Teaching Children

Yesterday I introduced colors to the baby. It wasn’t fancy. He was eating fruit loops; crumbs and slobber were all over the place. I seized the opportunity! Every time he put a green one in his mouth I said, “Green!” I also asked where the green one was but he pointed to the blue and then ate it. I’m not worried, he’ll get it. My other two did. But we haven’t always learned on the fly like that.

Long ago when I was a new mom, juggling the kids and unaccustomed to multitasking, I had a friend and her 2 year old over. The 2 year old was brilliant! She knew her colors, how to count and ABC’s the whole works.

My friend shrugged and said, “When she’s taught it, she just kinda gets it.”

Ahhh…She was taught! See that was my problem. I wasn’t used to showing kids what they need to learn. I was always around adults who’d learned those a million years ago. I also was so used to school that I thought to learn you needed a large chunk of time at a specific time of day. I didn’t think it was possible to teach her in a few minutes a day. Boy was I wrong. After I thought about it for awhile, I turned everything into an opportunity to teach. I like to cook so I bring my kids into the kitchen. When I need something I ask them to count out 5 of them and help them count them out. I ask them if they want their toast in squares, triangles, or rectangles. I talk and ask questions the whole time when I cook. You get the idea…

Soon I will send my baby to preschool but mostly for the socialization. At this young age I can teach him what he needs to know at home. The opportunity to teach and learn is everywhere. Wondertime is one of my favorite magazines to give you ideas how to teach and open children to the wonder and joy of life.

Sheila Cason, MD