Kids See, Kids Do
Many kids hear what you say. Some kids do
what you say. All kids do what you do. This year,
whether it is your child's first year of school or last,
show them you support reading and education.
As parents we all have goals and expectations for our children.
The best way to help our children achieve their educational
goals is to stop telling them what to do and begin showing
them what to do.
 An effective way of helping your children or teens become
great readers is to read yourself. Read in front of them.
Read newspapers, magazines, books, the backs of cereal boxes,
the directions on a cake mix. Read aloud the song lyrics
from your favorite CDs. Read in the bathroom and at the
breakfast table. Read at the beach and keep books on your
nightstand. Take your kids to the library and make sure
they see your pleasure checking out reading materials for
yourself.
When they interrupt your reading with requests and questions,
make them wait until you've finished the page or the chapter
before you respond. And, once and awhile, after a hard day
at work, let them see you turn off your favorite television
program and relieve your stress and exhaustion by reading
an entertaining book, one you just can't put down. More
than words, that one act alone will make them understand
that reading and books are not only a valuable experience,
they are a desirable experience.
Very often a child or teen will participate in an activity
or develop an interest if it gains them attention from the
adults in their lives whom they respect and love. That's
a great deal of power and if we adults are smart we will
use it wisely. Don't just tell kids that school and education
are important, show them:
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When
educational issues are up for a vote in your community,
take your child with you to the polls and let them see
that you care enough about their education to take the
time to vote.
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Make
sure your children's and teens' teachers know who you
are and that you care about the education your child receives.
Support and attend your kids' school activities as much
as your life commitments permit.
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If
you are a single working parent and time considerations
limit your classroom participation, talk to your child's
teacher and investigate other ways which you can support
your child and his or her classroom activities at home.
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Be
curious. In the course of your daily life let your children
see you asking other adults questions, even "dumb" questions.
Ask questions of your dry cleaner and grocer, your doctor
and dentist, your auto mechanic and plumber. Your children
will learn not to be afraid to ask questions. They will
see that they can benefit from asking questions. They
will learn from you that in reality their are no "dumb"
questions.
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Share
your living skills with your kids. Show them how you balance
a checkbook and keep a household budget. Have them read
a recipe when you cook. Read and interpret directions
and manuals when assembling household equipment and when
making household repairs. And when you engage your kids
in these activities, demonstrate how the skills you learned
in school, reading, math, and thinking skills, help you
accomplish a particular activity.
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Whatever
your occupation, take your child to your workplace and
let them know how the knowledge you acquired in school
applies to your line of work. Show them how you use acquired
knowledge on the job. Kids of every age need to see that
what they learn in school does have vast practical applications.
Take
a chance and share your life passions with your children.
Share your feelings of wonder. If you fish, fish with them.
If you knit or sew, spend time teaching them to knit and sew.
Let your kids see you contemplate a summer night's sky and
wonder aloud at its magnificence. Education should be about
discovery, about the joy in learning about one's self and
the world. Some of our children do not find that joy in their
classrooms, but as loving parents we can instill a joy in
learning with our kids at home.
© 2001 Mary Brigid Barrett
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PTA 
