth and development of children, there are 4 stages of talent development through the ages. 4 to 10 years of age – During this stage, children explore and observe the environment to expand their mind.  10 to 13 years of age – Their talents begin to develop with the help and guidance of their teachers and role models. Competition and praise play an important role in their talent development. 13 to 18 years of age – Children learn that dedication and commitment are necessary for the development of their talent. They learn their responsibility and the needed sacrifice to grow. 18+ of their years – This stage marks the period where children decide to instill their talent as the choice of their career in the future.  Discovering the Talents of a ChildHowever, despite the Talent Development Stages that demonstrate how children develop their talents as time passes by, not many children reach their full potential. Even if a child has high potential or talents, they may not reach their full potential unless full support is offered from their parents and teachers who can teach, shape and guide them. Parents and teachers are tremendous role models that help shape the behavior of the child. Children especially in their early ages are dependent on parents and teachers to help set their goals and cultivate diligence to achieve them.  The first thing that parents should take note of is to identify what talents they have.  Typically, identifying a child’s interests can start as early as 3 to 4 years of age.  There are several ways to identify a child’s special talent to help children be better prepared in the near future according to Dwight Bain, an executive coach and mental health counselor.Ways to Identify a Child’s Special Talent1. Observation of their lifestyle: Parents ought to pay attention and observe what their children are doing in their free time and what type of activities they are interested in. Parents should also join in and engage with what their children are doing to have a better understanding.2. Academic achievement: Academic performance can help show which subjects a child is good in so that parents can have a rough idea of  the field of interest the child has. 3. The media children consume: Observing what children like to watch on television or online can help identify your child’s interest. 4. Consult children’s teachers: Teachers spend a lot of time with children, so they ought to possess a vast awareness of your child's skills, abilities, advantages, and disadvantages, especially with regard to their academic performance. Having timely conversations with children’s teachers can certainly help identify their unique talents.5. Listen to what your child is curious about Take ample time to listen to children. If there are any topics your child is interested in, he or she will ask these questions more often than usual. It is important for parents to engage with them and provide the answers to these questions to expand their knowledge and cultivate their interest. This process of interest goes on throughout their childhood when they develop and gain more experience in their field of interest. Children cannot ignite and develop their talent over time on their own. Only when parents are aware of their child’s interest, the right support, be it financial, time, and advice can be provided. Tips for Development Progress1. Start early. Children should be exposed to a variety of activities as early as the age of 3 to 4 years old. Parents are responsible to encourage their children to engage in the activities they have an interest in. Parents can be great mentors or coaches themselves when they join their kids in the activities they enjoy. 2. Practice makes perfectHaving talents is tremendously useful, but it is not enough to succeed. It takes effort, time, emotional, well-being, and strength to tap into the gifts your child has in order to succeed. 3. Setting a TargetSetting up a future goal and target that the child wants to achieve can help motivate them to achieve bigger goals in the near future. It also keeps them focused on their passion. 4. Cultivate a growing mindset. When a child has achieved their goals, they have to understand that they are not perfect, thus the need to continue striving to be better. Likewise, when a goal is not achieved, children need to be trained to have grit and a mindset of determination and perseverance. To succeed, one must meet many hardships and failures, just as ice hockey player Wayne Gretzkyp puts it, ‘You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take’. Regardless of the myriad of fields out there, it is important for children to be exposed to them to enable them to see where their interest falls into. Talent development starts with its identification, and talent identification starts first and foremost with parents. ReferencesArmstrong, P. (2016). Bloom’s taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.Bain, D. (2009). Destination Success. Revell.Gagne, F. (1991). “Toward a Differentiated Model of Giftedness and Talent.” In Handbook of Gifted Education, edited by N. Colangelo and G. A. Davis, pp. 65-80. Boston:                   Allyn and Bacon.

Early life experiences can exert a huge effect on both of the brain development and behavioural development; while the latter experience also plays an important role in maintaining and elaborating, which is important in establishing a solid foundation for development after early stages (Fox, Levitt & Nelson, 2010). For example, the learning experience of a child will shape a child’s behaviour and personality as well as how the child’s brain grows and develops. ​These are the three major theories explained how children learn: Classical conditioning, Operant conditioning, and Observational learning. These theories deal only with observable behaviours and purely focus on how experience shapes who we are instead of considering internal thoughts or feelings (Cherry, 2020).Classical Conditioning: Type of learning that automatic conditioned response is paired with a specific stimulus, in order to produce a behavioural response known as a conditioned response (Jamie, 2020). To make this a bit more concrete, let’s use a classic experiment as an example. Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist discovered over time that, dogs were salivating not only when their food was presented to them, but when the people who fed them arrived. In order to test his theory that the dogs were salivating because they were associating the people with being fed, he began ringing a bell and then presenting the food so they’d associate the sound with food. These dogs learned to associate the bell ringing with food, causing their mouths to salivate whenever the bell rang, not just when they encountered the food (Clark, 2004). Children learn in much the same way, developing associations between things in their environment and potential consequences. For example, an infant might quickly start to associate the sight of a baby bottle with being fed. Or when a child sees needle, he or she will immediately associate the needle with pain and cry at the sight of it.Operant Conditioning: Type of learning that when a behaviour is rewarded, the chances that the same behaviour is likely to occur again. When a behaviour is punished, the chance of the same behaviour is less likely to occur again. In other words, it is a set of learning techniques that utilizes reinforcement and punishment to either increase or decrease a behaviour (Grant, 2014). For example, whenever a child goes to bed on time, his parent reads him a bedtime story. The story reading is a positive reinforcement used to increase his child’s behaviour which is going to bed on time.Observational Learning: A process of learning through watching others, retaining the information, and then later replicating the behaviours that were observed. It can take place at any point in life, but it tends to be the most common during childhood as children learn from the authority figures and peers in their lives. For example, a child watches his mother folding the laundry. He later picks up some clothing and imitates folding the clothes.It also plays an important role in the socialization process, as children learn how to behave and respond to others by observing how their parents and other caregivers interact with other people. Therefore, it is important to ensure that children are observing the right kind of behaviour, and parents have to be sure that their children are learning how to act responsibly by modelling good behaviours and appropriate responses. In addition to the types of learning that happen in a day-to-day basis, there are also other experiences that play a role in shaping a child’s development such as their peers like kids at the playground, neighbourhood and school. Children are very influenced by their peers, and these social experiences help shape a child's values and personality (Blazevic, 2016).Besides that, teachers and classmates play a major role in making up a child's experiences, and academics and learning also leave their mark on development (Osher, Kendiziora, Spier, and Garibaldi, 2014). Because genetics and the environment are always interacting in a dynamic way. A child's genetic background will influence his ability to learn, hence, good educational experiences can enhance these abilities. Other than that, the culture that a child grows up and lives in has also played a role in how a child develops. For example, a child who raised in individualistic cultures might help on developing the autonomy and self-esteem; in the opposite, a child who raised in collectivist cultures tend to express higher levels of sadness, fear and discomfort (Putnam & Gartstein, 2019).Thus, we can see how genetics, environmental influences, and parenting styles are interacting in a child’s development. Each part of our life plays an important role in shaping our behaviour and personality as well as determining what kind of person will be in the future.ReferencesBlazevic, I. (2016). Family, peer and school influence on children's social development. World J Educ. 6(2), 42-49. http://doi.org/10.5430/wje.v6n2p42Cherry, K. (2020). Child Development Theories and Examples. Verywellmind. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/child-development-theories-2795068Clark, R. E. (2004). The classical origins of Pavlov’s conditioning. Integrative Physiological & Behavioral Science. 39, 279-294. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02734167Fox, S. E., Levitt, P., Nelson, C. A. (2010). How the timing and quality of early experiences influence the development of brain architecture. Child Dev. 81(1):28–40. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01380.xGrant, D. A. (2014). Classical and Operant Conditioning. In: Categories of Human Learning. Elsevier. 1-31. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-4832-3145-7.50006-6Jamie, E. (2020). Classical Conditioning and How It Relates to Pavlov’s Dog. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/classical-conditioningOsher, D., Kendiziora, K., Spier, E., Garibaldi, M. L. (2014). School influences on child and youth development. In: Sloboda Z, Petras H, eds., Defining Prevention science. New York, NY: Springer. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7424-2_7Putnam, S. & Gartstein, M. A. (2019). How different cultures shape children’s personalities in different ways. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/how-different-cultures-shape-childrens-personalities-in-different-ways/2019/01/11/1c059a92-f7de-11e8-8d64-4e79db33382f_story.html

As we all know, the inherited genes from our parents influence everything from height, eyes colour, hair colour and other physical characteristics, to intelligence, behavioural patterns and personality traits. Who we are today is shaped by our genetic background as well as environmental influences. Most researchers agree that a complex interaction of both nature and nurture is involved in a child's development (Levitt, 2013). The complex interaction of both nature and nurture does not just occur at a particular moment or throughout periods of time, rather it is a persistent and a lifelong process (Cherry, 2020). ​Therefore, it is important for parents, caregivers, and even educators to understand the science behind our children’s genetics in order to nurture them to their full potential, healthiest and happiest selves.  ​The very beginning of a child's development starts when the male reproductive cell, a sperm, combines with the female reproductive cell, an ovum. Each sperm and ovum contains chromosomes that act as a blueprint for human life (Ludlow & Gutierrez, 2014). These chromosomes contain genes that are made up of a chemical structure known as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) which consist of genetic codes that make up all of life. All cells in the body consist of 46 chromosomes, while the sperm and ovum each consists only 23 chromosomes (Ludlow & Gutierrez, 2014). This is to ensure that the new organism has the correct 46 chromosomes when both the cells fuse.  The genes that a person have inherited are referred to as a genotype; while a phenotype refers to how the genes are actually expressed. For instances, phenotypes include physical traits like height and eyes colour, as well as non-physical traits like personality traits, such as extroversion (Ludlow & Gutierrez, 2014). ​There are two types of interactions that determine how a gene is expressed, which are Genetic Interaction and Gene-Environment Interaction. Genetic Interaction refers to a phenomenon where two or more genes affects the expression of each other in various ways in the development of a single character of an organism (Shinde, 2015). In other words, genes can sometimes contain conflicting information, and in most cases, one gene will win the battle for dominance (Cherry, 2020). The eye colour is one example of dominant-recessive genes pattern. If one parent inherits a dominant brown eye gene while the other parent inherits a recessive blue eye gene, the dominant gene will win out and the child will have brown eyes (Cherry, 2020). Gene-Environment Interaction is referred to as the environment that a child is exposed to since young. Even in the uterus of the mother, the genes expressed will be impacted. For example, height is a good example of how genetic traits are influenced by environmental factors. While a genetic code of a child may indicate height, if the child has poor nutrition or chronic illness, those factors might affect him in growing tall (Jelenkovic, 2016). Genetic code might also go off course sometimes. The genetic abnormalities occur when the zygote have an uneven number of chromosomes. For example, the number of chromosomes might divide unevenly and caused the organism to have more or less than the normal 23 chromosomes, when the sperm and the ovum is combined. ​ ​Evidently, genetic influences have a huge impact on child development. Nevertheless, genes are not the only determinant of a child’s future, environmental factors like parenting, education, culture as well as social relationships also play an important role.  References Cherry, K. (2020). How Genes Influence Child Development. Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/genes-and-development-2795114 Jelenkovic A., Sund, R., Hur, Y. M., et al. (2016). Genetic and environmental influences on height from infancy to early adulthood: An individual-based pooled analysis of 45 twin cohorts. Sci Rep 6:28496. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1038/srep28496 Levitt, M. (2013). Perceptions of nature, nurture and behaviour. Life Sci Soc Policy. 9:13. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1186/2195-7819-9-13 Ludlow, A. & Gutierrez, R. (2014). Developmental Psychology. 52. Lynch, M. (2019). The Impact of Genetics on Child Development. Retrieved from https://www.theedadvocate.org/the-impact-of-genetics-on-child-development/ Shinde, H. S. (2015). Gene Interaction. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/harshrajshinde1/gene-interaction              

Do you think you are giving the best to your children? Wanting the best for our children is the motivation to parents’ day to day relentless and hard work. Years and decades spent in earning money, not just to raise a child up, but to raise a child well. Parents send children to the best schools, the best tuition centres, the best enrichment programmes, the best holiday camps, the best one-to-one personal tutor et cetera. Apart from educational or developmental avenues, a lot of money is spent in the process such as learning resources like books, musical instruments, uniforms, events or trips, transportation and the list goes on. Parents no doubt want the best for their children. We want them to be the best they can ever be, and take up the heavy burden willingly and unconditionally to pave the way of security, success and happiness for our children. But is this really the best?​If the above description sounds like you, it is time to pause and think and ask yourselves “What is really the best for my children?”. It is common to hear parents say “I want my child to be happy ultimately”, “I want them to enjoy doing what they like” or “I want them to pursue their dreams”, but the question is how do we as parents get there? The problem is we assume that we know what is best for our child. We think the solution is to give them everything we can get our hands on. Endless hours of tuition, art classes, interpersonal skills development, sports activities, you name it! No doubt these are good for some children, but are they necessarily good for your children?Your child does not need everything.Everything is too much for your child. Realistically speaking, there is no way a child can excel in anything and everything. We know that, yet out of our loving concern for them, we send them to all the classes to hone every aspect of their lives. As a result, instead of achieving our good intentions, children may be impacted negatively. Though this may not be the case for everybody, studies have shown that high expectations from parents, educators and students themselves to perform excellently in their academics can be a source of heighten stress among students (Tan and Yates, 2011).By putting too much pressure on children, their mental health is negatively affected. Mental health relates to major issues such as depression, anxiety and stress which are growing in prevalence (Lee and Syaid, 2017). Reports from the National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2012 and 2017 reported a rise of suicidal ideation, plan and actual attempts among Malaysian youths as young as 13 to 17 years old (Institute for Public Health, 2017; Institute for Public Health, 2012).It was also discovered that 1 in 5 adolescents are depressed, 2 in 5 are anxious and 1 in 10 are stressed (Institute for Public Health, 2017). One underlying cause for mental health issues are academic and environmental factors, which consequently impair one’s development, productivity and poor achievement in learning. With your child’s mental health affected, it becomes difficult for your child to develop his or her potential (Lee and Syaid, 2017).Your child needs a push into the right direction.Every child is unique. Rather than helping your child excel in everything which is obviously not feasible, what they really need is proper guidance to what they are naturally good at. Instead of aiming blindly and diverting your attention and theirs, parents should devote and dedicate all resources into areas that they have potential in. By doing this, parents can save plenty of time and money in the long run. At the meantime, you take the heavy stressful workload off your children’s shoulders and provide much room for them to enjoy their passions.Research has shown that children learn better in a positive environment whereby both their developmental and social needs are met (Willis, 2007; Smith, et al., 2016). Enjoyment in a learning institution also reinforces their academic aspiration, which subsequently improve their health and academic performance (Smith, et al., 2016).Joy in learning also leads to improved information processing and long-term memory storage. A pleasurable learning experience releases a neurotransmitter known as dopamine which stimulates the brain’s memory centre to release acetylcholine which aids in prolonging attention span. On the other hand, stress, boredom, lack of motivation, confusion ​and anxiety hinders your child’s learning experience (Willis, 2007).But the question remains: “How do we know our children’s interest as early as their infant years?”.Giving them the best by knowing your children.Children development starts as early as their infant years. The first few years are a critical developmental period for the optimal growth. Yet, knowing your children takes time, it takes years as they grow and learn.  Conventionally, parents use old-fashioned trial and error methods to find what works best with their children.  When early stage of life is so critical that we cannot afford losing the opportunity, how then can we know our children since young? The answer lies in their DNA.​DNA are genetic molecules that everybody inherits from their parents and it functions to code for proteins and cells in your body, in other words, it makes up who you are as a fully functional and amazing person! Your hair is a certain colour because your DNA “instructs” it so, your body creates enzymes in your stomach because your DNA determines so, and the applications are endless. Needless to say, your child’s DNA can inform you about their developmental traits in as many as 5 key areas such as their talents, Intelligence quotient (IQ), Emotional quotient (EQ), Personality and Overall Wellness. These “hidden” information stored in their DNA allows you to make focused decisions in building him or her up, by navigating their learning processes or choices wisely. By knowing their strengths and weaknesses, you can take early measures to curb the foreseen challenges they will face, while enhancing their potential, all these being done in a positive stress-free environment.A deep understanding about your child’s nature empowers you to make parenting decision tailored for their needs, enable you to nurture them well and truly give them the best that they deserved. Understand your child’s DNA today with Absolute Genetic Technologies’ Decode Talent DNA Test (DTDT) today!