Too Hard, or Not Hard Enough?

I just read:

How to Raise Smart Kids Chinese-Style

Secrets of Chinese child rearing to raise their children's IQ

Published on January 13, 2011 by Jefferson Fish, Ph.D. in Looking in the Cultural Mirror

Having recently finished a conversation with a friend on intelligence as an aspect of genotype, I found this article to be very refreshing.

It poses the idea that there is less genetic basis for superior intelligence, and it is more of a product of high expectations and strong parenting.

• Instead of thinking "It's too bad he isn't smarter," we should be thinking "He'll just have to work harder."
• Instead of the question "Why are some groups smarter than others?" we should be asking "How do groups that are really good at getting their kids to work hard at school do it?"
• Instead of saying "I wish my kids had Asian or Jewish genes for high IQ." we should be asking "What can I learn from Asian or Jewish parents (not any parents, just those whose children excel in school) about child-rearing?"
• "How can I get my children to make friends with and do their homework with high-achieving kids?"

A fantastic article, there are ideas worth spreading here in the states in my opinion.

Text Messaging and Poor Communication

I believe the quality of our communication has been greatly diminished by the inappropriate use of text messaging. I'm not saying that texting is bad, or should not be used, I am suggesting that when things get emotional, it's time to call or talk in person.

Text messaging eliminates 2 of the most important forms of communication.

This has come to be known as Mehrabian's Rule:

Total Emotional Impact is the sum of:

• 7% Verbal
• 38% Vocal
• 55% Visual

So when we're communicating with text messages, we are effectively eliminating 93% of the communcations we are capable of.

If you want to improve the quality of the relationships in your life, you may want to carefully consider the medium you use to nurture those relationships.