Teach Your Kid What You Love
One of the most important and rewarding activities for you, as a parent, is to introduce your kids to topics that YOU find interesting. The subjects don’t need to be part of the school curriculum or even something your kids will eventually study in school, but they need to be something that you feel passionate about. It can be art, music, politics or an object in the house, something that you love.
Example: My friends Jason and Kadie told me the story of how they were beginning to teach their 5-year-old daughter about the stars and constellations. They both spoke to her about why it was important to each of them: For Kadie, the sky inspires her art. For Jason, he used to use the stars as a means to navigate when he sailed.
Instantly, their daughter had a personal interest in learning about something new. That personal investment and relevance made it immediately more interesting. Which is exactly what I do in the classroom. For example, I love surfing. This is a great way for me to teach about the environment, the ocean and geography while it appears to come from a place of pure passion. My students absolutely eat it up.
Take some time to put the books and homework away and show your kid something that has captured your interest, your heart and your enthusiasm. These can be the most important lessons of their lives.
Whatever it is, from soccer to sewing, from photography to fishing, from the NY Mets to musical comedy, don’t keep your passion to yourself. Share what you love with your kid.
January 31st, 2010
