You definitely want to encourage your child to learn independently and be curious, but it’s important to remember they’re starting from a place of knowing absolutely nothing.
I had some friends who thought it was important to let their (very young) kids have agency and basically make all their own decisions, but they had no framework within which to know what choices to make. Their oldest is doing better now, but went through several years of pretty bad anxiety and tantrums, and I have no doubt their technique contributed to this.
This is just an anecdote, I know, but I think kids need to have their questions answered flat out unless you know they either already know the answer or have the tools prepared to figure it out independently
I tend to think if they’re old enough to ask the question they’re old enough to (attempt to) puzzle out the answer. Obviously there can be too much of a good thing, but I think on average most parents hand-hold too much (the ones that aren’t simply neglectful)
Obviously, yes, they need the tools to figure things out - which is why you teach the tools. Teach method instead of memorization.
Yeah again I agree, but I also think once you have a kid you’ll understand that early on they’re largely going to be asking questions to which they have no hope of figuring out an answer, because they’re just beginning to learn to read and know absolutely nothing about the world. Developing curiosity and investigative methods are part of it too, but genuinely only for what is within their grasp, otherwise it can become confusing and frustrating
You definitely want to encourage your child to learn independently and be curious, but it’s important to remember they’re starting from a place of knowing absolutely nothing.
I had some friends who thought it was important to let their (very young) kids have agency and basically make all their own decisions, but they had no framework within which to know what choices to make. Their oldest is doing better now, but went through several years of pretty bad anxiety and tantrums, and I have no doubt their technique contributed to this.
This is just an anecdote, I know, but I think kids need to have their questions answered flat out unless you know they either already know the answer or have the tools prepared to figure it out independently
I tend to think if they’re old enough to ask the question they’re old enough to (attempt to) puzzle out the answer. Obviously there can be too much of a good thing, but I think on average most parents hand-hold too much (the ones that aren’t simply neglectful)
Obviously, yes, they need the tools to figure things out - which is why you teach the tools. Teach method instead of memorization.
Yeah again I agree, but I also think once you have a kid you’ll understand that early on they’re largely going to be asking questions to which they have no hope of figuring out an answer, because they’re just beginning to learn to read and know absolutely nothing about the world. Developing curiosity and investigative methods are part of it too, but genuinely only for what is within their grasp, otherwise it can become confusing and frustrating