| There are lots of wonderful options available to | | | | of teaching lessons in manners, sharing, safety, |
| parents when sending their children to school; | | | | friendship and health. By promoting peace, quiet |
| there are great public schools, public and private | | | | and good behavior they set the stage for calm |
| charter schools, Montessori programs, private | | | | lives that encourage success. |
| religious schools and private niche type schools. | | | | A trip to the grocery store can be a struggle or |
| These schools often have highly qualified teachers | | | | reframed as a field trip for parents to build their |
| gifted in the area of early childhood education. | | | | child's cognitive skills and teach their children about |
| Parents feel that it is of great consequence | | | | good nutrition and tending to the family. Bedtime |
| where they place their young children for | | | | and bath time can be wrought with tears, anger |
| Preschool, Kindergarten and beyond. | | | | and frustration or with some planning an |
| Yet with all of the school choices out there, one | | | | opportunity to connect, wind down, read stories, |
| thing remains consistent, no matter what school | | | | and reaffirm the love and commitment parents |
| parents choose for their kids, they (the parent) | | | | have for their kids. Potty training can teach |
| are the most significant teacher and role model a | | | | children about patience, understanding and trust. |
| child will ever have. | | | | The trick is to shift the family paradigm and seek |
| While most parents take the previous assertion | | | | out those stressful situations to use as teaching |
| for granted, they may wonder or worry about | | | | moments. |
| how exactly to be a teacher and role model. | | | | The early stages of development are tough on |
| They may feel that they aren't prepared or | | | | parents. Consciously making the choice to change |
| qualified to "teach" their children. They want their | | | | perspective and build a harmonious family life sets |
| children to learn good social skills and the | | | | the stage for unstoppable growth and happiness |
| appropriate (or higher) level of reading, writing and | | | | in children. |
| arithmetic for their ages and stages. Parents may | | | | Parents are captivated and excited by their |
| feel that they do not have the parenting aids and | | | | children's thirst for knowledge. |
| parenting tools that they need to have a | | | | Parents should actively and joyfully participate in |
| significant impact. Lack of time and/or lack of | | | | their child's learning. Running, playing, climbing, |
| patience can sometimes stymie their attempts at | | | | drawing, writing poetry, reading stories, folding |
| instruction, but this shouldn't be the case. Children | | | | laundry and going to the grocery store are all |
| lose out when parents don't take a front seat in | | | | ways to connect with kids. Parents should |
| their education. | | | | remember the wonderment they felt when they |
| Does teaching mean sitting down daily at the | | | | were little. In addition to subject matter taught at |
| kitchen table and working on reading and writing? | | | | school, children need to learn life lessons and |
| It can, there are wonderful books available to | | | | lessons in values and character. Through both |
| parents who want to teach the basics, but | | | | word and deed parents make the biggest |
| parents can also take a more imaginative | | | | contribution to their children and to the wonderful |
| approach to learning. Parents have the obligation | | | | people that they are destined to become. |