Nathan Wallis may have postponed his visit to Cromwell due to COVID restrictions, but he still wants to help and inform our parents.

Nathan Wallis is a renowned brain development educator, and was set to visit Cromwell this month. His visit has now been cancelled, but Nathan told The Central App he is still planning a visit.

He said he hoped to come to Cromwell in the future, but in the meantime had gone virtual while restrictions remained due to COVID, and made two online webinars available.

The first in his positive parenting series is titled ‘Engage Your Brain’.

In this webinar, Nathan focuses on the social/emotional aspects of brain development – how feeling impacts our thinking. He talks about play-based learning – what it is and how it leads to better outcomes for children.

In the second webinar, The First 1000 Days, Nathan describes how our loving day-to-day interactions with children, significantly in the first 1000 days of life, play a critical role in brain development, defining later outcomes for them and for their future.

In contrast to what our parents believed a generation ago, Nathan says, it’s less about genes, learning alphabets, numbers or colours.

It’s more about being in a safe, loving and interactive environment.

Nathan said he tries to respond to questions posed to him by parents.

“I do Facebook posts and YouTube videos in response to parents’ concerns and topical issues happening at the time, and anyone can access these.”

Apart from his own resources available on his website, Nathan suggested parents also look at the Brainwave Trust website.

“Plus, Lance Burdett has put out a new book called ‘Dark Side of the Brain’, which would be great for parents with specific issues.

“The Ministry of Education website also has a lot more information since lockdown.”

Early Childhood Educator and Mums4Mums coordinator Kylie Murdoch said information on neuroscience and diversity was becoming much more accessible to the general public through educators such as Nathan.

We’ve come to learn through people like Nathan just how important the first 1000 days are.”

“Positive, responsive actions from a primary caregiver, usually the mum, make a huge difference to the formation of neuron pathways; repetition cements these pathways in place to form the foundation skills for lifelong learning.”

Cromwell Youth Trust manager, Rhys Smith said Nathan had an engaging way of explaining  scientific information, and he was disappointed Nathan had had to cancel this time.

“He’s great, he discusses the importance of the first 1000 days and then makes it easy to understand about the developing brain of a teenager.

“The importance of developing those skills when kids are younger, even before they can talk, it’s so much easier when they become teens.”

Rhys said it was great that Nathan provided resources for parents to access and hoped he would be able to come to Cromwell in the future.

For Nathan’s website click here https://www.nathanwallis.com/

For The Brainwave Trust website click here https://www.brainwave.org.nz/

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