[E]ducating your child from a young age is essential if you hope to instill in them a sense of general understanding and competence. Of course, you may have chosen a good school for them to attend, diligently ensure they only miss days when very ill, and ensure they complete homework or simply integrate well with the class. That means you’re a reliable and considerate parent.
However, not everything a child will need is taught in school, or even college for that matter. It cannot. The world is too complex and life is too vast for them to become fully equipped for life from the institution they attend. Also, there are some lessons that shouldn’t and might not be covered in that school in the first place. There are a few lessons you should consider teaching your child during the ages of around five to twelve before they begin becoming a little independent and start learning more conclusively by themselves.
Educating Your Child About – The Stars
Children are given little if any, information about the stars. Not only is it important to teach them the scientific facts, that they are bursting balls of fire and the sun is our own, but also some of the historical attitudes that have circulated around them. This includes how ships would use the stars to navigate, and what constellations meant the most to certain people. Helping a child see the wonder in the space above their heads can often help them develop a lifelong love for science, the unexplored, or at least simply looking into the night’s sky. Why not make a full session out of this? You might consider searching for the best children’s telescopes here, or also finding online resources to teach your child in a dramatic, fun way. You might craft mobiles together to simulate the order of the planets, or better yet, take them to a planetarium and watch their jaw drop.
Socializing
Not all children are brought up in identical houses. While the youngest of five in one house might have no trouble forming to social cues (it is taught from the very day they came home from the hospital,) a child without siblings might have a few issues if not encouraged. It’s not easy for kids to build confidence, especially those that are natural introverts. To show them how to you must encourage sharing, take them to after-school clubs or hobbies where they interact with other children, and try to arrange playdates with friends.
Expect awkwardness, silly moments and maybe moments that were better left alone in the first place. The ascent of a child on the social ladder requires that they do not fear it, meaning that ensuring they gain a wealth of experiences is key. It might be that your son hates soccer, but taking them to a martial arts class could be a viable alternative.
While schools do try to help young children make friends and play with one another, there comes an age where they stop being proactive about people bonding, and more disruptive to those who bully. At least, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Keeping a good dialogue with your child at all times and ensuring you try your best to help them forge friends will mean plenty in the long run. This also means providing advice and letting them figure things out on their own. For example, it might be that an unruly child in your son’s class is saying nasty remarks to your son and affecting him. Is it worth immediately going to the teacher and having them interrupt, or going straight to the opposing parent? Or, is it worth building up the confidence of your child to look them in the eyes and telling them to stop, even pushing back if they are first touched? We’re not here to provide an answer or judge, either way, just keep in mind that sometimes, and only sometimes, the answer you might not expect could be the one with the most merit.
Educating Your Child About – Creativity
Schools are often quite great at promoting creativity, but of course, this time is limited in favor of more practical skills. This isn’t something we can criticize schooling systems for, they only have so many hours in a day and there are essential lessons a young child needs to learn before they can begin play. However, creativity is much more than play. It can be an educational tool in itself. You might consider making home projects with your child. Consider making home movies with a camcorder, and editing the footage on an easily understandable and free editing suite. It might not be Scorsese, but the product you come out with could help both you and your child bond.
Creativity might also come in the form of creative writing. You might start a book club with your child, reading titles just a little bit up from their reading level to foster a challenge. Reading a few chapters a week together and then writing and discussing your thoughts can help your child begin to think laterally – a skill that could truly benefit them later on in life. It’s also very worthwhile to ensure that you give them the confidence to express themselves, especially vocally. Allow them time to do this. Not all children develop at the same rate. However, with the ability to hold honest and simple discussions about a topic with your child, constantly prodding them with questions that make them think about what they think, you could develop a very inquisitive mind.
Let Them Develop
The final point on our list is that sometimes, you have to let your child develop at their own pace. There is no hard and fast rule to growing up, and sometimes people take a little longer than others. Rather than berating your child if they’re a little slow, try and set an example, and foster an environment within which they can learn by osmosis. Before long you should either find positive progress being made, or you will become aware of an issue that may require some specialist help.
With these efforts and fun activities, educating your child from a young age outside of the boundaries of the school curriculum will be a breeze.
Contributed post. Feature image via Pexabay.
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