Oh yes, it’s easier said than done. Of course, parents want their children to be raised exactly the way they want them to be raised, instead of leaving them in the hands of others. This is especially when not all kids gain the same benefit from the one-to-many educating style present in childcares and classrooms, while some children require special attention to truly engage in learning.
But any parent would know, especially as this circuit-breaker proves, just how arduous it is to juggle the numerous tasks and responsibilities of parenting. Adding on the ball of being your child’s educator sometimes just seems out of the question.
Even if you WANTED to try, where should you even start? How do you know you’re doing it right?
Stay calm. Let’s first explore 3 simple but important reasons why parents should be involved in their child’s learning.
There is only so much teachers can do
Believe it or not, as much as teachers are very much professionally qualified to help your kid learn, how a kid retains those learning skills once they step out of the classroom plays a huge role. Moreover, a child’s perception of being around teachers and classmates can never beat the familiarity and trust they feel around their parents. That is why, the more a parent is involved in their learning, the more the kid will be motivated to retain and strengthen the skills learnt in class. This is also why studies show that kids whose parents were more involved in their learning, tended to obtain higher grades in school.
It helps with your child’s confidence
From an extremely young age, humans are wired to feel exceptional pride and joy when we feel like we have impressed our parents. This is so, even for babies — you can tell by the way they giggle and beam at you when they first discover to do something and are being cheered on. It is no wonder then that showing interest and involvement in what your child is learning and achieving helps set their foundation for confidence in life. This is essential as the positive feelings will help them feel enthusiastic about learning, and willing to challenge themselves to acquire higher levels of skills. It is thus important to understand what it is they’re learning, where they are in their learning journey, and practise activities with them where they can flex their little skills on you.
Parents can gain tremendous confidence in their parenting skills
It is only human nature for parents to doubt their parenting skills and be haunted by the nagging anxiety of whether they are doing something right. All parents want their kids to grow to be robust learners in schools and to have a bright future, but not all parents are sure that they have placed their kids in the so called “best schools” or understand where their child is at in their learning journey. Taking matters into your own hands and creating even more learning opportunities for your child yourself, is thus an effective way to feel confident that you are truly doing the best for your child’s learning.
Previously, we mentioned how it’s always easier said than done to be involved in your child’s learning. Parents might not know where to start, nor how to do it without having to spend hours and hours reading textbooks on early childhood education.
Times are hard and it’s never easy being a parent, so take things one step at a time and know that you’re doing good!
Meanwhile, stay safe, and happy playing!