June 1, 2011

For this week's segment of Sargent Solutions, CBS19's Tiffani Sargent takes a look at how parents can help keep young students on mental edge, even if they would rather be having fun in the sun.

"It's actually a regression of knowledge and abilities within our children due to the lack of formal education activities during a prolonged summer vacation," explained Dargan Coggshell, the Learning Rx Director.

Coggshell adds the average student loses nearly one third of what he/she learned throughout the school year over summer break.

"Our brain is very much like any other muscle in our body, we either use it or lose it, or certainly if we don't utilize it, it won't be optimized," said Coggshell.

In order to keep students on top of their mental game, Coggshell recommends that parents play games and invent activities for their children.

Melissa Ronaynes son, Luke, just finished a six month intense training program at the Learning Rx to help him with his reading skills. Now that school is over, Ronaynes wants to ensure her son keeps the knowledge and the confidence he has gained.

"His teacher says he'll be able to handle anything that fourth grade throws at him reading-wise. That is comforting to know and even more of an incentive for us and our family to keep up with the reading and keep up with the cognitive games," said Ronaynes.

Studies show that if children read just six books over the summer, it will keep a struggling reader from regressing.