We’re always looking for ways to help our children learn, explore nature, and play more fairly, and experience life more independently. It’s the goal for any parent–for their child to be self-reliant. You want to know that whatever happens they will be okay. That’s why many parents are finding it so useful to focus on making education, experience, and learning a core part of life. Whether you’re homeschooling or supporting lifelong learning with your child, there’s no shortage of opportunities.
Teaching your children the basics of life sets them up for a good experience in this world. It’s pivotal to share your knowledge with them and to teach them by leading by example. Your children pick up a lot more than you know. Below are some ways that you can encourage lifelong learning and enhance the process of growth in their lives.
Problems Invite Learning
Problem-solving is a skill that many people somehow miss on their journey or growth. It is extremely important that children learn how to go through the steps of solving a problem without getting too stressed or anxious. You can create problems for them to solve and provide the calm of knowing you are in place to make sure everything is okay. This will teach them to be calm when they are faced with a particular problem. Let’s say that you discover an electrical outlet isn’t working or a light bulb is out. How can you transform this into a “teaching moment”? Using moments like these to teach your child the importance of solving problems, relying on a process, modeling, asking an expert for help, and staying safe while you do it will make the child more independent and self-reliant.
Follow a simple set of practices such as:
- Troubleshooting- Test an appliance by plugging it into a different wall outlet. Plug a different appliance, such as a toaster or lamp, into the same outlet. Press the reset button. Turn off and on electronics.Try connecting the appliance to a different wall. This specific set of activities can help your child with problem-solving, safety, and in-process learning. They will learn more easily than you might think.
- Test the Source- You’ve got an electrical breaker in your house, such as a service panel or fuse box. It might be in the basement, hallway, or garage. If it looks like everything is alright with the appliance of the electronic item, you can flip each breaker one at a time to test the breaker. Be sure to snap all of them back into place when you are done.
- Inspect the Problem- If you have determined that the outlet is the problem, you can inspect it. Don’t touch, but tell them to look and smell. Do you notice marks on the outlet? Do you hear buzzing or sizzling? Do you feel excessive heat if you hold your hand near the outlet? You have insight and information to explain the situation to an expert.
- Contact an expert- When all else fails, you should be clear on when to ask for help. In this case, it could be asking an expert for their expertise. It’s time to contact an expert. If you are not trained in electrical repair, do not do anything except find a licensed electrician to hire. Do a quick online search for an electrician near me. You’ll find a professional who is trained to fix the situation and determine what the problem was to begin with.
- Review the steps- Finally, you should take a moment to deepen learning. Repeat the steps, review them out loud, and show your children what this process looks like. Go over the process carefully with your child. Review the steps to determine the problem, define the source, stay calm, ask for help, and resolve the issue in a good amount of time without stress.
The Power Of Active Learning
Look at the power of why this works to ignite active learning.
Problem-Solving
You’ve reinforced learning by taking a problem-solving approach to the situation. Yes, it can be annoying to encounter an electrical outlet that isn’t working. Yet, by approaching it systematically, you are modeling independence and teaching self-reliance to your child. These are incredibly important lessons to learn.
Tip: Build problem-solving activities around other household issues such as doing the dishes, sorting recyclables, or raking leaves.
Process Sequence
As you approached the problem of the electrical outlet, you did it with a specific sequence. This is something to repeat in other activities, from washing hands to preparing to go outside, to get ready for sleep. Having a set number of steps for a given process encourages children to think ahead, approach activities in sequence, and build self-confidence.
Tip: Ask other parents and your child’s teachers their favorite process sequences. A simple sequence helps toddlers and young children increase confidence in life skills.
Modeling
Children may not have encountered all the things that we have as adults. They are relying on adults for guidance through modeling behavior. By modeling a clear-headed approach, they are seeing the path for objective and safe responses to life’s unexpected annoyances.
Tip: Little ones are listening and watching you closely. Are you smiling at ease? Are you calm? What is your aura? What words have you said? You should behave like you want your child to behave.
Asking Experts
In much of life, we rely on experts to do dangerous or hazardous jobs. Electricity can be extremely hazardous, which is why it’s helpful for children to understand the importance of asking for someone’s help when all else has failed and they truly need it.
Tip: Asking for help is a sign of smart wisdom. It is not a sign of weakness. After problem-solving to no avail, instruct your children when the right time to ask for help is. Hint: it isn’t right away.
Staying Safe
While many homeowners like to do projects themselves, the top priority is to show them how to stay safe. The basics are important here. Don’t stick a fork into the outlet. Don’t run with scissors. Discipline with tools and weapons is pivotal. As a homeowner or renter and parent, you know the ultimate priority is safety. By showing your child specific steps, modeling problem solving, and asking for help when necessary, you’ll not only solve the electrical outlet issue, but you’ll also build safe habits.
Tip: Identify areas in your home and garden that could be safer and take steps to make them that way with your child around to understand why.
Wrapping It Up
Inspire learning and engagement with your children by transforming daily events into teaching opportunities. Use this approach to help boost confidence, safety awareness, and self-reliance. The more you instruct your kids to problem-solve safely while asking for help when they need it and using a process to determine the issue, the more you will be raising a self-reliant adult who won’t need your instruction anymore. It is important to start teaching them these things young. They become ingrained into who they are.