The present that was a teaching opportunity

Robot Art

Christmas was wonderful this year and it seems that  for the first time since the kids were born, I don’t feel like they were overwhelmed with presents.  They seem to have gotten just the right amount.

Both my boys got shortie wetsuits for the pool because they love the water but the Y gets really cold in the winter. It is well worth the $30. I just wish they made adult ones that were as inexpensive. My older son already had one that he out grew and I didn’t realize how much the younger one coveted his brother’s wetsuit until he got one of his own.  My little 2 year old spent nearly the whole day in his wetsuit until I finally coaxed it off him before his afternoon nap.

My husband gave me a bunch of socks and stuffed my stocking with them. I love practical gifts and he was especially glad the pun was not lost on me.  The best present of the bunch though is the robot that my 5 year old built for me.  My son loves building stuff and my husband is a wonderful teacher. They often go down the basement into the workshop and come out with various toys made out of scrap wood. In fact, they were both laughing at that new toy that’s out right now that “cuts like real wood” “nails like real wood” I’m sure you’ve seen the commercials. How about you just use real wood?

Anyway, in the days leading up to Christmas, we had the most fun. I was banned from the basement and I had no idea what they were building down there but I could hear all kinds of clanking noises.  The robot  was my son’s original design and he laid out the pieces exactly as you see them.  In addition to being impressed at the workmanship, I joked that I could sell him at the scrapyard for at least $10.  Yes, this gift will retain it’s value indefinitely.

LEARNING

Of the things that make me the most proud  is there are a million ways to foster the thirst for knowledge and learning in our young ones. I’m confident that one day my kids won’t be afraid to pick up a hammer and build something even if they don’t know exactly how.  I want them to have the confidence to know that they can figure anything out, even if it requires a little trial and error. The most handy people I know have had mentors in their father or grandfather tinkering in some basement or garage somewhere.  I hope that this past time continues with my own children and so far, so good.

My kids also love to help with cooking and baking and although they make an absolute mess, I hope that I never stop hearing the plea of  “I want to help!”   I also hope that I never am too busy to allow for a little extra time to take advantage of a learning experience.

I don’t think I’ve ever met a kid that doesn’t want to be involved in adult activities from a very early age. They want to feel like they can do things on their own and it’s our job to make sure that the thirst for learning does not get extinguished by our cries of “you’re making a mess”, “you’re too young”, or “I don’t have time for your help right now.”  Hopefully, my kids will eventually start making dinner without my help, so it’s worth my investment now.  I also don’t want to raise a couple of mama’s boys, so that’s one of my ulterior motives.  I wonder at what age I can start making them do laundry. Now that’s a chore I would love to delegate.

What is your favorite teaching memory with a child?

Tagged as: Fostering Learning