Train up a child…
How Important is a High IQ?
It is wonderful to see so many young parents work so hard at making their children “smart”. There are many really great educational toys on the market that undoubtedly help to improve a child’s reasoning ability. When parents and grandparents meet with other parents and grandparents, the conversation often turns to what the child can do and say. It is often spoken with a sense of pride and just a little touch of “My child is better than your child.”
It is good that parents work with their children. It is great that Baby Einstein materials and other education aids are available, and they really seem to work. However, I must say that in my years of teaching and working with children, I have found nothing more important than the attitude of a child. Over and over I have seen children with less ability out-perform those with more ability. Often, those children with higher IQ’s have not learned good study habits because they catch on so quickly in some areas. Then when it comes to something new or difficult, they find it hard to “buckle down” and do the work. Let’s face it. There is a top percentage of people who are geniuses, a bottom percentage of people who are retarded, and the rest of us fall in between. If a child has the right attitude, he or she will apply self and learn what needs to be learned.
When a person applies for a job as an adult, the employer will most often look for a person who has an attitude of eagerness to learn rather than a person who thinks he or she already knows everything. Most jobs have unique requirements that must be mastered. If the person applying for the job has the right attitude, that person will soon learn those requirements. Working with children when they are small may make it easier for the child in school, but no one really chooses the “know-it-all” for a friend or job.
How many times have I heard a parent say, “I’m afraid he will be bored when he goes to school”? In my opinion, if a child has a good attitude, that child will never be bored. Children should have an attitude of curiosity to continue to learn and to do better and better. The world is a big place! No one ever knows it all. Most teachers have been trained to challenge children to go beyond where they have already achieved. In addition, many textbooks are designed with challenges for those who need them. Parents need to spend time developing an attitude of curiosity, patience, ability to help others, etc. This does not mean we should stop the developing of brain power, but it would be nice if we were just as concerned with attitude.
P.S. Have you told your children that you love them today?