Have you ever looked at your kids and thought, “Where has the time gone? They are growing-up so fast.” Then you have that “I’ve lost something” feeling in the pit of your stomach. Don’t worry, you’ve always got time.
I read the interview in the Daily Advance last week about home schooling, and I thought to myself, “Everybody should be ‘home schooling’ their kids.” Subjects like responsibility, organizational skills, critical thinking, time management, self-sufficiency, independence, and other so called ‘soft skills’ can best be taught at home. How many parents take time to teach?
In today’s world where budget-cuts have affected so many educational extras like field trips, arts programs, and science lab experiences, just to name a few, parents will have to step up to the plate and get in the education game themselves. No longer can schools of any kind be expected to do everything they used to do.
That’s not necessarily a bad situation, and parents should view it as an opportunity to interact with their children on a valuable level. There are so many experiences in the home and in daily life that provide the perfect teachable moment that all good teachers seek. A parent is the child’s first teacher.
One of my favorite Christmas books is THE PRECIOUS PRESENT which says that the best gift you can give is to be present in the moment.
As I watch visitors to Port Discover, I delight in seeing the parents and grandparents that truly connect with their kids while explaining something to them in an exhibit. They aren’t talking on their cell phone, texting, or making their grocery list. They are fully engaged with the child, and the experience is made more valuable for both of them.
Our area has a wealth of resources to assist families with the enrichment of kids’ education. Parents are accessing the Museum of the Albemarle, Arts of the Albemarle, Port Discover, the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center and Park, the public library, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, church groups and other organizations which supplement children’s education.
Life presents so many opportunities to teach kids. Our threatened visit from hurricane Irene provided the perfect time to teach emergency preparedness and the science of weather. Many sites (www.usgs.gov and www.scholastic.com) on the internet featured information for kids about earthquakes.
Books like 100 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KID... and others present suggestions from “sail over your house in a hot air balloon” to “be on the lookout for a double rainbow.” As you do these things, help your child study the science background of the event.
Modeling the behavior you want your child to develop is the most important thing you can do. I once read that kid’s seeing their parents read to themselves is just as important as their being read to by their parents. Supporting your child’s education comes in many forms which all require your participation.
