Recently, my husband (computer programmer turned math teacher) announces to my son Michael that this summer he is going to teach him math before he goes to preschool in the fall. That’s fine. Then, he says, “I’ll be teaching you the math in addition to what mommy has been teaching you.” Then, he turns to me and asks, “So, what are you teaching him?”
After my initial “Excuse me?!” mental reaction, I’ve been thinking about that question over the last week. What am I teaching my oldest son? These are the top four things that I came up with:
1. I’m teaching him to have his own faith. (For example: Last night, my husband asked Michael what was love. He promptly replied, “God”. He’s getting it!)
2. I’m teaching him to treat people the way that he wants to be treated. (That’s not easy with four year olds, but I see consistent progress.)
3. I’m teaching him to have integrity. (In my opinion that quality is so lacking in today’s society. From an early age, Michael has been encouraged to be honest and to do what he says. Yes, even kids should be expected to keep their word!)
If you read this blog regularly, you’ll know that I’m not a “flashcard” type mom. I much prefer that my son learns from experiences and in fun ways. So, I think that the last main thing that I’m teaching him is to be open to a variety of people and experiences. I do this by exposing him to an assortment of people and events – art, music, theatre, etc. Also, he was practically raised at the library – hence, his love for books. I’m teaching him plenty!
(Just to be on the safe side though, I checked the New York State Pre-K Standards site to make sure that he’s on track academic-wise. Although I take “standards” with a grain of salt, it’s reassuring to see that he’s just fine.)