Biologically, the first seven years of childhood are crucial, as a major part of brain development takes place. Natural play, both indoors and outdoors helps both generations explore the self. It is greatly felt that whatever you teach forever in his life. There is no doubt about your children at a young age will last it. Both parents’ self-awareness helps children. Moreover, there’s no substitute for time spent with your child. So, put the gadgets away and give your child your complete attention. Children are observers and they grow into young adults who replicate your behaviour.
For example, if you teach your children about playing a game of chess or carrom board at a young age, he tends to learn the finer points faster. To help them in their later part, we have online sights to look for how to play chess and learn the various moves that will help him out while playing at the highest level. Likewise, if you teach the names of cricketers or the names of scientist they will quick to learn and remember what the particular scientist did for the human cause etc., will be in his mind forever.
Use story or picture books as a way to teach young kids about both self-awareness and social awareness. For instance, various publishers have several beautiful books like Kali and the Rat Snake or Ismat’s Eid that help children learn to empathise with others and see things from others’ perspectives. Parents can ask their kids questions as they read and engage in discussions. For example, you might ask, “How do you think the character feels in this situation?” or “What would you do in this situation?” Also, use TV programmes this way. In this way, you can fine tune your children to learn and follow the methods in a proper way.
I remember my olden days when English poems were taught in the morning session, I used to pick up the words and learn the poems in the lunch hour. That is how I learned, “Old McDonald had a farm” poem, which I still remember and recite for my grandson, who is in LKG now. It is time to teach children from the regular happenings and that will be remembered in a better way rather than making them bookworm all the time.
By inculcating good habits, we can turn the children go for good moves in life and lead a peaceful living making them realise the realities in life and try to insist them to become God-fearing for a better future.
Use the ‘traffic light’ tool. Help a young child understand that when he’s feeling calm and happy, he’s in the ‘green zone’. When something is making him a little upset, he’s in the ‘orange zone’. And when he’s feeling angry or out of control, he’s moved into the ‘red zone’. Help children identify what kinds of things trigger them or make them angry, and how they can bring themselves back to the green zone. Having these discussions can help children manage their own emotions and find ways to restore their own sense of calm.
Play with them their favourite games and make them get involved rather than making them furious. Allow them to recover from their school chores and come back to the peace of mind to their homework or finish their arts and crafts work by evening.
In a digital world that draws them away from reality, parents need to help their kids be socially intuitive. There lies the real way of teaching the basics and at the same time make them involved in daily affairs.
Engage in conversations with your children, any opportunity you get, but especially if they’re going through a rough patch. Engage in a conversation to help develop their emotional quotient (EQ). However, first, just listen. Make the children self-dependent and help the children self-aware of certain aspects of life. Teach them from a young age and the efforts you put in the early stages will definitely fruits when the child grow up in life and when they attain their teens you can really feel the difference in the best way possible.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
