Today I was working with one of my young students helping her prepare for the big K: Kindergarten. It happens every time we are in the magical world of the library. Parents and their children circle around me to see what magic takes place in the hour that I am working. My student stands up to complete some of the assignments, she sits and problem solves through others. Regardless of what we are doing - I notice that these activities always catch the eye of onlookers each and every week.
On this day, I noticed a parent that was working right next to us. She was trying to mimic some of the different techniques that many parents use when working with their child. She was a younger parent and had so much enthusiasm - that her daughter slowly started to drift her attention to us. Her mother was asking questions and explaining things that her daughter (to be quite honest) was just not interested in. As a professional educator, I see how parents struggle, and at times ask them to step aside.
I've worked with many children and have even had the privilege of working with the children of teachers. When I say that parents are good at being parents - I mean just that. For the most part, your child really looks up to you to teach them many important things about life. In my household, my mother emphasized the importance of character and reputation each and everyday. When I asked my mother "why don't you know how to sew", she told me that "there are some things that we grow up not being - a seamstress I am not." When I think of the best parents that I have worked with - the quality that they all share is knowing and identifying when it is time to seek outside help.
Nobody can take the place of the warmth that you provide to your child, or the permanent listening ear that you lend when your child needs someone to talk to. However, there may be a time where your child may need to learn how to read or calculate math facts from someone else. If that does happen, know that you have the signs of a good parent when you exercise parenting intuition.
On this day, I noticed a parent that was working right next to us. She was trying to mimic some of the different techniques that many parents use when working with their child. She was a younger parent and had so much enthusiasm - that her daughter slowly started to drift her attention to us. Her mother was asking questions and explaining things that her daughter (to be quite honest) was just not interested in. As a professional educator, I see how parents struggle, and at times ask them to step aside.
I've worked with many children and have even had the privilege of working with the children of teachers. When I say that parents are good at being parents - I mean just that. For the most part, your child really looks up to you to teach them many important things about life. In my household, my mother emphasized the importance of character and reputation each and everyday. When I asked my mother "why don't you know how to sew", she told me that "there are some things that we grow up not being - a seamstress I am not." When I think of the best parents that I have worked with - the quality that they all share is knowing and identifying when it is time to seek outside help.
Nobody can take the place of the warmth that you provide to your child, or the permanent listening ear that you lend when your child needs someone to talk to. However, there may be a time where your child may need to learn how to read or calculate math facts from someone else. If that does happen, know that you have the signs of a good parent when you exercise parenting intuition.
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