October is National Learning and Development Month

There are Countless Opportunities To Learn In Life

From the moment you are born, your body and mind are constantly growing, developing, and learning. As an infant and a young child, your ability to learn and retain information is much stronger and more efficient than it is when you get older. However, that does not mean learning should be stopped once you leave school. That’s exactly what the Academy of Learning and Development for Holiday Inn Club Vacations in Orlando, Florida, believed, as well. That’s why they established October as National Learning and Development Month.

Holiday Inn Club Vacations’ goal was to encourage everyone, from infants to seniors, to make a concerted effort in broadening and improving their personal and professional skills. They feel that far too many people don’t put as much emphasis on learning as they did when they were younger.

Your brain is a muscle, and it needs constant stimulation. If you aren’t going out of your way to learn new things or develop new skills, you aren’t giving it the exercise it needs. Tots N Teens Pediatrics encourages you to take the month of October to celebrate National Learning and Development Month.

The Importance of Learning 

Once you are finished with school, many people often consider that the end of their learning experience. Unfortunately, far too many people feel this way. Just because your formal education has come to an end doesn’t mean you can’t continue to learn.

The world is constantly evolving. Technology is advancing at unprecedented rates. While a great majority of people have stopped going to school, there is still a great need to continue your education beyond the classroom.

Young children are constantly told the importance of focusing on their education, yet why aren’t adults told the same thing?

Benefits of Lifelong Learning

No matter your age there is always something to learn. Whether you are a small child just starting school, a young adult beginning their college career, or an adult starting a new hobby, you can constantly acquire relevant information.

National Learning and Development Month is here to encourage you to continue learning. You should take this opportunity to improve skills that are useful in both your personal and professional lives. There are several ways that learning throughout your entire life can help you succeed.

Greater Chance for Career Success

A study of hiring managers found that only 15% of them felt that most people seeking a job did not possess the skills the company required. The best way to increase your chances of landing a job in a position you desire is to continue learning even after you are out of school. Take the time to learn the skills and information that are beneficial to the positions you are interested in. If you work in an evolving industry, you should continue to educate yourself on any changes and advancements in that field.

Improves Brain Health

As we have already said, your brain is a muscle that constantly needs to be exercised. This couldn’t be truer for young children. While they are constantly learning and developing throughout school, you, as a parent, should encourage them to further their learning outside of the classroom. Research has found that learning keeps your brain cells working at their highest levels, decreasing the level of cognitive and memory decline as you grow older.

If your child shows interest in one particular subject, facilitate opportunities for them to keep learning about that subject outside of the classroom. It will help them in the long run.

Boosts Mental Health

Mental health has begun to take more of a priority in many circles all around the world. This is a huge step in the right direction. One way to help improve your mental health and protect it as you grow older is by continued learning throughout life.

Depression becomes far more common the older you get. By continuing your education, you are helping protect your mental health. As a parent, your child often sees you as their primary role model. What you do, they also want to do. If they see you are pushing yourself to learn even when you don’t have to, they will be encouraged to do the same, as well. This learning will also help prevent them from seeing their mental health decline as they age.

Keeps You Connected

For children, teens, and adults, many opportunities to learn to involve putting yourself into a social setting. Whether that be in school, discussing topics in online groups, or joining night courses offered by your community, chances are you will be sharing the experience with others.

Being social is one of the best things you can do for your mental and physical health. Your children can build and further develop their social skills, while adults can improve on their own.

How to Recognize National Learning and Development Month

There are several things that you can do to take advantage of this month. To make the month more inclusive, make it a family outing. Encourage each member to find something of their own to participate in. Other ways you can recognize this month are:

• Volunteer to help young children learn
• Register for night classes
• Take a class with the entire family
• Create a network with coworkers to improve on relevant job skills
• Take online classes
• Find a mentor
• Join a book club

The wonderful thing about learning is that there are countless ways you and your family can choose to learn. Everyone is different, and everyone has their own way of learning. It is only natural that the world is filled with extracurricular activities for people of all ages.

National Learning and Development Month was established in October to encourage those young and old to take a more active approach in their learning. The month’s goal is to encourage people to continue learning even after their formal education has come to an end and to encourage young children to continue learning outside of the classroom. Tots N Teens Pediatrics understands the importance of fostering education and ensuring everyone receives a proper education.