Parents as Teachers: Every Parent Can Be a Child's First and Best Teacher

In this day of institutions and daycares, it's vital to develop good habits with your child as soon as possible. Most of us understand that the first five or six years of a child's life are the most formative in all ways, and parents have the privilege and responsibility to stimulate and shape the learning experiences more than anyone else. It seems logical, then, that parents be informed and educated in simple ways and methods that will encourage maximum healthy cognitive growth and development in their child. Here are three simple areas that parents can explore, develop, and enjoy with their child.

The first skill for parents is to learn how to observe (listen and watch) your child impartially. We all want the best for our child, but we must also be on the lookout for issues or problems. Unreasonable or uneducated expectations can cloud our observations as well as our child's growth, but encouraging observation benefits both parent and child. The child is aware of the parent's presence, attention, and acceptance even if the parent is not actively interacting with the child's playtime. Parents need to take some time to observe their child keeping in mind the accepted developmental stages which can be retrieved from any pediatrician. Is my child learning, growing, and exploring his or her world? Is my child relating to the world?