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| And so it begins... (Photo by Indrani) |
Nevertheless, Kirshenbaum asserts that "when it comes to parenting, scientific evidence proves that the perks for our health and happiness far outweigh the pitfalls."
How is that possible when parenting tends to yield exhaustion of body, mind and bank account? To answer this question, Kirshenbaum relies upon the reassurances of research findings.
It is now known that oxytocin (the happy hormone) increases significantly for both parents "during the first six months of a child's life." Not only that, the scent of a new baby "triggers the brain's dopamine response."
The very act of raising a child nurtures altruistic tendencies in parents to the point where their neurological systems change for the better. Kirshenbaum explains that parental "brains are literally being reshaped from a world primarily consisting of self to one consisting of both self and other."
As parental brains become rewired for altruism over time, the world itself becomes a kinder and gentler place.
Resources
http://www.spiritmag.com/features/article/chaos_theory/
Copyright August 27, 2014 by Linda Van Slyke All Rights Reserved
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