Teaching Letters to My Kids: The Regret I Had…
I used to have a FOMO thing or ‘mom pressure’ when it came to teaching academic stuff to my kids.
That includes teaching how to read and count to 10.
I remembered teaching my eldest child.
My eldest son has a cousin his age.
While his cousin went to school at the age of 3 to 4, my husband and I chose not to send our kids to school at such a very young age.
But things got tense when I started to have ‘mom pressure’.
Nobody pressured me, but I felt the pressure myself.
The unnecessary comparison…
It’s comparing my nephew to my son’s academic achievement.
Sometimes I’d hear that my nephew already knows how to write his names.
But looking at my son, no, he’s yet to even hold the crayons properly!
Another time I’d hear that my nephew could already read simple words.
But my son, no, he’s yet to even recognize the letters.
I became upset with myself and my son.
Well, we were the ones who decided not to send him to school. So I’m the one who must teach him those things.
When the dark moment started…
I began to drill my son.
I expected him to understand what I teach him in just less than an hour.
I expected him to get the concept of the letters and read the words in just less than a week.
Of course, that’s so unreasonable.
My son couldn’t keep up with me…
This led to my frustration…
Sometimes I raged in anger.
Sometimes I’m so upset that I let it out to my son.
Looking back, I wish I can turn back the time…😞😭
I pity my son…
And I pity myself for having the ‘mom pressure’ that should’ve never been.
But I think that’s what most first-time mom feels. The ‘mom pressure’ is real.
That was one of the darkest moments for me as a mom.
And I don’t wish any other of my kids or any kids in the world to experience the same thing.
Light at the end of the tunnel…
Fast forward, I met with an ex-kindergarten teacher who educate us parents about understanding early childhood education.
About what’s more important than that ABC or counting 123.
About how to weave learning into play but at the same time turn off our expectations.
Since then I became calmer.
I’m more focused on finding how to make learning fun.
And I also learn about giving grace to both me and my son and my other kids.
If they can’t grasp the concept at the moment, it’s fine. Let’s pause the topic and pick it up back the next week…
Well, phew!
That’s a long introduction to how I teach letters to my kids!
Next post, I’ll share simple ways of how I teach the letters.
Stay tuned!
