Day: February 20, 2023

Why parents are called the first teacher of their kids?

Because whatever kids learn in the initial years of life, becomes the foundation of their learning phase throughout life.

Among all the responsibilities parents have towards kids, Mentoring is the most important one. It decides what kind of value system kids will choose, according to what they learn from their parents.

Talking about learning, fundamentally there are two aspects of learning: Literacy and Education.

The first aspect focuses on imparting worldly knowledge while the second focuses on learning holistically about LIFE.

In the words of Bred Hnery

“Education is not solely about earning a great living. It means living a great life.”

As an academician, I interact with parents daily. And one thing I found is that most parents think that teaching means imparting worldly knowledge.

But is that so? Imagine what value it is going to have if your child has vast worldly knowledge but lacks behavioral understanding. To understand the real concept of teaching, here are important tips to keep in mind.

Communication – How you talk and respond has a direct impact on how your kids perceive communication. You can not teach them to be patient and soft-spoken if you are behaving oppositely. Actions speak louder than words. Remember, if you want to teach them the importance of communication, preach it first.

There are two things you need to keep in mind.

1. How you talk to them – Listen to them first and then respond. Listening with patience is an important skill one should learn while dealing with kids. Do not try to force any kind of behavior on them. Let them express what they feel. Listen to their side of the story first before reaching any conclusion.

2. How you talk about others- It is equally important to speak of others respectfully in front of your kids. Kids pay attention to everything parents do. More than words, actions influence them. So the second thing you need to consider is to talk with utmost care in front of your kids.

Involvement – Parents think that once their kids start going to school, their role as teachers declines. But that is not the case. Parents are real teachers for their kids who stand with them in every situation of life. And to increase the impact of teaching, parents must involve themselves in the activities that they plan for their kids.

So if you enroll your child in a drawing class, pottery lessons, music, or dance, try to be present with them in every small and big win they experience. It makes learning substantial.

Another thing to consider is preaching everything you are teaching them.

For example – If you want them to become caring by nature, show them how you care for your friends and family. Create a loving environment in your family.

Do not mock them or taunt them in front of friends and family. Even if your child is not behaving, do not pinpoint their mistakes immediately. If you allow them to understand their mistakes, it will become easier for them to accept and work on them.

In a Nutshell, Parents play a crucial role in a child’s life. Be it the role of teacher, mentor, friend, or guide, a parent needs to ace every role if they want their kids to explore various opportunities in life. It can only happen when parents participate with their kids to encourage them. It will not only prove beneficial for their personality development but also prepare them to face various challenges in life.

As an academic, one of the most common inquiries from parents is, “How to improve a child’s performance in exams.” And it’s so obvious. Parents need to put in more effort to encourage their children to reach their full potential in today’s competitive world.

The “Result” is one of the things that parents worry about the most. Why? Because it depicts a child’s overall development. Parents feel a sense of accomplishment whenever they see their children rise through the class ranks.

However, with expectation comes the obligation for parents to provide for their children. There are numerous ways to assist your children with exam preparation.

Teaching them at the last minute can be frustrating if you don’t plan. So, let’s talk about the best advice for teaching your kids to do better in school and putting it into action.

Attention for Retention – Parents must induce positivity in their kids before they start preparing for their exams. The first that can help you to do this is by preparing yourself. It means having patience when kids are not listening to you.

When we talk about kids of 3-10 years, we know their distraction will always overpower their concentration. At that point, you should not force them to focus without giving them time to adjust.

To handle this situation, you can prepare a schedule for their study time. Discuss with them at what time they are most comfortable studying. Set an alarm clock to remind them about their commitment. During the process, if they need a break, give them a break for a few minutes. Do learning exercises to see how much they have learned in one session. Make the learning process fun and do not force anything on them.

One thing to keep in mind is not to get irritated. At the end of the day, how you handle the situation is going to decide, your child’s attitude toward studying. If you make it forceful, they will perceive learning as a forceful process and if you make it fun, they will perceive it as a fun process.

Absorption – kids have a knack for learning things in different ways. So the next thing to keep in mind is preparing lessons for them in advance. For kids studying in Nursery to Primary classes, it is important to make learning a fun process as their attention span is very short. Try visualization, storytelling, Presentation, and Animated videos for their preparation. It increases their involvement and also increases their retention. Further, it is a great way to include creativity in their personality.

Conversation –  This is an extension of the point we discussed above. It simply means to be a parent first and a teacher later. Kids learn from teachers in school according to the pedagogy of the school. At home, they expect extra freedom to ask questions and clear their doubts. The solution to this is simple. Talk, Talk, and talk. Talk about their fears, insecurities, and doubts, and listen to them. Do not try to provide a solution immediately. Take them out on a walk, exam time is already very stressful for children. Do not worsen their fears. Try to ease the situation for them. Once this fear is out of their system, they can pass the examination with flying colors.

Lastly, you need to know that your expectations should not become a burden for your child. Do not criticize them if they are not performing according to your expectation. Try to analyze the areas where your child is lagging and work with them to improve their performance. Because it is not about success in one exam but being successful in all areas of life.