Every child starts developing preferences and displays likeness towards certain activities by the time he or she is in preschool. The child needs encouragement to feel confident and proud of his or her abilities. But how can you be sure of your child’s interests? The trick is to be observant of your child from a young age itself. It is important to remember that every child is unique and will display qualities that may differ from others of his or her age; the child’s interests should be allowed to blossom in an environment that is encouraging and conducive to further growth.
Observing Reactions
Have you ever thought of why each child reacts differently to games, toys, situations, food, activities etc.?While the child may not capable of justifying or expressing his or her interests and choices but a careful observation should help you understand the reasons. The best way to monitor a child is to spend as much time in his company as possible. Be a friend and do not come across as a hostile parent. Discipline without trying to tick them off for small things. Formal education is important and will follow in due course of time but just by being around and observing your child, watching things that excite them, their favorite books, toys and the works; you can begin to understand their preferences.
Children are inquisitive by nature and go to great lengths to satisfy their curiosity. Watch what your child does when free. Do their eyes light up when allowed to play in the company of their friends or do they prefer to stay indoors and immerse themselves in a storybook? Do they like spending time in nature and watching other life forms like caterpillars and butterflies or cringe when interacting with smaller creatures? How do they react to technology – are they comfortable with it or do they require a fair amount of push to be able to use it? Are they keen to be in the kitchen when their favorite dish is being cooked or are they only happy to see it when it has been prepared?
Ask those who matter
A child spends a fair amount of time outside the confines of his or her home and thereby learns from his or her peers and teachers. Staying in touch with his teachers to ask about their behavior, school activities that interest them and their general attitude in class works well too if done on a regular basis. Leaving such discussions for parent-teacher meetings might not be a good idea, instead one should make it a point to speak to the teachers regularly in order to get more understanding into your child’s personality. The company they keep is vital for their growth too and you can get a fair idea of their personalities by interacting with their friends as well.
Action is what matters
At a young age, children can often feel confused and unsure about what they can accomplish. Parents thus need to be aware of this and act as facilitators and providing them guidance and necessary support for honing their perceived abilities. Keeping the child motivated at all times and encouraging them even if they shows signs of faltering as they must learn to overcome challenges as well.
Why Garodia?
At Garodia Education’s Beehive chain of preschools, teachers are specifically trained to comprehend the child’s behaviour and encourage them to participate in activities that interest them. The curriculum focuses on interactive activities that ensure all-round development of the child. At Beehive teachers relate to the child in a manner that brings out the best in them.