If Your Parents Taught You These Skills Growing Up, You're Probably A Very Smart Adult Now
Kids need to learn these things to exist in the real world as intelligent adults.
Wavebreakmedia | Canva Parents are pressured to ensure their kids grow up in a culture-rich environment. What if I told you that you could teach your kids about fine arts, take them on wild adventures, and greatly increase their odds of academic success all from the comforts of your living room?
According to a study, there are huge benefits to reading to your kids out loud. Reading aloud creates higher intelligence and expanded vocabulary — plus you get to spend time connecting with your kids.
If your parents taught you these skills growing up, you're probably a smart adult now:
1. If you can read, the world is your oyster
Think about that last book you read to your kids. It was loaded with descriptive new words that aren't used in everyday language.
As humans, we automate for efficiency. That means we use the same types of words day-to-day, which limits our kids' ability to expand their vocabulary.
2. Experiences are just as important as extracurriculars
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They're wonderful and necessary, but do you think that a kid with 10 extracurricular activities before the age of three is going to be super far ahead of the kid who sits on his mom's lap in a park somewhere and reads? Nope.
Simple activities like reading have been lost in the mad scramble to provide one experience after another for our kids. Sure, it’s fine to sign your four-year-old up for soccer, but don’t forget to weave in the more traditional parent activities. We can’t keep rolling out big moments if we want our kids to find success and happiness with the smaller things in life.
A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychology explained that parents teach their children that essential experiences are crucial for healthy development. They foster learning through active engagement, build resilience, enhance cognitive skills, and promote a growth mindset.
This ultimately shapes a child's ability to adapt and thrive by providing valuable lessons beyond knowledge acquisition. This approach aligns with theories like Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, which emphasizes the role of social interaction and experience in learning.
3. Put down the iPad
Now that the bulk of the toy market is battery-operated, your son doesn’t have to come up with the choo-choo train sound — his toy does it for him. With tablets plaguing childhoods across the globe, instant gratification is rewarded daily.
Gone are the days when we closed our eyes in the middle of a story and pictured what the author was describing. We have Netflix do it for us.
4. Avoid overscheduling
Is this what good parenting looks like? Which do you think is more beneficial long-term: The ability to sign “I’m thirsty” by six months or having a stellar vocabulary a few months later?
I know, it's super uncomfortable to sit down and read a book. We say we want to slow down and be able to curl up to a good book, but when we have time, it’s impossible! Our bodies freak out with the lack of stress, and we end up finding some minuscule task that "needs" to be done.
But, the truth is, you're setting your kid up if you don't sit down and do it. By booking her Google calendar like she’s a popular CEO you’re grooming her to be unable to entertain herself, use her imagination, and enjoy the present moment.
Parents teaching their children to be in the moment is about fostering mindfulness in young people. Mindfulness involves actively paying attention to the present experience without judgment, allowing them to develop better emotional regulation and a stronger connection to their surroundings.
A 2009 study explained that parents can achieve this by modeling mindful behavior, actively engaging in present-moment activities, and guiding children to notice their thoughts and feelings in the here and now.
5. Use your imagination
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If your kids are older, reintroduce them to reading in a fun way. Make it fun! Pick up The Wild Things book and read it under a bridge, or pick up a book about the invention of ice cream and have a cone under a big tree, or pick up a book about bugs and then try to catch some.
If you want your kids to have expansive imaginations, you need to help them train. Video games and TV shows turn off imagination. (I don’t care what Nick Jr. says. It’s killing your kid's imagination — turn it off.)
6. Slow down and stop rushing
Retrain yourself and teach your kids how to sit and read. The power of reading to your kids is truly endless! So before you rush to check the community calendar for the next round of activities, hit up your local library and let their imaginations take them wherever they wish to go.
Parents teaching their children to slow down fosters self-regulation, which involves managing one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in response to different situations. Self-regulation is crucial for healthy development.
A study published in the Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies explained that parents can achieve this by modeling calm behavior, providing clear expectations, and incorporating mindfulness practices like deep breathing exercises.
These practices allow children to become more aware of their internal states and learn to respond thoughtfully rather than impulsively.
Jessica M. Miller is a relationship, personal development, and motivational coach. She's the author of Back 2 Love and How to Start a Mental Health Private Practice.