As we posted last week on our Facebook Page, “Be the parent your child needs you to be.”
Children hardly ever embrace the concept of learning in the same way that we as adults think of the process. As a parent, this can be very frustrating because our primary role is to teach children skills necessary to become independent individuals. With that said, being an ‘EDUTAINING’ parent is a key strategy for success!
So,what does it mean to use EDUTAINMENT? It means abandoning traditional parenting methods of lectures and criticism, and focusing on making learning fun!
Healthy Competition
One suggestion is to use healthy competition when teaching your child how to build good habits, such as performing chores. For example: instead of criticizing your child for not making his/her bed properly, make it fun by saying something like: “Let’s see who can make their bed look nicer, me or you! If you can make your bed look nicer than mine, then I will play a game of your choice once we are done. But before we compete, let me show you how to make your bed look nice.”
Change the Environment
Another suggestion is to make your child’s environment more fun while they are doing homework. For example: build a fort in the living room, or pitch a tent in the backyard. Use a diffuser with soothing smells and play some stimulating music. Also give them some fun, but healthy snacks while they work.
Make Them the Star
A third suggestion is to help your child learn a new skill while documenting it on video. For example: Teach your child how to bake a cake while recording it on video for your friends and family. Set the camera up on a tripod, and commentate it just like a regular cooking show.
Notice these strategies are about making learning fun. The key is to focus more on how to help your child enjoy the process, which means you need to think like they do. This means being the parent they need you to be!
So, give these recommendations a try this week, and next week be on the lookout for a Parent SKILLZ worksheet where you’ll fill in the blanks to help improve your EDUTAINMENT skills with your child!
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