A great deal of success depends on Habits of mind not on the academics alone. Explore various Habits of mind. Experience each day living with one habit and see how it impacts you and child.
It takes a little time to learn how to count, but it takes a life time to know what counts.
While we work on child’s academics, do we consciously work on success skills? How do we develop success characteristics in children via day to day experiences. How do I create such opportunities? Explore characteristics like perseverance, sensitivity, responsibility, integrity, open-mindedness etc. Imagine when you get up in the morning you see a map on our mirror – a map of habits of mind. You randomly choose one of those, say perseverance.
Now whatever happens during the day, in your and your child’s life you focus on perseverance.
You voice your thoughts aloud, “I wish I was more perseverant with the bargaining at the shop”
You invite child’s thoughts via questions, “What would happen if Chota Bheam was not so perseverant in fighting with the dragon”.
You throw challenges at the child, “I am going to make you eat this – lets see who is more perseverant – you or I”.
You spot it in child’s behavior, “I saw how perseverant you were when you all friends were discussing whether it was a goal or not”.
You live to explore perseverance for a day. Imagine next day when you wake up, you choose another one from the map of habits of mind.
An this daily diet of exploration is the way you and child together enjoy collecting, playing and creating understanding about each habit of mind that is important to you and your child.