Let's face it. When it comes to sitting down with our children to get some homework done, most of us want to get it over and done with as soon as possible.
Doing homework, whether it's for traditional school or for homeschooling, is usually not fun, especially when the child is struggling with the subject, and has no interest whatsoever in the content you are trying to push down his throat.
Can you relate? How on earth will you ever get little Johnny to read or write well? Why does little Sue always whine when it comes to doing math? Is this the norm, or could we possibly find a way to motivate them to learn with joy?
Just consider the following scenario: Dad is trying to help little Johnny, who is having trouble with his homework.
Without thinking twice, dad's number one goal will be to finish that homework in a presentable way, and as soon as possible. After all, there's a football game in two hours, and he doesn't want to miss it. He might even take Johnny along IF he does his homework well!
And this is where most of us miss it. The subliminal message of the parents attitude is: Let's get this over and done with as fast as possible, and let's do it good enough to make teacher happy.
Just think about it. What you are really focussing on is the end product of your effort. Have you ever asked yourself what happens in Johnny's heart while he is working with you?
Is he really learning the way he should? Is his attitude right?
If you have been teaching him to do his homework this way, it's probably not.
You are teaching him to produce an end result that will make his efforts look like a learning process. But in reality it is a counterfeit one.
The only way to change this is by focussing on the process of learning rather than the end product itself. We as parents need to ask ourselves what is going on in our child's heart while he is doing his homework.
- Does he understand what he is doing, and how this relates to his life?
- Is he content during the process?
- Is he experiencing success or defeat while he's tackling the subject?
- Are you instilling a healthy habit of diligence and of pursuing excellence in your child?
Maybe he looks happy, but is really only compliant with the requirements imposed on him. Maybe he is rebelling openly against the pressure of having to do something that requires effort on his part.
Both attitudes are wrong , and will lead your child to hate learning and to consider it to be a necessary evil for the rest of his life.
He will be a good employee, who dutifully meets the requirements imposed on him by others, but he will never develop the leadership traits he will need to pursue the goals he will require of himself.
On the other hand, if you focus on the process, it will take both of you much longer to achieve the end result. But, once it's there, it will be genuine and real.
Your child will have developed healthy learning habits, feel self-confident in whatever he endeavors to do, and will eventually come to the point of successfully educating himself to accomplish the tasks God sets before him, and do something noteworthy in his life.
And a child who's heart has been deeply respected during his learning age, will grow into an adult who possesses the character traits that are necessary to impel him or her to be the leader of tomorrow's generation.
Author Info:
You can prepare your child for leadership by instilling in him a love of learning through self-directed learning. Visit http://www.Self-DirectedLearningForSuccess.com for tips and tools for creating and growing in your own learning process, and that of your child. Learn how to teach your children to teach themselves in my FREE e-book: "The Power of Self-Directed Learning", and my FREE e-course: "Seven Steps to Consistently Change Your Life."
From Bettina Langerfeldt, who teaches people how to pursue their God-given gifts and talents by designing their own education with self-directed learning.
© 2008 Freedompioneer
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