My Experiences Teaching My Two Boys

by Diane
(The Colony, Texas, USA)

The best and most challenging part of parenthood has been teaching my two sons.

Also, teaching them has been the most rewarding part of being a parent.

You get the job just by having children, whether you want it or not! You start teaching them the first seconds that they become aware of you.

And continue all your life!

Of course, the first things you teach a child about are character, compassion, limits, and how to function as a member of your family.

The next thing you know, you are trying to teach a child to say their A, B, C's and numbers! I started this early so that we could establish a pattern.

However, that didn't change the one year (around 4th grade, oldest child) that my one son cried each night before homework!

The younger son learned by example and didn't make the same mistakes that the older one did.

The younger one become an expert at manipulating his class teachers and others to do what he wanted. He would sometimes do this purely for his own amusement!

If music was playing during gym class, he would see if he could get them to lower it. If he was doing a worksheet, he would try to get the teacher to tell him the answer when he already knew the answer - it was a game!

We are hoping these social skills pay off later... Needless to say ever trick has been tried on me - and failed!

For example, leaving the back of the paper unfinished and showing the front of the sheet while announcing, "I'm done!" It didn't work!

Also, trying to say it is lost doesn't work. I found it!

Forgetting what the teacher assigned doesn't work since there are phones to call and e-mails to send! After all this stalling has been addressed, you still have to get the kid to concentrate long enough to get the work actually done.

I have had them fall off the chair during homework.

Then there was a nasty incident with a stapler. Did you realize a staple in the hand can leave a scar?

Also, there was the problem with embedded pencil lead, also a noticeable mark!

After all that, we did actually find that through all the fidgeting and complaining, my children had actually learned a good bit!

As a Parent - Never give up and never give in!!!