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Wednesday, April 09, 2008

The Best Way to Teach A Child

The other day, as I was looking for our way to the Hong Kong Museum of History, I noticed that my daughter was looking at it too and was giving us directions already. Not that I didn't like being told by her, I was just surprised that she now knows how to read maps. In fact, she gave us directions going to some of the places we would have to go to. This is her first trip to the city. Not only that, she is able to eat different cuisines, able to adjust to most situations.

How did this happen? The trick really are: 1, to practice what you preach and 2, to let the children try things on their own. Well, for one, she knows that I always plan our trips and we would be able to go out on our own without any guide because of maps which I normally purchase right the very moment we get to our destination. I would show her the map and tell her where and why we should go this way or that. Then she'd be practicing her skill afterwards although we would end up getting lost of course just like we would when I sometimes make mistakes (hehehe).

As for practicing what you preach, when I tell her to eat her vegetables or drink her milk, for instance, I make sure she sees me do those too. We expose her to different things and situations as much as possible so that she learns and appreciates the lessons we give her. When caught in situations where she gets confused, we explain them to her and let her see the difference. One day she came home from school. As she brought her bag down she told me about something that happened that day. With a tone of disgust, she said "Mom you know what? I asked my classmates why they were shouting at each other everytime they would like to talk. They're just one seat apart." "Well, baby, that's their culture. You have to respect them as they are. but do not say they are correct by doing the same thing that they do. Remember you are you because of what you do, think and say. " I guess she understood because she received a deportment award this year.

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