As part of the Health and Wellbeing module I have been asked to write about the importance of the first 3 years of a baby’s life and what this means for us as practitioners.
For this we were required to watch two videos which are linked below. The videos hold very similar opinions. Suzanne zeedyk talks about how human babies are born much earlier in comparison to other mammals such as dogs, this is due to evolution as babies’ heads are becoming too big for the womb which means they must be born at an earlier stage causing them to be born ‘prematurely’. This is causing the human brain to be more fragile. They need much more attention as there is so much activity going on the first years of a baby’s life which is why these few years are so important for their development. The babies brain holds a lot of importance especially in relation to their surrounding environment.
Suzanne further explores the idea of the close correlation between the babies’ brain and the environment in which they grow up in from birth. Unfortunately, not all children are brought up in a happy, safe and caring environment, this can have a serious impact on the child’s brain development. Suzanne goes on to explain domestic abuse in a home can have a serious impact. For a young child in this situation they are always around threats and violence therefore their brain adapts to this assuming it is normal, thinking threats are always around the corner. It is emphasised if a child is always thinking a threat is nearby they cannot focus on other important aspects of their life, one very big part which is ‘education’. For a young child experiencing domestic abuse in a family home this can cause their body to produce a stress hormone which can be damaging to their health. Due to all this going on for a child they find it much harder to create relationships with people as they become anxious. Relationships are extremely important for the child in their first years as this allows them to feel safe and loved. They also allow us to belong to a social group, they are much better for a child’s health and it is natural for us humans to connect. Therefore, due to this constant threat these children cannot have close relationships in their home which can have a damaging impact.
John Carnochan OBE has similar thoughts on this topic. He creates the idea that relationships are very important for a child in their first years of life. He also suggests that the stress hormone can have a huge impact in the way a child’s brain develops. He explains a child needs consistency in their lives and not all can receive this in their home environment. He also indicates violence has a very serious impact which can lead to children not knowing any better which can be very serious in their development.
After watching these videos, I now see it is very important as a primary practitioner to create a safe, caring environment to all children. Not all children are able to have this in their home and it is very much emphasised the importance of a child having these important relationships for good health. It is important to understand children who come from these backgrounds may act in a different way. A classroom can be an important place for a child to be free from any problems. Therefore, I see the importance of making the classroom a fun place to be. The videos have shown me that consistency in a class room is important as children should be given the opportunity to reach their full potential to allow them to succeed no matter what their family background is. As a teacher children, should be supported in this process to allow them to open up and be themselves.
It is very important as a teacher to build relationships with your pupils. It is important to build a trusting environment, children need someone in their life who they can trust, it is extremely important we listen to children and help accommodate they’re needs this is essential to allow them to feel safe and help them to achieve to their ability, achievement for a child can allow them to feel success which can help with their development and allow confidence to grow. As some children who are suffering at home may lack confidence which can have a damaging impact on their education, teachers must see this as important and build on this at the child’s pace, praise is a very good way of doing so. You must show understanding and empathy towards every child and their situation to help build this caring environment. Children should feel nurtured as this is a very important factor I relation to their health and wellbeing.
It is important teachers allow all children to have new experiences as this can be fundamental for their development these new experiences can allow children to develop new skills which can have a huge impact for the rest of their lives. It is important that as a teacher we understand children learn in a variety of different ways this includes physically and mentally. Most children need play as a stimulus to help their learning and brain development. Play can help children have fun and escape difficult aspects of their lives whilst leaning at the same time. School gives children a wide range of opportunities which they wouldn’t get otherwise which can help both their physical and mental wellbeing, which is very important. 
Overall, the videos have helped further my own understanding of the way in which a child’s brain develops and how important the first years are. All children experience different lives and teachers should ensure they all receive the same care and education. School may be the only place a child can feel safe and develop these important relationships and this needs to be emphasised. Education sets up a child for the rest of their lives which is why a teacher’s job is so important. We need to ensure we get it right for every child.
