Eight Things We Love About School

February 21st, 2012

by Katrina Brooke

Ahh, school. To every kid it is an exciting rite of passage and a boring daily grind; both their favorite and most despised place. As a parent, there is a lot to love about school. Below are eight of the things that we think are great about school.

1. Your kids learn social skills. Of course we tell our kids to be nice, to share, and to wait their turn, but these lessons aren’t really learned until they are in a class with a couple of dozen other kids.

2. Your kids make friends. From the first moment of their first day at school, your kids will start forming bonds with other little people that aren’t part of their family and who you might not even know. In addition to providing a fun playmate, these friendships will teach your child things that you just can’t, like how to communicate and relate to peers, and will foster empathy as your child grows.

3. And so do you! The expansion of your kids’ social network can also mean the expansion of yours. You will suddenly have a web of people whose kids are in the same place (literally and developmentally) and who are experiencing the same things as yours. It’s an instant icebreaker!

4. You get to relive it all.  Many of us probably have some pretty great memories of being in school.  When your kids go to school, you’ll begin to remember things that your probably haven’t thought of in decades, like the smell of glue sticks, the slightly fuzzy texture of construction paper, that Friday means pizza day in the cafeteria. These things will come back to you as you see your child making memories of their own.

5. You learn too. When your kids are in school, you have a great opportunity to learn as well. You can pick up tips on discipline, better communication, and how to help your child succeed in school and, therefore, in life. Not to mention all of the new facts and information you will learn (“What do you mean Pluto isn’t a planet? anymore!?”)

6. Sharing your child’s excitement and wonder. One of the best parts of having kids is seeing how excited they get by the things we take for granted, like why leaves change color in the fall or that rain and snow and fog are all water. Once they are in school, you will be flooded with daily doses of “Mom! Dad! Did you know …?!?”

7. Seeing your kids in a new way. As your kids make their way through school, they will discover new passions and talents that you might never have suspected. Perhaps your daughter will stumble on a book about magic tricks in the library and take up a new hobby. Maybe his weekly art class will reveal your son’s aptitude with a paintbrush. The more their horizons are expanded, the more they will find to love in the world and the more you will find to love about them.

8. Your child’s teachers. Every day at school, your kids get to interact with at least one adult who cares deeply about him, and probably far more than one. Teachers work extremely hard to make sure that each child is learning and growing and that his or her individual talents and strengths are nurtured.  Between you and their teachers, they have a team of caring people devoted to them.

Ashley Young  http://www.savvysource.com/parenting

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