What did you learn from your parents?

I am always amazed by the amount of influence parents have on their child’s learning.  The more I learn, the more I realize that parents are the biggest influence of all on how well a child learns.

Sure, teachers have a lot to offer, and they help children learn in ways that parents can’t, but their influence is much less than that of the child’s parents.

How do parents influence a child’s learning?  Think for a moment about what you learned from your parents.

Here is a short list of ways your parents helped you get started in the world.  They helped you learn ….

* How to walk

* How to talk

* How to eat

* How to dress

* How to react to relatives and friends

* How to handle strangers

* What to do if you were bullied

* How to tidy up your toys

* How not to hurt the dog

* How to cross the road safely

* How to tie your shoelaces

etc. etc. etc. ….

Once you could do most of the things listed above your parents moved on to helping you …

* Write your name

* Count to 100

* Get ready for school

* Know how to make, and keep, friends

* Tell the truth

* Know whom to trust

* Be responsible for your actions

* Share your things

* Listen to your teacher

* Budget your allowance

* Handle failures

* Celebrate successes

* etc. etc. etc. …..

As you started to move away from their direct influence and into your own world your parents helped you…..

*  Develop your own values

* Understand your culture

* Question how the world is

*  Face the future

* Handle loss

* Find your own way

*  etc. etc. etc. …

This is turning out to be a long list!  There may be things on there that your parents didn’t, or couldn’t, help you learn but even then you can see how your parents have influenced your learning.

Your parents influenced not only WHAT you learned about HOW you learned.  This learning prepared you to take part in the wider world.

As you think about all the ways your parents influenced your learning take a moment to think about how you are influencing your child’s learning.

What are you doing that will help your child become a better learner and reach his or her learning potential?

What are you doing that may be preventing your child from learning?

How can you do more of the first and less of the second?

What difference would this make to your child’s success in school?

What difference would it make to your child’s future?

Arte you ready to learn how you can guide your child in ways that lead to success?  Are you ready to lead your child to learning?