There is a wonderful book that should be mandatory reading for every new parent and early childhood practitioner. “Mind in the Making,” written by Ellen Galinsky was published in 2010. In this book, Galinsky summarizes a lifetime of research by grouping the essential life skills every child needs into seven themes. She points out that it is never too early or too late for a child (or an adult) to master these skills. That’s because, as with most development, mastery is a lifetime pursuit.
The first essential life skill, according to Galinsky, is “‘focus and self control.” As name suggests, children need to be able to focus their attention and develop self control in different situations. For some children, one or both of these abilities can be very challenging to learn. Arguably, this is even more true today than it was in 2010, as we live in a world filled with many stimulating, digital distractions competing for our attention.
A high-quality nursery school, is the perfect place for children to practice focusing their attention and controlling their impulses. Experienced, well-trained teachers are masterful at designing spaces that both support and challenge each child to learn the core skills of focus and self control.