Helping Our Children to Learn Self-Control
In a world where instant gratification is more the norm than we dare to believe, are the smallest of children learning lifelong lessons of self-control? Teachers and parents who take the time to help children learn self-control are investing in their child’s future significantly by increasing their intelligence, self-reliance, self-confidence, self-motivation, follow-through, rational thinking and the ability to focus.
Self-control is learned at an early age and progresses as the child develops. It’s necessary to teach these skills through repetition and discovery, not through lectures and punishment. Have boundaries and limits. Skills are not always innate but learned through play.
At Rosewood Academy, what may just look like a table with children at it is a table of children learning to use their imagination as they play with play dough, coloring within the lines of a picture, or completing a puzzle. The child is actually learning how to develop focus, develop planning skills and follow-through (see the project to completion).
Puzzles for instance, are a great tool used to develop problem-solving and planning skills, as well as self-confidence as the child sees the puzzle put together, pieces placed individually on the table and then assembled again by the child/teacher/parent as they work side-by-side to accomplish the end result.
Blocks, Legos, Lincoln logs all are a great tool for self-control. You cannot throw a handful of blocks together to achieve a building, you gradually add to the form of the building, block by block. Baking cookies requires a plan. You cannot just go to the cupboard to find ingredients for cookies, placed beautifully on a tray, ready to eat you have to add flour, sugar, chocolate chips, etc. and mix in a bowl to create the finished product. It takes planning. Actually, you are teaching your child to plan, follow-through and to focus.
Don’t forget the popular board games you played as a kid while electronic games are at the forefront. With board games, you are teaching your child to wait his turn, to complete the game, there’s a process from beginning to end, and you don’t win the game every time. Electronic games let the child control the times he starts over, how to end the game if he’s not winning, and allows him to become addicted at achieving the end result and/or goal of the game let alone have a much-decreased attention span.
Rosewood Academy is helping the child to develop skills in problem solving, strategic thinking, to focus, and concentrate with simple tasks such as taking turns, molding play dough and staying within the lines of a picture. All of these skills are great methods to help in the development of self-control. Together, WE can make a difference in your child’s future.