When to start Child Education? Do Early Moments really matter?
“The period of infancy is undoubtedly the richest. It should be utilized by education in every possible and conceivable way. The waste of this period of life can never be compensated. Instead of ignoring the early years, it is our duty to cultivate them with the utmost care”- Carrel
The value of Education, is widely accepted and talked about. It is often regarded as the solution to the big problems of Violence, Wars and Terrorism. However, we forget that education has been as old as the civilization. Yet these issues are born, flourished and spread in every age. Hence , one asks does education really matter? The answer is Yes, but perhaps the correct education at the correct time and in a correct manner is what is missed out. All the hidden possibilities of ‘change’ in any society rests in our children. Hence, education must start from birth. There are many theories now which talk about the first three years being very crucial for a child’s growth. Too much information and products flooding the market has left parents confused and messed up. Along have risen parallel doubts about how to educate the new born? How to begin the education for the little one who can’t talk or move or understand what we say.
During the early years, education should mean an aid to unfold the inherent power of the child that is to Absorb and learn. Child is a Being, in process to attain its completion or perfection. The child’s brain is a power house of enormous constructive energy which only increases with its physical growth. Against the orthodox belief of a child being born as “imperfect” or “raw” who needs to be “trained” or “corrected”, research has proved that she/he is a storehouse of dynamism and positivity. This body and brain are waiting for the completion of some connections (myelination) to strengthen, resulting in better coordination of the movements and reflexes. If supported and provided the correct surrounding, an infant is capable of grasping everything given to its sense organs. Hence the correct education is not preparing him/her for school, it is preparing him/her for the bigger journey and process called life. Therefore, before you start teaching the alphabets, teach its brain how to concentrate and focus.
A perfect example of this can be seen if you move a baby born in a Chinese house to an English family in London, the child will grow up to speak English and not Mandarin. Even when a new born cannot speak or understand, it is ready to absorb what it hears around and learns the same. Learning a new language is highly regarded in the adult world, but a child learns the parent’s language on its own. Hence the brain is capable of processing the information it receives right from the time it comes in this world. In fact, installed in every child is a teacher who is so alert and objective all the time that the learning never stops and there is no plagiarism. Hence every child’s learning is different from other resulting in every child being unique. The role of the parent is to indulge with the child as much as possible, right from the birth. Buying toys in huge quantity is not needed, buying a few correct toys which are age appropriate and are able to challenge the child, involve him/her and bring in lessons of physical and mental development are needed.
Answers to questions like- why my baby faces difficulty in reading? Why my baby is unable to write? Why does my baby not differentiate between d and b? Which hand to be used for writing? Why is my baby not able to hold the pen properly? rest in the early years. We often rush the child in preparation of getting into the school but we miss out that a child who performs the house chores or does his/her own toy cleanup is more independent and confident than the one who knows all the numbers and alphabets.
These days it’s not wrong to say that education is not about subjects, it’s more of a wholistic growth of the children. They should be raised with awareness of surroundings as well as bigger global issues. They should have the patience and will to read, explore different languages and cultures, understand and accommodate different world cuisines, music, art and dance forms. They should be able to respect the differences and be able to give in harmony with all around. Sports should be played for its correct learnings like discipline, teamwork, acceptance of both success and failure, correct eating habits and obedience. All these seeds are sown in the early years. It is in these early years, that the language grasping happens. Also, the child recognizes its family, home, surrounding and routine. He/she absorbs and adapts to all that it goes through and encounter much before it starts speaking or walking. The psychic power of the brain is enabling the child to imbibe the exterior experiences along with the simultaneous inner formation happening which will construct its intellect, emotional wellbeing, power to reason, analyze and perceive the bigger ideas of life like Love, philosophy, religion, Nationality etc. The teacher in the child is capable of doing all this at an age when adult minds find it difficult to educate it.
Making the most of the early moments makes the difference in the child’s development visible in later years. Hence, read to your babies, talk to them, pronounce the terms to them loud and clear, provide them infinite exposure of every possible aspect of human life. Stimulate their senses and brain to absorb and process as much information as possible. Your child’s ability will always surprise you!
By: Kanika Sahil Pabby
The value of Education, is widely accepted and talked about. It is often regarded as the solution to the big problems of Violence, Wars and Terrorism. However, we forget that education has been as old as the civilization. Yet these issues are born, flourished and spread in every age. Hence , one asks does education really matter? The answer is Yes, but perhaps the correct education at the correct time and in a correct manner is what is missed out. All the hidden possibilities of ‘change’ in any society rests in our children. Hence, education must start from birth. There are many theories now which talk about the first three years being very crucial for a child’s growth. Too much information and products flooding the market has left parents confused and messed up. Along have risen parallel doubts about how to educate the new born? How to begin the education for the little one who can’t talk or move or understand what we say.
During the early years, education should mean an aid to unfold the inherent power of the child that is to Absorb and learn. Child is a Being, in process to attain its completion or perfection. The child’s brain is a power house of enormous constructive energy which only increases with its physical growth. Against the orthodox belief of a child being born as “imperfect” or “raw” who needs to be “trained” or “corrected”, research has proved that she/he is a storehouse of dynamism and positivity. This body and brain are waiting for the completion of some connections (myelination) to strengthen, resulting in better coordination of the movements and reflexes. If supported and provided the correct surrounding, an infant is capable of grasping everything given to its sense organs. Hence the correct education is not preparing him/her for school, it is preparing him/her for the bigger journey and process called life. Therefore, before you start teaching the alphabets, teach its brain how to concentrate and focus.
A perfect example of this can be seen if you move a baby born in a Chinese house to an English family in London, the child will grow up to speak English and not Mandarin. Even when a new born cannot speak or understand, it is ready to absorb what it hears around and learns the same. Learning a new language is highly regarded in the adult world, but a child learns the parent’s language on its own. Hence the brain is capable of processing the information it receives right from the time it comes in this world. In fact, installed in every child is a teacher who is so alert and objective all the time that the learning never stops and there is no plagiarism. Hence every child’s learning is different from other resulting in every child being unique. The role of the parent is to indulge with the child as much as possible, right from the birth. Buying toys in huge quantity is not needed, buying a few correct toys which are age appropriate and are able to challenge the child, involve him/her and bring in lessons of physical and mental development are needed.
Answers to questions like- why my baby faces difficulty in reading? Why my baby is unable to write? Why does my baby not differentiate between d and b? Which hand to be used for writing? Why is my baby not able to hold the pen properly? rest in the early years. We often rush the child in preparation of getting into the school but we miss out that a child who performs the house chores or does his/her own toy cleanup is more independent and confident than the one who knows all the numbers and alphabets.
These days it’s not wrong to say that education is not about subjects, it’s more of a wholistic growth of the children. They should be raised with awareness of surroundings as well as bigger global issues. They should have the patience and will to read, explore different languages and cultures, understand and accommodate different world cuisines, music, art and dance forms. They should be able to respect the differences and be able to give in harmony with all around. Sports should be played for its correct learnings like discipline, teamwork, acceptance of both success and failure, correct eating habits and obedience. All these seeds are sown in the early years. It is in these early years, that the language grasping happens. Also, the child recognizes its family, home, surrounding and routine. He/she absorbs and adapts to all that it goes through and encounter much before it starts speaking or walking. The psychic power of the brain is enabling the child to imbibe the exterior experiences along with the simultaneous inner formation happening which will construct its intellect, emotional wellbeing, power to reason, analyze and perceive the bigger ideas of life like Love, philosophy, religion, Nationality etc. The teacher in the child is capable of doing all this at an age when adult minds find it difficult to educate it.
Making the most of the early moments makes the difference in the child’s development visible in later years. Hence, read to your babies, talk to them, pronounce the terms to them loud and clear, provide them infinite exposure of every possible aspect of human life. Stimulate their senses and brain to absorb and process as much information as possible. Your child’s ability will always surprise you!
By: Kanika Sahil Pabby
