Big heart, little mind

They say it takes a big heart to shape a little mind. This in essence is what it takes to mold our children as early education begins at home.

I remember the stories of my grandfathers and how schooling, during the Japanese war, was not just a challenge but also an impossibility. Fortunately for them, they had invested parents who were wise enough to teach them life skills that led to their eventual success.

Having had the chance to work on early childhood education, I learned that the very simple basic things we teach our little ones have such an impact on the life skills that they take with them as they get older.

I was once a housewife too.  In those days, I carried over all that I’ve learned from my own mother who devoted her life to her three little bears while our father made a living. This was something I cherished especially when I had my own children.

My mother always taught us the importance of values such as compassion, creativity, humor, kindness, meaningful work, service and yes, even fun.

From the looks of things, early childhood education is going to (also) play a very important role at the time of COVID-19 where parents are faced with the “extra job” of having to participate in the learning process of their own children who in turn, are also suffering the same feelings of uncertainty and confusion in their own little way. Early childhood education aims at the holistic development of a child’s emotional, social, cognitive and physical skills that are necessary in building a solid foundation for lifelong learning.

While so many online apps are available to pass the time, I hope that parents use the same available technology to invest in their children’s education. After all, investing in good quality education doesn’t lose its value over time.