From the time a child is born, to until they are about 7, they have not yet developed what is called the “Prefrontal Cortex.” The Prefrontal Cortex is what is responsible for decision making, abstract thought, logical/critical thinking, as well as many other functions. It’s what shuts down in the adults brain when consuming alcohol (perhaps why drunk adults act just like children, it also gives us social control).
The Prefrontal Cortex is responsible for taking in data from the outside world and deciding what to do with it. So, when a human (children aged 0-7), doesn’t yet have a Prefrontal Cortex and can’t decide whether or not to hold onto or believe what it is hearing/being told, their brain downloads everything. They are somewhat in a constant state of hypnosis.
This is essential knowledge when parenting. Why? If you tell your kid that he/she is “bad,” for instance, they instantly absorb and download that information, and believe they are bad. Perhaps, then, they begin to act accordingly. Or, if someone tells your kid that they are ugly, your child will then live in a world where they feel as though they are ugly. They don’t have that mechanism in their brains yet to tell them that perhaps this person who called them ugly has issues of their own and what they said has nothing to do with them.
Good news is that this information can also be used in a very positive way: if your kid downloads literally everything it hears/experiences, you can make affirmations to your child to help them believe how magical they are. You can tell them constantly:
You are beautiful.
You are honest.
You are compassionate.
You are love.
You are wise.
And so on…
And you will start to see them developing into a beautiful, honest, compassionate, loving, and wise human being.
