Boyle McCauley News

Since 1979 • April-May 2024 • Circulation 5000

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Children Learn by Watching and Doing

Recently, I was looking through some old photos and realized something very important for parents to know. Our children learn by watching what we do. We might say: “Do what I say, not what I do.” However, they watch and learn from what we actually do.

The photos here are of my eldest daughter who was about 14 months old when her sister was born. So while I was busy with the new baby, she spent a lot of time with her father, “helping” him do whatever he was doing. The serious look on her face tells the story – she was trying hard to be a good kid by doing what he was doing, and he let her “help.” She is around 18 months old in these pictures. As parents, we need to be aware of the example we set, and encourage the kids to “help” in a positive way, even though they cannot do much at this young age.

Mopping the floor, watering the lawn, fixing the car, painting the fence, and shovelling dirt in the garden. She is a hard working adult today, and I believe it’s because she was encouraged to “help” at this very young age. I find these photos amazing.

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