The Dilemma: To Teach Or Not To Teach

Maybe that's the question you've asked yourself

...as you looked into the face of that sweet little toddler or preschooler of yours.

But maybe the thought of teaching your own child (or a child in your care) seems really daunting to you. I get it.

Even as an educator of over 15 years, the thought of working with my own toddler was initially very intimidating to me!

But after finding myself stuck at home recovering from surgery and fearing we would both get bored, I became highly motivated and determined enough... to at least try.

Is He Even Ready?

So, Day 1: I had to figure out if my son was even ready to learn. What a silly question! Aside from any biological or medical challenges, most children are BORN READY to learn!

And truth be told, also like other children, my son had been learning way before I decided to "help" him!

Ages and Stages

In our One Hour of Parent/Caregiver Power Webinar, * a good amount of time is dedicated to helping parents and caregivers understand why their Toddler or Preschooler is "ready" to learn.

And not just why they are ready to learn, but also the types of things they are ready to learn at different ages.

For example, we help them understand why their 1-year-old is probably ready to recognize an "apple" but might not be able to say the word "apple" until age 2.

These types of things are very important to understand because when you're working with your child, you need to know what types of things they are "developmentally" ready for.

So, Ready, Set, Go?

Kinda. Even once I had an idea about what my son should be able to learn, I have to admit that in the beginning there was still a lot of trial and error.

I began by pulling out the old reliable ABC flashcards and seeing if he was ready to start interacting with them.

I simply held them up for him to see and, with excitement and great expression, told him what the letter was and the related picture that went with it.

And was he just as excited and exuberant? No. Did he want to do all 26 cards in one sitting? Not a chance.

Many times he looked at the cards (and me), with his goofy little 18-month-old smile. And that was it.

He just looked at me with his goofy little 18-month-old smile.

Yes, sometimes he would grab for the card, hold it, crunch it and then maybe look at it for about two seconds. Then he was back to the races—he was gone!

And it might be the same way for you in the beginning—and that's ok!

You will be learning too! But let me share one thing that I did that probably made a big difference in the long run and might work for you: I stuck with it.

Figuring Out What Works

Almost every day, I pulled out those ABC flashcards. And because I was learning too, I eventually learned not to grab all 26 at a time, but instead just a couple of the same ones.

I still showed him the letter and the picture, sometimes with the same excitement and exuberance and sometimes just in a regular tone, with love.

And although it took quite a few times, after a while, my son stopped running away and actually started repeating after me!

During those days of pouring out my energy and just getting his goofy little smile in return, he was actually listening and learning!

The Answer is Yes, Teach!

Remember that Shakespearean question from the beginning of this post: To teach or not to teach? The answer is "yes!"

Yes, teach your child! Chances are good that they are READY to learn, and if you stick with it, chances are also good they are ready to learn from YOU!

So get ready, grab your patience, and prepare to spend this very special kind of quality time with your child.

And remember that we will be right there to help you get started—and keep going!

Things To Remember...

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• If your Toddler or Preschooler is developing typically, they are ready to learn!

  
  

• Toddlers and Preschoolers are better able to learn certain things at certain ages

  
  

• If it doesn't work out the first times (or second or third), try, try again!

We try to make this process a little bit easier for you by providing materials and activities to help you better "hit the bull’s-eye" when you’re working with your child! Be sure to visit the Our Services and Learning Materials pages for more information!