Plato once said, “Do not then train youth to learn by force or harshness, yet lead them to it by what amuses their minds so that you may discover the peculiar genius of each” . Every child is smart in some way or the other. Children are born learners and they learn things fast. They are great observers, they learn something out of everything, so as a parent the very first thing you have to be careful about is to watch your own words and actions. Recent studies suggest that parents are naturally skilled to teach their children to talk, walk and express. You are your child’s first and most important teacher. Trust yourself to learn the best ways to teach your child.
In this article we will help parents plant a seed for the future in six easy steps. Even parents who don’t read well can help their children learn.
1. Getting Started
Let your child discover his/her own interests. Just keep a watch over the activities he/she chooses. Encourage them in the direction of their interest. Let them breath free and explore the nature and everything around them. This free-time play can say a lot about where his/her gifts lie. Expose your child to a broad spectrum of experiences. That might just trigger their hidden talent. Don’t ever impose your ambition on them or expect too much from them, just allow them to progress slowly and naturally towards their interest. Don’t assume that he/she isn’t gifted in an area because he/she hasn’t shown an interest.
2. Help Them Learn
Help them learn through activities, games. Give your child permission to make mistakes. If they have to do things perfectly, they will never take the risks that is necessary to discover and develop a skill. Question your children often about the day-to-day things, colors, shapes and numbers, to engender curiosity in them and open gates to ameliorate intellect. Share inspirational stories with your child related to his/her father/mother, siblings or any other family person. Discuss about his/her future like what would he/she like to become and why?, Tell them about different professions and how they help us in everyday life.
3. Read To Your Child
Read aloud to children as it is the single most important activity for language development. It builds word-sound awareness. It also builds motivation, curiosity, memory, and of course, vocabulary. Albert Einstein said, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales.” It will also elicit in them an interest for reading.
4. Teach them Values
Don’t let your child control you, know how to control your child. Don’t bribe your child with rewards. Using incentives to get children perform a task sends a wrong message that learning is not rewarding in its own right. Set rules and follow them. Make them do their small tasks like eating, wearing shoes, climbing stairs etc by themselves and assist them whenever there is a need to.
5. Boost Their Morale
Don’t ever compare your child to others, instead help your child compare himself to his own past performance. Discourage gender bias. Expose your child to both feminine and masculine toys and activities. Allow him/her to make friends and teach him about sharing, helping and co-operating. Honor your child’s creations. Teach your child to trust her intuition and believe in his/her capabilities. Give your child open-ended playthings. Toys like blocks, clays and water colors that encourage imaginative play.
6. Keep Them Entertained
If children are sent to special lessons every day in the hope of developing extraordinary skills, they may become too stressed or exhausted to shine. So, encourage, but don’t push.
Be realistic, they need break more often than you think. Make learning fun by playing with them often, listen to poems and songs and dance on the tune with them, let them jump and laugh.Visit new places, go out for short trips as a family. Let them enjoy but be an authoritative parent and remember not to compromise on discipline.
