raise smart kids

These kids constantly amaze me. My 4 year old son has started reading in the last couple of months, and I haven’t done anything to teach him – other than reading to him lots. He has started to read signs on buildings as we drive past them.

This morning my 22 month old daughter was ‘singing’ to herself while eating breakfast. I started listening more closely, and she had all of the patterns and intervals right for ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ (She sang two beats on each note before changing to the next note.) Her rhythm was off, and she had long pauses between some of the notes, but still! She can’t talk much yet, but she can sing. Wow! I’m so proud!

however I am constantly amazed at how smart they are. I know I can’t take credit for their abilities, but I am going to do all that I can to cheer them on and to encourage them to use the abilities God has given them. I also promise to do my best to help them develop these talents to their fullest. I want to teach them to use their minds, to challenge the status quo and to carefully examine the evidence (learn both sides of an arguement)before forming conclusions. I want them to know that sometimes the conventional wisdom (ie those things that most people believe to be true) really is not true, nor is it wise.