Happy New Year! 2020 was probably one of the weirdest years I’ve ever lived through. Still, I’m a silver lining kind of gal. One thing I liked about 2020 was the way families got more time together. Last year forced us to rediscover the glory of education. How can we ramp up our kids’ natural curiosity to our advantage this coming year?
Educating our children can be stressful at times. Especially this last year when it came to homeschooling and online learning. (For easy FREE homeschool lessons.)
Did I say 2020 was weird? I meant to say downright CRAZY! But self-learning may hold hope for your family.
The Glory of Education
Education is glorious. A true privilege. Our American forefathers exalted and treasured education. It’s not enough to get an education and glorify yourself. The purpose of education is to serve others.
Parents across our nation understand this principle. I guess 2020 proved our willingness to make sacrifices in the name of educating our kiddos.
No, as much as we like to think so, education is not about making money. Sure, we want a stable lifestyle for our children. But education is about being better people, about making a difference in our world. (For our new book on ways to communicate effectively with those you love.)
Natural Curiosity and Learning
The purpose of education is to serve others. To be great learners, we have to be curious. I love the natural curiosity of children.
“I have no special talents, I’m only passionately curious.” ~Albert Einstein
A talented educator and Mommy to two adorable children, Anna Krafve Pierce came on Fireside Talk Radio to talk about the glories of education with me. (Inspire self-learning in your kids with easy DIY curriculum.)
Here’s our definition of curious: Curious—fascinated by all God created and thus, glorifying Him in serving others.
The Clues in Curiosity
Curiosity can be a huge clue to understanding our children’s natural giftedness. We can coach to their strengths, but only if we can figure out what they’re good at. Like all moms, I’ve held my share of dismantled computer parts or cleaned up tons of paint spills. Sign up for our FREE weekly blogs, interviews, and podcasts.
How do we identify our children’s strengths? Anna offers two great clues.
- It’s all about what questions they ask.
- How do they lose track of time?
For instance, we have one grandchild who spends hours happily working at a miniature desk next to mine. Who would have ever guessed a kid could sit still that long? Not me! But she cajoled me into the office one afternoon with tons of questions about my work. Then, asked me if she could have a desk next to mine.
Before I knew it, two more desks appeared on T.V. trays. Yep, our office resembles an elfin colony of tiny workers with staplers and tape dispensers galore. Now the three youngest grands run from the door to their desk to see if our sweet bookkeeper/friend left them treats again. (Shout out to Krista! ❤️)
Their Questions Reveal Their Natural Curiosity
“My son asks questions about how things work,” reports Anna. With naturally curious kids, questions can get exhausting for the parents. Anna and her hubby learned to turn the questions around to spark an interest in reading. They tell their son, “You’re going to have to learn to read first, then you can come back to the question.”
Anna’s daughter asks entirely different questions, mostly around getting together with her loved ones. Mama, what are we doing tomorrow? When will we see Grandee?
“She is coordinating my social life and trying to bring people together,” laughs Anna.
Anna says perceptive mommies will notice their children’s natural strengths and curiosity even when their behaviors may seem annoying. (Click here for our FREE weekly blogs packed with interviews and experts’ wisdom.)
“With toddlers, questions can be so annoying because they’re often so repetitive you start tuning them out,” says Anna. But she suggests giving yourself a week to tune in intentionally. “Start seeing the patterns” and it becomes obvious where their God-given strengths are, according to Anna.
Mess Ups Reveal Strengths, Too
Plus, I think you can kinda watch for the ways kids mess up. Sometimes what you see happening in the flesh can be a clue, even in adults. If only we’d use those natural habits and interests to serve others! When I mess up or others misunderstand me, I like to quote my hilarious son.
“They just don’t get my genius!” ~William Krafve
Still, it’s easy to overlook your child’s genius. Or, for that matter, our own genius. (Speaking of people who educate me, here’s a shout out to Toginet’s Production Manager and Creative Director Roy Bryan.)
Reading Stirs Curiosity
Anna offers one more tip for reinforcing your child’s natural curiosity and love of learning. We can serve our children by reading out loud to them and making it fun.
“Because we read The Chronicles of Narnia out loud. Or Pollyanna or the Brian Jaques’ Red-wall Series, I’m on pins and needles anticipating,” Anna says. “I’m gonna get to live those emotions again, all that nostalgia, on top of in the moment of watching my kids face when I try to do the silly accents of the mice in Redwall.”
Plus, she says she’s noticed a tendency in her son that makes the anticipation all the more sweet.
“Those characters are so honorable and already my son wants to be honorable. I’m so excited about reading that stuff.” If you also love books about creating healthy family communication, please consider The Well: The Art of Drawing Out Authentic Conversations.
When my kiddos were little, we “wasted” many a school day in front of the fire during January and February simply reading out loud. Oh my, how glad I am now that we took the time to read and ponder together!
This time of year is perfect for cozy days spent sharing a good book together. May you spend many happy hours lavished on great literature with those you love.
May we pray together?
Dear Father in heaven, we thank You for quiet moments spent together. Gentle companionship surely is a little taste of heaven on earth. Make us aware of Your presence. Help us cherish moments spent pondering our kids’ questions. Thank You for books. Help us notice our children’s strengths. Prepare our hearts and minds for the unfolding year. Give us wisdom from above. Bless us now because that is Your heart’s desire. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
We LOVE to hear from YOU!
How do you pique your child’s natural curiosity? In what ways did others share valuable wisdom when you were a child? What is your favorite book and why?
Cathy Krafve, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and author of The Well: The Art of Drawing Out Authentic Conversations. We welcome your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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