Screen cap from YouTube video of explosions during playing the video game “Grand Theft Auto” or Debi’s idea of hell

Another week, another chapter of Debi Pearl’s tome, “Create a Better Brain Through Neuroplasticity”, on brain development. I have to say I am amused to see the sales figures for this book on Amazon. It’s not sold well at all. A few hundred copies all told. I guess the word has gotten around about Debi’s knowledge levels. Interestingly enough this other book is the first one to come up with you put the name of Debi’s book in the search function – CBT Toolbox For Children and Adolescents

Last week’s chapter is here. This week we’re on to “The Young Child’s Brain” Debi starts with this fear-mongery quote:

“Neuropasticity has taught us that we can literally damage or retard our children’s brain structure or we can enhance it by what we allow or disallow in their lives.”

Like beating the carp out of your kids with a quarter inch plumbing line damages their brains?

Debi goes on to explain that neurons in the brain are like a telephone system and suddenly we’re back to her over simplifications of neurotransmitters before leap-frogging over to memory and pictures. I just have to quote Debi’s explanation on picture learning.

“I do remember the capitals of most states in this country because the author created pictures in my mind to help me remember those details. For instance, for the state of Pennsylvania he said to think of a man holding a pencil in his hand, who’s getting a haircut, while eating a burger. The pencil is to remind me of “PENNSYL” from Pennsylvania. His hair is “HARR” and the burger is “BURG”, both from Harrisburg.”

Sure, Debi, whatever you say. She read this book as an adult, not a child, even if it uses this rather simplistic method I have seen taught to children. I learned that same factoid in music lessons, music theory to be exact, when we studied a piece of music written to commemorate the founding of the great state of Pennsylvania. Debi does not seem to realize that different learning styles happen for different types of people.

Debi proves yet again that she’s possibly not the most educated nut to fall out of the tree.

This followed by Debi throwing significant shade at a three year old Roger, who will not look adults in the eye, some more garbage about intellect, emotions and physical activities while bashing screens yet again.

Then Debi makes the mental gyration over to Baby Sue, linking pleasure, music and training your kid to sit still. Which is it Debi? Activity or stillness? I’m getting confused here.

Then we arrive at the Pearls talking of training their kids to behave in church by providing toys and crayons, and more blathering about that building their brains. Let’s be real here, everything the Pearls have said in other books up until this point advises whipping the heck out of any disobedience of a child. Photos or it never happened, Debi.

But I have to agree with this Debi quote, because I’ve found it to be true for me and others that struggle to stay focused when listening to someone else drone on:

“In the former days, I remember that many of the ladies brought their knitting to church. The preacher knew they were listening much better than the hypnotized people staring at him as he spoke.”

Debi goes on to claim this is everyone. No, Debi, this is not everyone. This is why fidget cubes and hand held video games are a godsend for some people. Some people must have something to manipulate in their hands to activate active listening. Science has proven it.

Some crazy claims about Michael’s sermons to kids now has created pastors, disdain and hate thrown at parents that force kids to go to church but do not attend and bashing of church nursery.

“A recent study of more than 2,600 toddlers showed that for every hour of TV the toddlers watched each day, their chances of developing serious attentional difficulties by age seven increased by ten percent.”

“TV watching correlates with brain problems”

We’re back here again? Debi covered this two chapters ago, but here we are again. This study that Debi references was created by asking the mothers to evaluate the children’s behavior post television watching and the conclusion was a lower percentage. Scientists and pediatricians say that the study is meaningless by the way the research took place. Of course the entire issues of screens and attention is a complex one.

Debi warns you not to allow your toddler to have his neurons overstimulated by screens, flashing lights and loud noises before turning to telling you to keep stimulating him to grow his neurons. This flip-flopping Twister again.

Debi moves to gut health, hating on antibiotics while claiming gut health is brain health. Vaccines are the evil too according to the Debster. More brain pruning babbling and gut health mixed in a crazy fashion and WE’RE DONE for today! Next week “Executive Function”, whatever Debi thinks that actually means I’m pretty sure it’s not right.

Here’s what I find fascinating about this chapter. Debi mentions twice the poor shy will not look at adults Roger, yet never gets around to explaining his behavior not once in this chapter.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

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