Let Them Be Kids
So many eager, new home educators excitedly buy curricula for their little ones, not wanting to waste any precious moments where there could be learning going on. I know I did with my first. I didn't spend a large amount of money, but I did spend a fair amount of time reading, researching and gathering just the "right" materials for my child.
It didn't go as well as I had hoped. I was so busy trying to fit my child into a pre-made notion of how and what she should be learning, that I lost sight of the fact that she was still very much a baby. All I really needed was right in front of me.
There is no need to spend money on curricula for kids 5 and under. The publishing companies love that new home educators are scared and unsure and want to give their kids the best education out there, because moms just couldn't possibly be able to come up with something on their own.
And so we have companies that sell materials for kids 5 and under. And we also have moms who are so frustrated because their kids just can't sit still for the lessons, or they can't do their writing, or even retain anything they learned that day! And, therefore, we have kids that are being made to fit into the standardized way of learning, and wondering where their childhood went.
All because of a marketing strategy aimed at insecure moms that convinces them they must start teaching their little ones as soon as possible so as not to get behind (behind what, is unclear) and to have the best chance to succeed (the definition of success being unclear as well).
So what was in front of me all the time? My child. My brain. Some paper and pencils. Common sense.
I haven't done Kindergarten for any of my other kids. But that doesn't mean they weren't learning. Far from it! They were read to, played with, given challenging toys, allowed to watch educational videos, and most importantly, left alone to navigate and explore their world on their own. They had plenty of blank paper and drawing materials, dress-up clothes, places to build forts, lots of time outside, and much of it unsupervised or un-scheduled. I talked to them a lot, read the Bible to them, discussed politics, let them help in the kitchen and taught them to do the laundry and how to clean up their room.
But the best thing for them was for me to just let them be kids.
I hear about so many moms ready to tear their hair out because their 3 year old isn't co-operating with the school work. To the 3 year old I say "Way to go, kid! Stand your ground." And to the mom I say: "Back off, fear not, and let your baby be a baby."
Do you have a child who is begging to do school because their older siblings are? Give them a notebook and let them do whatever they want with it. Write easy words in it for them to copy. Make up some math problems. Draw clocks and fill in the time for them to figure out. Let them draw in it, put stickers in it, or paste stuff in it. Let them make up problems for you to solve. Whatever they want. Include them in any out-loud reading time or discussions, and if they wander off or pick up a book to look at, don't worry: they are still listening.
Any day at home with mom is better than a month in an institution. Time will come soon enough for the kids to really hit the books, but until 5 or 6, the best education is simply learning to be a kid.
It didn't go as well as I had hoped. I was so busy trying to fit my child into a pre-made notion of how and what she should be learning, that I lost sight of the fact that she was still very much a baby. All I really needed was right in front of me.
There is no need to spend money on curricula for kids 5 and under. The publishing companies love that new home educators are scared and unsure and want to give their kids the best education out there, because moms just couldn't possibly be able to come up with something on their own.
And so we have companies that sell materials for kids 5 and under. And we also have moms who are so frustrated because their kids just can't sit still for the lessons, or they can't do their writing, or even retain anything they learned that day! And, therefore, we have kids that are being made to fit into the standardized way of learning, and wondering where their childhood went.
All because of a marketing strategy aimed at insecure moms that convinces them they must start teaching their little ones as soon as possible so as not to get behind (behind what, is unclear) and to have the best chance to succeed (the definition of success being unclear as well).
So what was in front of me all the time? My child. My brain. Some paper and pencils. Common sense.
I haven't done Kindergarten for any of my other kids. But that doesn't mean they weren't learning. Far from it! They were read to, played with, given challenging toys, allowed to watch educational videos, and most importantly, left alone to navigate and explore their world on their own. They had plenty of blank paper and drawing materials, dress-up clothes, places to build forts, lots of time outside, and much of it unsupervised or un-scheduled. I talked to them a lot, read the Bible to them, discussed politics, let them help in the kitchen and taught them to do the laundry and how to clean up their room.
But the best thing for them was for me to just let them be kids.
I hear about so many moms ready to tear their hair out because their 3 year old isn't co-operating with the school work. To the 3 year old I say "Way to go, kid! Stand your ground." And to the mom I say: "Back off, fear not, and let your baby be a baby."
Do you have a child who is begging to do school because their older siblings are? Give them a notebook and let them do whatever they want with it. Write easy words in it for them to copy. Make up some math problems. Draw clocks and fill in the time for them to figure out. Let them draw in it, put stickers in it, or paste stuff in it. Let them make up problems for you to solve. Whatever they want. Include them in any out-loud reading time or discussions, and if they wander off or pick up a book to look at, don't worry: they are still listening.
Any day at home with mom is better than a month in an institution. Time will come soon enough for the kids to really hit the books, but until 5 or 6, the best education is simply learning to be a kid.
Comments
Post a Comment