Children are always learning whether the teaching is intentional or not. Our children learn more from how we live OUR life than from a parental lecture. We are always teaching by modeling and mentoring.
Fall is the beginning of a new school year. It is a perfect time to get a “restart” on school life, and it’s a second chance to “revisit” some of those new year resolutions we made in January!
What are the main areas where we can equip are children? Our list starts with A’s:
- Academics
- Athletics
- Arts
- Attitudes
- Anything they enjoy that is safe and sane
This isn’t a complete list, but it helps us to outline our home learning lab in some basic categories. Some additional topics that might also be included are: Chores, Finance, Service, Leadership, Cooking . . . Please don’t feel that you have to tackle EVERYTHING in one year. Rather, pick a few to focus on and change it up as you progress through the months and years.
What can parents do to facilitate learning at home?
During the preschool years . . .
- Teach as you live life 24/7
- Read, play, talk, listen
- Play music
- Do activities together
- Establish a bedtime ritual
During the school years . . .
BEFORE SCHOOL
- Set a positive atmosphere in the morning (this may mean that you have the prepare the night before).
- Encourage your child to be an example of good choices in spite of outside influences.
- Maximize driving time as a great opportunity to talk, hear their thoughts, and pray for them before they enter into their school (this is their current mission field).
AFTER SCHOOL
- Utilize the trip home to talk, teach, listen.
- Teach study habits as you supervise and help with homework.
- Go to music/dance/art/sports practices and lessons. Encourage practice.
- Help with big projects.
- Get a tutor when needed.
BEDTIME
- Continue bedtime rituals.
- Read to and with your child.
- Talk and listen.
- Speak encouraging words to end the day: give hope and empowerment for tomorrow.
- Pray with your child.
Remember, we are the general contractor of our child’s education. We can facilitate learning by avoiding the over-scheduled life, discussing & deciding appropriate screen time, and moving computers to a common area (and monitoring it). Keep in mind that we need to be realistic about your child and his abilities. Dream and have high goals, but also make micro-goals along the way. Our children learn more by experience than from a lecture. So, no matter how well we parent, little Tommy still has the ability to make choices that may not reflect what has been taught.
Some home improvement questions for the month:
- Have I put the “essential” elements first?
- Are we too busy?
- Is our busyness caused by non-essentials?
- What should we add? delete?
- What plan have we made to manage our technology at home and school?
Encouragement from Scripture
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11-13)
Ephesians 6:11-13 [NIV]
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13 [NIV]