Children are the most precious gift in a family. As parents, our duty extends beyond nurturing and raising them; it also involves educating them well to become intelligent, virtuous, morally upright, and beneficial individuals in society.
Some have planned their children's education for the long term—starting from saving, educational insurance, and even educational loans. Parents are always prepared to do anything for their children's education.
Besides formal education at school, parents also play a crucial role in educating their children at home. This is much more effective when we begin educating the little ones early, especially during their golden age.
The period of a child under 5 years old is a golden time for growth and development. Research has proven that 50 percent of a child's intelligence is formed within the first 4 years.
Therefore, when a child is under 6 years old, there are several characteristics we should recognize. Understanding these traits helps us provide the right stimulation for optimal brain development in these young ones.
Here are the characteristics of children during their golden period:
Children have a great curiosity about things or objects around them. Anything they touch, see, or hear becomes information absorbed by their young minds.
They also love to wander and explore anything within their reach. All of this is part of their learning process. We should pay more attention to household items that are safe for children to play with.
Each child in their golden age sees things only from their own perspective. Sometimes, they might not care about what parents or other family members say, especially when they're focused on something.
In essence, as long as their desires are met, they will be fine. However, if we interfere or prohibit their actions, the little ones might throw tantrums or cry intensely.
During this golden period, children's imagination levels develop remarkably. They turn everything they hold into their own toys.
To encourage their imagination, we can stimulate them through storytelling of folk tales, engaging in pretend battles, or other activities that trigger their creativity.
Young children are social creatures who easily become familiar or feel close to someone, even if they've just met. Especially if we encourage them to attend events and meet many people.
Each child is endowed with different talents, learning styles, and interests as part of their unique personality. This uniqueness comes from genetics and environmental influences.
Parents play a significant role in a child's education. This cannot be done haphazardly and should be tailored based on their age. Let's outline some tips for educating children during their golden age:
It's important to know that a child's golden period will greatly influence and determine their subsequent development. By providing the right stimulation, a child can develop confidence, independence, good social skills, expand their ideas, have great curiosity, show eagerness to learn new things, and quickly adapt.
Stimulation provided by parents is more quickly absorbed by children during their golden years through play. Playing is a fun activity loved by children. When playing, a child's mood is happy, their brain is calm, allowing them to absorb more.
It's crucial to apply child-rearing tips with love and care. Avoid directing the child with harsh words. If scolded or subjected to violence, the child will become frightened. This will have long-term negative impacts on their brain development and psychology.
The time when a child starts to speak is an endearing phase. The child will socialize with parents, peers, or their environment. With this newfound ability, the child might tell everything to us. This is when we should become good listeners for the child.
During the golden age, children usually imitate what those closest to them do. Therefore, we should set a good example for the child. Avoid showing negative behavior such as using harsh words, arguing, and so on. The child's memory will retain these negative traits even until adulthood.
Children depend on their parents in everything. Our task is to provide comfort for the child. Besides that, we also have to be able to be a friend to the child. Eventually, the child will feel comfortable and secure when with us. If the child opens up, you will know everything they think about, what makes them happy or sad, so that we can provide attention quickly and accurately.
When children are young, they may do things that make their parents upset. Parents will forbid their child from doing something using the word 'don't.' When forbidding the child, try to replace the word 'don't' with a softer sentence that provides comfort to the child. For instance, replace 'don't fight over toys' with 'take turns with the toys, okay?' and so on.
Exciting, isn’t it? There's a lot of new information about educating children that we didn't know before. Are there any other tips for educating children in their golden years that we haven't mentioned? Share your thoughts below this article.
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