Parents Are A Child's First Teachers

Once you become a parent you are in charge of guiding that new bundle of job in the right direction.  The choices you make and the actions you model for your child will determine how exceptional your child will become.  What morals, manners, interests and knowledge do you want your child to possess?  You are your child’s first teacher.

Morals are an important part of living in society.  Many parents choose to teach morals through religion.  They will take their child to church, mosque, synagogue, or another house of worship in order to teach their child their religion and often times the morals that come along with that religion.  There may be an accompanying religious school that children will attend to better understand their religion as they are growing up.

All parents can teach morals through modeling morality in their daily life.  They can use TV shows, clips from the news, passages of books, or events from their own lives or their children’s lives to open a discussion about right and wrong.  Get into play acting and have your child act out how to respond in certain social events that may occur.  For example, what they would do if asked to use drugs.  With all the temptations that there are in this world, isn't it best that your children learn from you what path they should choose to follow?

Along with morals come manners.  There are the basic mannerly words of “please”, “thank you”, “you’re welcome”, and “excuse me” that children should learn to master at an early age.  There are also other mannerly social norms that should be handed down to children such as holding a door open for the person behind you, giving up your seat for an elderly person or small children, putting away the cell phone for dinner and while driving.  What manners and social norms do you want your child to possess?

Interests and knowledge are harder qualities to pass down to your child since everyone is an individual.  However, parents that read actively in front of their children and read to their children when they are small often have children who grow up to love reading too.  The child sees the adult reading and mimics the behavior.  Reading is one interest that can be passed down.  Talking to your child about different topics and hobbies that interest you could help your child to develop a similar interest.  Spend time with your kid doing things that you both enjoy!

Remember, you are the most important person in your child’s life.  You are their first teacher, model, and guide.  Please guide your child to possess morals, manners, and start exploring different interests.  Let’s make the world full of exceptional children who can do great things!

Exceptional Children Record Goals

One of the best ways a parent or guardian can help their child become exceptional is to record their child's strengths and interests and teach their child how to set their own goals.  As a young child, the recording and goal setting will be the parent's responsibility.  As the child learns how to write and express him or her self, then the child can begin learning how to set goals.

Find a journal to record the child's interests, strengths, and any other identifying characteristics that you would think are helpful.  It is much like keeping a baby book where all the baby's new achievements are recorded for future reference.  You could have the child help decorate the book and provide input on their interests and strengths depending on their age and understanding.

Once you have a list, focus in on one of the strengths or interests.  For example, your six-year-old son may have an interest in dinosaurs.  Now you would want to set some goals to help your child learn more about dinosaurs.  Maybe you could look up where the dinosaur books are located at your local library.  Maybe a goal would be to read one dinosaur related book, or part of a book if it is a long one, to your son each evening.  Reading together boosts a love of reading!

Where is the closest museum that has dinosaur displays?  Or are you planning a family trip in the near future?  Are there any dinosaur museums at your destination?  Getting out and seeing how large dinosaur bones are would probably encourage your child to continue with their dinosaur fascination.  Even better if the museum has a dig for your own fossils area for children! 

What about a build your own dinosaur kit?  The recommended age may be slightly older than your six-year-old son, but the child could be successful with the kit with your help and because of your child's huge interest in dinosaurs.  If the kit is too much, clay dinosaurs or drawings of dinosaurs may make art time fun for your child.

As the child becomes more knowledgeable on dinosaurs, why not encourage him to write his own dinosaur book or keep a dinosaur journal to record what he is learning?  Writing is important in helping to keep facts lodged into our brains.  Every child can benefit from learning and going through the writing process.  Wouldn't learning be more fun if children could write about what currently interests them?

These are only a handful of ideas that you could use.  As you know your child best, you would record goals that make sense with your child's interests and abilities.  Make learning fun for your child!