Parents are Teachers, Too!
by Marion Spase, Special Services
August 29, 2007
The school doors are open and classes have begun. As we settle into the routines of school, I am often asked what we as parents can do to help make learning experiences more positive for our children.
Statistics from The Parent Institute show that from the day our children are born until they graduate from high school, they spend just 15 percent of their waking hours in school. The other 85 percent of their time is spent outside of school—and most of that time is spent at home. This means that as parents we have wonderful opportunities to encourage and influence our children in their quest for knowledge.
Children are naturally curious and love to learn. I think one of the most important things we can do as parents is to read to our children—often. Encouraging children to read may also be the most important thing in insuring their success in school. A trip to the library is a fun and positive way to encourage young children. If children are read to from an early age, they naturally show a growing interest in reading.
With our busy schedules, it is often hard to find a designated time to read each day; however, with a little imagination I think we all could think of some fun and positive ways to get in a few minutes of fun reading each day. Reading in unusual settings—such as at the park, in a tent, or outside under a tree—may add just the element of interest that will spark your child’s imagination and willingness to engage in some fun reading. Mothers can encourage their children to pull up a chair and read to them while cooking dinner and/or allow their children to help with dinner preparations by reading the ingredients from a favorite recipe. Children can assist with grocery shopping by helping prepare the grocery list and then accompanying their parent(s) to the grocery store to check off the items as they are put into the cart. Writing notes to children encourages reading and also allows your child to know how much you care about them and their success in school.
The bottom line is that reading can be fun! We as adults often take it for granted and forget the doors that it opens up for our children.
