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Obviously, natures reason for making us a parent is so that we can guide our children with the greater knowledge and insight that we possess. While computer games can to some extent enhance a child's sense of intuition and discovery, the constant use of a smart phone, while certainly convenient, should not be the only way you try to make your child smarter. Software should be chosen carefully and a wider range of activities should be considered by parents who care deeply about the creative development of their young child.
Consider aesthetic experiences and the creative arts for example. Drawing, painting, sculpture, drama, dance, music, your child should be exposed to a whole range of these disciplines, not just one. Some children will show a natural flair for these topics while others will seem to struggle, but regardless of their ability we need to remember that there is no right and wrong when it comes to creativity. International Schools, such as BKI Preschool in Musashisakai, offer the opportunity to experiment and explore. This is a natural human trait that should be encouraged to develop so that it can further evolve into self esteem and self confidence going into adulthood.
Your child's creative potential is determined by what you do or do not provide for them and also by your reactions to their creative efforts. What you need to do is patiently provide both the time and the creative opportunities that your child needs. While a good preschool will provide this, if your child is not fortunate enough, you need to see to it yourself that these requirements are provided at home.
What we need to get away from here is the temptation to expect conventional "convergent thinking," that is finding the "right answers." Instead we need to embrace "divergent thinking" which is the art of struggling with a problem by tolerating ambiguity. If you watch your young child carefully you may be surprised to see that they are actually much better at doing this than we are!
If we simply leave educators to spoon feed our children with facts and data instead of learning to fully think for themselves via creativity, innovation and problem solving, then who is going to want to employ them? Certainly not the big companies, who by now are demanding creative employees in greater and greater numbers. Indeed, those lucky adults who's parents had the insight to provide such opportunities years ago are now reaping in the benefits.
As a parent it is ultimately your responsibility to foster the creativity of your child. You can do this in various ways but here are 6 suggestions to get you started.
Be active in encouraging and valuing what makes your child different. When they come up with unusual or original ideas be generous in your support of them.
Whenever you are engaged in conversation be mindful of asking open ended questions. This will open up and stretch their thinking in all sorts of imaginative ways. Similarly, activities which invite manipulation and exploration will do the same.
Take your child to an art museum or expose them to creative people such as singers musicians or artists.
Read books on creativity and teach the different strategies for creative thinking that you read about to your child. Make suggestions and ask open-ended questions in relation to what you learn.
Get in the habit of brain storming new ideas as a way of doing things with your child.
Simply give your child the mental time and space needed, by deliberately and purposefully setting it aside as an important requirement to creativity, relaxation and reflective thinking. This is not only important for your child it will do wonders for you too, not to mention your relationship.
With these things done you can expect to see your child grow with increased self esteem and confidence which will then, if done consistently, be magnified in adulthood. While its important for kids to make their own creative products this self esteem and confidence is also reinforced as they begin to appreciate the creativity of others.
All children are unique and as such express themselves in different ways so long as they are given the time, opportunity, resources and encouragement from the important adults in their lives.