When my first born was a toddler, he began asking questions. I’d answer him in full sentences because I never believed in baby talk. The more I’d answer the more he’d ask. I admit it became annoying, he questioned everything. I’m proud of myself for never giving in to his curiosity; it would have been much easier to ignore him. Just as walking and talking is taught at home, a child’s first learning experience also starts at home. So much stems from our primary years.
I teach children now, ones that come from broken homes. These children are troubled yet innocent, confused yet lost and behind in school. Working with these children has helped me understand, every one of them deserves a chance. I have mentored many adults in my life, but mentoring children put my perspective of teaching into a whole other dimension. The one thing that never changed in my teaching was the ability to make them feel comfortable enough that they could tell me and ask me anything. If I don’t know, I can’t help. I tutor not just to cover a topic or pass on information but to make sure these children understand and they get a chance to ask me questions. I let them lead before I coach them. I don’t want to know about their past or who takes care of them. I want to know why they love penguins and why they get mixed up with their B’s and D’s? Why do they think the sky should be red and why do they think they cannot count past 20?
I learned that my patience is a strength I possess. Kindness, a little empathy and some time goes a long way in primary years. Showing a little attentiveness and providing a little praise helps motivate those little minds. I, too, am still learning new things every single day. Their journey is just beginning, it should be a fulfilling one. They shouldn’t be treated differently but rather made to feel important because they matter. They don’t choose their path, it’s the only choice they have. Every child should be entitled to an education. An uneducated individual only knows what little they were taught, that’s all they believe, they are not taught enough to question what they learned. You cannot fault them for their limited knowledge. It may have been their only choice.
I believe what’s most important is to teach our children that they are loved and their well being is the most important aspect of their existence. That includes the foundation for being a good human, teaching respect and the importance of an education before wants and needs, culture and religion. They matter, just like any other living being.
My child, now an adult, still asks questions, but now his questions are about life. We never stop learning. We as parents also need to be respectful, show consideration because we forget, children also learn what they see. They speak what they hear, they mimic what you display. Little brains are not only sponges but pure and innocent, they want to please and part of our purpose in life should be to give back and enlighten their childhood with knowledge. We should allow our children to believe that knowledge is power, richness comes from mastering the foundation of being a good human being and you can only master something if the environment allows you to ask the questions.