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!