Tag Archives: parenting

A Meaningful Thanksgiving for Children

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

A Meaningful Thanksgiving for Children

Children sometimes get criticism they may not deserve.  Many will say that children simply don’t appreciate what they have.  Perhaps that is not their fault.  Many have not seen examples of thankfulness and have not been encouraged to be thankful.

How can we help children be thankful?  First of all, we need to set the example for them.  Knowing some of the history involved in the beginning of the holiday can also be helpful.  Here is the proclamation of George Washington for Thanksgiving.  It would be good for children who are able to copy this in their own handwriting.

[New York, 3 October 1789]

By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be—That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

It would be well to remind children of the many things people of that time did not have that we have today, yet they were thankful.  They had no vaccines for smallpox, diphtheria, polio, scarlet fever, and tuberculosis yet they were thankful.  They had no computers, plastic, nylon, schools or textbooks such as we have yet they were thankful.

Later, Abraham Lincoln made a similar proclamation that can be found on the Internet.  Let’s make sure our children know the background of giving thanks to God by our nation.

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Note:  Tuesday, November 24, I will be telling the story of Squanto for the morning devotional from First Baptist Church in Kimberling City.  You can go to You Tube and type in Pat Lamb devotional and get it.  It will be at 9:00 A.M. but will remain available to view later.  Squanto was only 14 years old when he was captured and taken to Europe.  A very good story for children.

Teaching Children to be Thankful

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Teach Children to be Thankful

         Now that Thanksgiving season is here, thoughts turn to the question of how we can help children be truly thankful.  Children are often criticized for being ungrateful for what they have, yet many have not been taught to be appreciative of the many blessings that have come their way.  There are many things that come to them due to no effort on their part and they need to learn to be particularly thankful for such things. 

         It is not easy to teach any concept or internal feeling.  It is much easier to teach a child to read or do a math problem than it is to teach a child to have an internal feeling.  There are some things to keep in mind as we make an effort to help children learn to be thankful and to show that they are thankful.  One way to help a child learn to be appreciative is to always require that child to say thank you when something good comes along.  There are a few things we can do to instill an understanding of what it is like to do without some things children may take for granted.  In addition, as is in the case of teaching many things to children, example of behavior to pattern is a great teaching tool.

         Children need to be taught from an early age to say thank you.  Even toddlers can try to mimic the words if they hear them often enough.  When a toddler hands an object to a parent, the parent should respond by saying thank you.  Toddlers can be heard to make the sound of two syllables even though the words are not truly audible.  They are catching on to the habit of this nicety.  As the child grows older, he/she needs to be constantly required to say the two words whether they are truly meant or not.  This imbeds in the child a feeling of “I owe something to another for what they are doing”.  Children need to write thank you notes when they are able to do so.

         It has been said that “We never miss the water until the well runs dry”.  This seems to be true of all of us.  It is difficult for a child to be thankful when that child has always had something and knows no other way.  Placing a blindfold over a child’s eyes for a few minutes can help the child realize what it might be like to lose eyesight.  Earplugs in ears for a few minutes can have a similar affect in helping a child appreciate hearing.  Having a child use a walker, crutches, or cane causes a child to think what it might be like to be unable to get around as easily as usual.  These things can be done as a game.  Wise parents will point out that many people go through life challenged with inability to see or hear clearly or to get around easily.

During a storm when the electricity goes off, children can experience what it would be like to live without electricity.  Again, parents can step in and point out the fact that electricity has not always been available and how thankful we should be that we now have it.  

         If all adults patterned expressions of thankfulness, it would not be so difficult for children to learn this concept.  Too often we neglect being thankful to others and to our heavenly Father for the many blessings we have.  How sad it is that our Thanksgiving holiday seems to be getting “squeezed out” of our culture when it is one of the most important holidays of all.  We are commanded in the Bible to give thanks to God.  We have a choice to make as to whether we will obey that command and teach our children to do likewise.  Our world would be a much better place if we chose to constantly give thanks.

Seven Words that Could Change the World

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and www.patlambchristianauthor.com.

Train up a child…

Seven Words that could Change the World

         Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone in the world had good manners and an attitude of humility? There are seven words that could create a humble, repentant, and thankful attitude.  They are words that every child should learn to use intuitively.  They are words that would do away with rudeness and self-centeredness.  They are “excuse me,” “I’m sorry,” “please,” and “thank you”.  

         To say “excuse me” and “I’m sorry” in a meaningful way requires an attitude of repentance.  It requires an individual to put the other person’s feelings before one’s own feelings.  It also creates within a child an attitude of caution in the use of words or actions that may be offensive to another.  It requires giving up one’s own desires for the benefit of those in the immediate vicinity.  

         The word “please”, when said in a meaningful way, requires an attitude of humility.  Rather than feeling above a person to demand something for self, an individual must lower self to a position of “if you think I am worthy, I request a favor of you.”  The very act is a demonstration that the person saying the word considers him/herself in a lower position than the person to whom the request is being given. It is a “magic word” that causes the person being addressed to be more apt to give the favor than if it were demanded.

         Obviously, the words “thank you” express appreciation when said in a meaningful way.  As we observe children who are required to say these two words, we often see them pause just a bit before they are spoken.  In this time of pause, a child is forced to realize that something is owed to the person doing the favor.  As the child realizes this fact, he/she also realizes, although perhaps unaware of it, that their enjoyment of the favor is dependant on the other person.  In this respect, humility is fostered in the same way that saying “please” fosters humility. 

         It is so easy to teach children to say these seven words, yet parents often forget to do so.  If all children were taught to say these words, they would grow up with better attitudes and everyone would get along with each other.  People who are humble do not put themselves above others.  People who appreciate what they get are not people who demand more and more of others.  People who appreciate what they have are not constantly trying to get more at the expense of others.  People who are humble do not put others down.

         Using the seven words named are simply a matter of good manners.  We know that the basis of all good manners is kindness and consideration of others.  It is such a simple and easy thing to teach children to use these words and mean them.  Wouldn’t it be nice if parents, teachers, grandparents, and other adults in positions of influence would help to change our world by doing so?  

Can Kids Tell Facts from Opinions?

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…)

Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Train up a child…

Can Kids Tell Facts from Opinions?

         It is too bad that many adults don’t seem to be able to discern facts from opinions.  Learning to do so can begin in childhood.  It is interesting to observe that many times children seem to be more adept than adults in recognizing truth and facts from opinion.  Unfortunately, sometimes they lose this ability as they grow older.  When individuals cannot discern opinion from fact, their picture of society becomes skewed.

         Textbooks in schools often include sections addressing facts vs. fiction and facts vs. opinion.  Often teachers hesitate to use limited time to address this important aspect of learning.  There are things parents and others working with children can do to enhance this ability in children.  Adults need to be alert to opportunities in everyday conversation to draw attention to what is fact and what is opinion.  Wise use of questions can require children to use facts to back up their own opinions.  Discussion of conversations of acquaintances and news programs can draw attention to the need of careful scrutiny of information presented.

         It is easy to glibly go about our activities and not pay attention to what children are saying.  We mistakenly think “they will grow out of it” when we actually do listen and hear things that are not accurate.  We need to be more alert and “jump in” at opportune times to point out the difference in fact and opinion when we hear children talking about something.  General statements need to be broken down and analyzed to help children see truth.  It is easy to say, “That teacher is no good!” Children often say this when they are having a hard time with some work.  In such cases, adults need to require children to be detailed and give facts to support the claim.  Sometimes a child simply needs to be told, “That is your opinion.  Perhaps other children think differently.”  Since the child will probably give only negative information, positive facts should be used to counter what the child says to show both sides.  Children express opinions very often.  Finding an opportunity to work with the child on facts should not be difficult.

         The value of using questions with children cannot be overemphasized.  Questions require thinking.  When opinions are expressed, a good question to use is, “What are the facts you are using to back up your opinion?” Another question to use is, “Where did you get your information?” Still another is “Is the source of your information dependable?” “Can you think of some facts that people may use to form a different opinion?” is yet another good question.  This forces the child to look at the other side.

         School age children should watch some news on TV each day, but it should be screened first.  Parents need to discuss the news with the children to help them see the difference between facts and opinions of the reporters.  In addition, opinions expressed by friends of the family should be discussed and facts presented.

         In my opinion, it is impossible for reporters and others to be completely void of expressing opinion no matter how hard they try.  It is like requiring a person to change his/her basic makeup to expect complete impartiality.  Even though a reporter may not say words to favor a certain point of view, there is still the matter of choice as to what is actually reported.  Body language often speaks louder than the words spoken. Individuals may simply ignore what they do not like and emphasize the news that fits their opinions.  It is so very important that children learn to decide for themselves the difference between facts and opinion.

Helping Children Become Good Citizens

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come: Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…)available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com

Helping Children Become Good Citizens

Teachers in school simply cannot teach children all they need to become good citizens.  Not only do they not have the time to do so, but truthfully, no teacher can remain totally neutral in teaching children.  Eventually, personal opinions will show through in selection of material taught, tone of voice, facial expressions, and many other ways.  It is truly up to parents to teach their children when it comes to matters of patriotism and our country.

How can parents effectively teach citizenship?  First of all, good citizenship must be practiced by the parents.  Parents need to teach their children how our constitution came to be and even how our country was founded.  Finally, parents need to point out the propaganda that would destroy our country.

It is so easy for parents to say the wrong things in front of children.  Learning is often caught rather than taught.  The tone of voice parents use and comments such as “politicians are all crooks” must be guarded.  After all, if parents think government officials are crooks, why should children honor the laws they make?  On the other hand, if parents respect the law, children will be inclined to do so as well.

Unfortunately, it seems that much of our country’s true history is not being taught in many of our schools.  There is much information available in local libraries and the Internet that parents can use to make sure children get accurate information.  It is often difficult to sift out truth from opinion, but the ability to do so will be needed by children throughout their entire lives.  It is easy to get swept up in emotion and overlook facts. School teachers are human.  They can get swept up in emotion as easily as anyone else— often with good intentions.  

Of course, children will make up their own minds as they grow into adulthood.  Parents, however, need to make sure they have facts, set a good example, and help children discern the difference between truth and opinion.  


Helping Children with Math

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com.

Train up a child…

Helping Children with Math Homework

         A common phrase heard by parents is, “I was never any good in math either”.  My husband, a retired math teacher, says that you never hear parents say, “I was never any good in reading either”.  A parent’s attitude is transferred to children easily.  Undoubtedly, this attitude expressed about math influences a child and often causes the child to think that it is alright to be less proficient in math than in reading and “lets them off the hook” when it comes to doing math homework.  One of the best ways to help children with math homework is to have the right attitude about math itself.  In addition, parents need to be involved with the homework and need to provide opportunities for math usage to help children see its importance.

         Math is similar in one way to building a house.  You can’t put the walls up until the foundation is laid.  Often children miss out somewhere along the way in math and that affects the understanding of current assignments.  In such cases, the child simply needs to go back and find where he/she got off track and “fill in the chinks” in that foundation.    

         There are two reasons for learning math.  The first reason is obvious.  It is used in many, many aspects of life.  Adults should never say, “You’ll never use this.” This causes the child to think they don’t have to learn it.  The other reason for learning math is that it is a mental exercise that develops the thinking processes.  When children learn to do math, especially word problems, they are learning to consider all facts and are required to sort out what is needed and set priorities to solve the problem. These same procedures are used in all decision-making in real life. In this respect, all math is useful. It is interesting that at one time math was referred to as the math discipline.  That title is fitting as math truly disciplines the brain.

         Parents often shy away from becoming involved in math homework for fear they will do it wrong.  It is true that some different methods are being used in some schools, but often if the child is asked to explain the methods, the problem will be solved by the child during the explanation.  A good thing to do is to ask the child to tell you what he/she knows about a problem.  This helps the student break down the problem in parts.  It is not a good idea to try to teach children different methods until a child has mastered one method as it will cause confusion.  It is profitable to take the time to study the textbook to see what method is being taught rather than try to teach a child to solve the way we were taught.  

         When children hear parents comparing prices and noting how much money can be saved, they are being helped with math.  When children are restricted from impulse buying and required to compare prices, they are being helped with math.  When coupons are clipped and children are allowed to keep a portion of the savings, they are learning math.  When parents require children to learn multiplication tables, they are doing a very important action to help their children in math.

         In a recent workshop I attended, we were told that an unusual number of students nationwide are finding it necessary to take remedial math when they go to college.  There is a real concern about the low math achievement in this country. We can help not only our children with their math, but in doing so, we are helping our country.  

Helping Children with Writing

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble online; www.patlambchristianauthor.com, or myself.

Train up a child…

Helping Children with Writing

         The three r’s, reading, ‘riting’, and ‘rithmetic’, are still the most important subjects in school because everything else is based on these three things.  There are innumerable complaints that children are not learning these things as they should. Help from parents is definitely needed to make sure that children learn these basics.

         Parents can help their children learn to be good writers in a number of ways.  “Practice makes perfect” certainly applies to writing.  Practice helps with both the mechanical aspects of learning to make the letters and the mental organizing and creating of subject matter.

         Very young children who have toys requiring the use of motor skills in the hands are more apt to learn to print well using sticks and circles to make the letters of the alphabet.  Making dots for children in the shapes of the letters provides a guide to follow.  Cursive writing is not given a great deal of emphasis in today’s educational process since it is not used as much as in the past.  After all, most job applications say, “Please print,” and computers are available for composing letters and stories.  Although it is nice to know cursive writing, limited time in school demands that teachers emphasize subjects that are very practical. At one time, cursive writing was necessary for taking notes in college classes, but now students can record a lecture or download necessary information on their computers.

         When older children are required to write essays, a good way to tell them to organize the essay is the “five finger rule”.  One finger is for the introduction where three points are named.  The next finger is for a new paragraph to talk about the first item named.  The next finger represents the next paragraph to talk about the second thing and the next finger represents another paragraph to talk about the third thing.  The last finger is to summarize the essay by restating what was said in the first paragraph.  This five paragraph essay is taught to GED students to write an essay for passing the GED test. The format works in most cases and can also be used as an outline for making a speech. It is helpful to have a child draw around his/her hand on a piece of paper and label the five fingers for the five paragraphs. 

         Many students have trouble in knowing what to say when they write.  Questions help a child to expand thinking.  Taking the time to discuss a topic with a child helps give ideas.  A background of various experiences is always a big help in providing material for writing.  The Internet is a gold mine of information. 

         Reading, writing, and speaking form what educators call the language triangle.  As a child improves in any one of the three, the other two are also enhanced.  Children need to do a lot of reading and a great deal of writing.  Unfortunately, many inventions are harmful as well as helpful. Since the copy machine was invented, children often just fill in blanks to answer a question. Good writing should be required at home and in all classes at school, not just the communications class.  If a child is allowed to get by with sloppy writing in math, science, social studies, and health classes, the one class in language is not likely to succeed in teaching good writing skills.  Consistency is important. Parents would be wise to see that their children are doing plenty of writing and doing it well.

Why Some Kids “Act Out”

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by Pat Lamb , Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book, Love is… (Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com, and directly from author)

Train up a child…

Why Some Kids “Act Out”

         Little tries the patience of adults more than having a child misbehave by throwing a tantrum or acting in unacceptable ways.  Often, the tendency is to treat the symptom of behavior rather than looking deeper to decide why the child is acting as he/she is and treating the reason for the behavior. There are many reasons a child misbehaves.  One reason children do so is that they simply haven’t been taught acceptable behavior.  Other children have found through experience that their actions get them what they want.  Still other children become frustrated about their present circumstances and act out because they don’t know another way to deal with the situation.

         It seems that some parents think that children will raise themselves.  They neglect teaching their children proper behavior and simply leave them to their own way of thinking about things.  These children are almost like little wild animals that have never been tamed.  They make decisions according to base wants for the moment with little regard for consequences of behavior.  If they feel like running, they run.  If they feel like shouting, they shout.  If they feel like tearing up something, they tear it up.  Actions are determined by feelings at the moment.  In such cases, teachers or others working with these children must teach them how to act along with the “whys” of correct behavior. Often, these children have been left so long that they will never catch up with where they should be in learning proper behavior.  In many cases, the parents themselves don’t know how to act acceptably even if they should decide to teach their children.

         Some children act out because they have experienced in the past that doing so will get them what they want.  These are the children whose parents give in to temper tantrums just to get the child to be quiet.  It is human nature to use tactics that work for our survival. Children learn that this is one tactic that works, so it is repeated.  A common example of this child is the one who throws a tantrum in a store while shopping to get something desired.  The parent, rather than tolerate the embarrassment, will get the item for the child.  The next time the child wants something, that child will throw another temper tantrum.  Parents need to stop giving in to the tantrums to change this child and instead respond only to positive behavior.

         Sometimes children find themselves in situations that they can’t handle. This could be a child who normally acts very nice, but suddenly there may be an outburst.  Children have not yet learned the “niceties” of talk to say no to something beyond their ability. In addition, as a child, they are taught to obey and not say no.  Parents and teachers sometimes “pigeonhole” a child into a situation that is scary or beyond the child’s competence.  In such cases, the child knows nothing better than to become frustrated and “lash out” at those around.  Not all children are of the nature to sit still for long periods of time in school.  Some children are designed to be active children and not the nice and quiet children we may want.  God designs us uniquely and that design does not always fit into the expectations of a parent or teacher. In such cases, parents and teachers need to assure the child that he/she is not expected to do something that the child can’t do. A different assignment may need to be given at the level of ability.

         There is no substitute for time spent with a child to learn what the child is thinking and feeling.  This knowledge helps us understand the child’s behavior and with many prayers for wisdom, parents and teachers can then address that behavior in a loving way.  

Note:  The first rating of my new book, “Love is…”,  ranks it with 4 stars.  It is a compilation of stories that demonstrate Biblical love.  Available along with my other five books at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or www.patlambchristianauthor.com.


Starting Children Back to School “on the Right Foot”

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book: Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com.

Train up a child…

  Start Children Back to School “on the Right Foot”

       Getting off to a bad start in anything is not a good thing, but it is especially important that children get a good start at the beginning of each school year.  The start of the year sets the pattern of behavior for the remainder of the school year and possibility for years to come.  Having a set pattern removes uncertainty and much confusion as children practice firm rules in the home.  As those rules become habits, parents are more at ease and there is less worry on the part of both the parents and the children.

         Before school starts in the fall, parents need to sit down with children and pray with them that they will do their best.  Undue pressure should not be put on any child to make straight “A’s”.  Rather, children should be encouraged to do the best they can do with the abilities God has given them.  II Timothy 2:15 is a good verse to use to impress children to do their best in school. If a child can understand that it is God who is to be pleased more than self, teachers, or parents, studying becomes more important. This gives purpose and the proper attitude toward learning. The prayer instills a sense of seriousness about the importance of behavior and effort.

         Children need routine.  They need the understanding that their behavior is acceptable, and they need to know that their parents are concerned with their well-being.

         A good routine for children each school night might include the following:

  • Homework is done at a certain time and place; then, it is laid out in a special spot so the child will not have to hunt for it the next morning.
  • Anything that is to be taken to school with the homework is placed along with the homework in a designated spot to prevent the scurrying around that often occurs in many homes as children frantically try to get ready to go to school.
  • Clothes to be worn the next day are laid out and ready to be put on.
  • Any chores in the home that the child is to do the next day are 

     explained so that the child is not surprised with added     activities that may interrupt his/her plans.

  • The alarm clock is set.

      When these things are taken care of, one of the parent’s checks in on the child at bedtime to be available to hear questions or comments from the child before hearing the prayers of the younger children.  Older children may want to say prayers in private.

When the listed items are done, the child can go to bed at ease knowing all is ready for the next day.  That child knows that the right thing has been done and will have a sense of accomplishment. Both the children and the parents will rest better knowing that all is organized. 

When children wake up in the morning and their clothes are ready for them, they don’t have the turmoil in their minds to start the day wondering what to wear.  They don’t have to worry about their homework because they know where it is.  After a good breakfast, one or both parents can give each child a big hug and kiss before he/she walks out the door along with a word of advice such as, “Learn all you can learn!” or “No matter what happens today, I will still love you tonight!”  With a final, “I love you!” the child is on the way to a good day at school.

Children Learn in Different Ways

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by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com.

Train up a child…

Children Learn in Different Ways

         Studies show that we tend to raise our children the way we were raised in spite of any training in child-rearing classes we may have received along the way.  Without realizing it, we tend to think that our children will learn the same way we learned without taking into account the differences in inherited traits and personalities.  We can be much more effective in parenting (and grandparenting) if we can understand the differences in the way children learn.

         Some children tend to learn better by hearing information while others learn better by seeing or doing.  Educators classify children as auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learners.  Actually, all children learn in each of these ways, but most are dominant in one or two of the ways.

         Auditory learners learn best by having a story read to them rather than reading it for themselves.  They like to have music going most of the time and would rather have someone tell them what to do than read instructions for themselves.  They are often musically inclined and can learn better when things are set to music. Auditory learners might learn multiplication tables more easily if they are set to music.  In my opinion, many children have not developed listening skills and do not fall into this category.  

         Visual learners learn better with charts and graphs or demonstrations.  They need to see how a word looks to decide if it is spelled right, and they will probably learn their spelling words by writing them over and over rather than just saying them over and over. They will be the individuals who take a lot of notes when they are in high school or college.  They need to be shown how to do things rather than just being told.  Charts for daily chores work well for these children.  They probably won’t just take a person’s word for something.  They will probably want to see for themselves whether something is right.  

         Kinesthetic learners like to use their bodies and do active things.  They are usually the children involved in sports.  They learn best by doing projects. They like doing play-doh projects when they are young.  When they are older, they are the ones who like the social studies and science projects that involve making things.  An example of using a kinesthetic method to teach in school might be to have students stand and turn a certain number of degrees right or left to learn about degrees in a circle.  At home, boys will love to do fix-it projects with dad.  Girls will like cooking or other projects involving action.

         Observance of children will give clues as to how they best learn.  When children constantly doodle and draw pictures, you can know they are the visual learners.  The very active children are usually the kinesthetic learners and it is important to keep them busy with projects.  Quiet children may be the auditory learners as they are listening for sounds in nature or listening to others.  No two children are the same.  Good parents and teachers will learn to observe the differences and capitalize on the way that children learn best.