Your child’s first teacher — yes, you.

This is a draft of a post I wrote years ago. I’m struggling to get much writing done, so thought I’d get an old draft together and published.

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I have been thinking more about my last rant on children’s books and such things. Of course, I often think about what I’m teaching Doctor Destructo (who is now known as Little Man) and what I want to teach him. I am an educator by nature and education, so I think a lot about educating. And I can be a bit odd, so Hubby tells me, so that might be it, too.

My very own sister made a good point, that these Curious George books are ones I read growing up and have I embraced the irresponsible life style? No, I escape unscathed. However, when chatting with my Dad, I learn that he and Mom had similar misgivings about the books. Thus, I suspect that a fair number of conversations and teaching moments were about logical consequences and being responsible.

All this to say that you have GOT to talk with your child. Yes, yes, every parent who bothers to seek out and read any parenting magazine or website will be told “talk to your child. When you are giving them a bath, talk to them about what you are doing. When you are changing their diaper, tell them what you are doing.”  This is a good starting point, for sure, when you are looking at this little bundle of unfinished neural connections (not my words, got that from someone else) and you have no idea what they are thinking or even if they are thinking (but they probably are, ’cause that is what kids do).

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Yeah, I can have strong opinions….. And now, I know that sometimes, I just want quiet. My quiet. Little Man quiet. All quiet. It’s good to not talk sometimes. Sometimes a few years of experience brings perspective, right?