Photo credit: JW
Dr. Maria Montessori believed that children held an immeasurable capacity for learning from the moment of birth. I repeat it: from the moment of birth.
Have you seen this video of a 4 years old boy making fried rice for his brother on a real charcoal stove with hot oil? He has done things we adults assume babies can’t do. I am sure their parents allowed him to join cooking and helping around the house at a very young age to get him to this level. Whether it is by accident or on purpose, this proves any arguments that children lack the motor skills, physical strength to involve themselves in “too complicated tasks for babies” - labeled by the society. 4 years old kid can handle a hot wok?! Adults’ concern on child safety is valid. However, we need to think differently on what our children are capable of.
In our blog on how children learn, I mentioned children have a desire to become like adults as soon as possible, and they are capable of learning ANYTHING if they have a dedicated teacher. You can teach your baby to read from infants. You can teach your toddlers math way before Preschool. You can introduce your Pre-schools kids Periodic table anytime YOU are ready. Watch a video of super smart baby Brielle in Ellen show talking about the Periodic table of elements. With the right method, dedication and most importantly, your love, any kid can be like Brielle. Because every kid is a genius and we should not limit themselves in any way.
When introducing kids to sports, in one or two sessions at the beginning, coaches could tell us to bring them back next time when they are older to have more strength. That was told to us because they want kids old enough to take instructions. I myself believe that it took another level of dedication and passion to get infants or toddlers like love from parents to help kids practicing and mastering any skills, including sports. Starting with your hobby is an easy step. You would spend several hours per day on a hobby, great, your children will be drawn into it too. This provides the child many chances to observe parents and learn to be like their parents. Babies learn from observation.“Why does daddy keep doing this [rock climbing]? It must be fun. I want to do it too.”
When it comes to reading, or general knowledge, it is better to teach a child to read earlier than waiting until they are older because with age, they will grow their own preferences and are more opinionated about things they like or dislike. If you wait until they are 6, reading may not be their cup of tea. It then becomes a conflict of what parents want and what children want. We need to respect that a child is an individual with his own likes and dislikes. So the longer the delay, the harder it is to get babies to follow activities adults would like them to do. On the other hand, the younger the child, the more eager they are to learn what the world has to offer.
In our infant/toddlers programs, besides general knowledge of science, we introduce different practical life activities such as using tongs, pouring water etc. Parents may ask: “Is it for my child? She or he can’t do it yet.” “How can they learn if my infants / toddlers can’t participate?” Children learn through observation, if we keep modelling it, they will watch us very closely. They are eager to try and do it themselves. As Dr. Montessori explained the importance of early learning “between 0-6 years old is a sensitive time that young children can learn a lot.” In our classrooms, parents would demonstrate many activities to young children. When kids have enough muscle strength, they will do it independently. Yes, at first, it will be messy and lots of mistakes made by a child. But remember when we start learning something new, isn’t it the same for us that we mess up too? At Smartizen, we provide the perfect learning environment, respecting our kids deeply with no judgment when they make mistakes.
It takes great amounts of patience and dedication to teach young children new skills. Parents are the best first teachers for their toddlers. We should not box our children in anything short. And if you need a partner in this journey, don't wait any longer not to miss the golden time to teach young babies, we are here to help to unleash the talents in your children.
