Remember the intelligence series that I started last week together with Janet Doman?  This week we're focusing on how we can improve our children's intelligence and how we, as parents, can help improve our kids right here at home from our simple, everyday routines.

I recently read an impressive book called Intelligence and How to Get It where the author, Richard E. Nisbett, a Distinguished University Professor, summed up some recent studies that were done on improving the intelligence and well-being of your kids.

Here are 5 keys points I think you all should know from his book and current research:

1. Speak Like An Adult:

Use high level vocabulary with your child early and often!  Children are way smarter than we give them credit for and have an amazing ability to infer meaning.  They can understand from the rest of the sentence and the topic of the conversation what you mean, and if they don't - they will ask!!

I do this with my 6 and 8 year old and occasionally I get - "Mom I have no idea what you just said!"  I love hearing those words because it gives me the perfect teaching opportunity to expand their vocabulary - plus, I can see that they are actually listening to me

2. Ease Up On The Scolding

Minimize reprimands.  Reprimands make it harder for your child to express curiosity - which is vital for their learning!  You want your child to ask questions, explore their environment and learn through experience.  It is much harder for these natural learning techniques to surface when the child is in fear of constant reprimand.

3. Don't Let Your Kids Stress Out

Avoid stress whenever possible.  Few parents put their kids in stressful environments knowingly or on purpose.  But this is especially important when it comes to your child's ability to learn.  Stress damages the pathways in the brain where problem solving abilities lie and stress also interferes with memory capacity. So avoid stressful situation whenever possible.

4. Time For Some Physical Education

Make sure your kids get exercise!  Exercising large muscle groups increases the growth of neurons in the brain and adds to the blood supply of the brain.  The effect of 30 minutes of exercise on the brain is directly correlated with increased problem solving abilities.

5. Teach Your Kids Meditation

Use Meditation Exercises?  I know - I am thinking the same thing - how do I get my kid to meditate? Well the good news is that we are not talking about full fledged meditation here, just some exercises - breathing exercises, posture training and body awareness.  All of these exercises over a period of just 5 days, showed marked increases in the executive functioning of the brain.  (look for a future post on this subject).