The Greatest Gift We Can Give to Children

There is a meme I have seen before, and you probably have as well. Something to the effect of:

Teach children how to think not what to think

I always click the like/love button when it pops up, but recently, I started to think about this concept on a deeper level, and how that plays into the world we are currently living in.

When we teach children how to think, they know it’s on them to research to find the answers. They can present their findings for review, and then they can genuinely talk about the issue, with facts and citations.

But when we teach children what to think, they spend their entire lives looking to others for answers. They will come to you in the beginning, then to their friends and other relatives, and once they leave home, to anyone they feel might give them an answer that feels best to them.

Sadly, that’s as far as their research will ever go. 

And pretty soon, they will believe every post/video they see on social media, because a friend shared it, so it must be true.

And then they share it…

And their friends share it…

And the next ring of friends shares it…

So it must be true. A bazillion people have shared this meme/video. It must be true, It HAS to be true.

DON’T MAKE ME THINK. THAT’S NOT THIS WORKS!!

Anger and ugliness ensues… at the local Starbucks, in the mini-mall parking lot, at the neighborhood park…

And do you know why?

It’s because deep down, they know they never researched their opinions. They are angry at themselves. They have no real idea if what they believe is true or not. They can’t. They’ve done no research. Other than “I heard from my friend so-and-so…”

And the child in them is really mad, and naturally, a temper tantrum occurs.

We have members of society that can no longer flex their brain muscles, since there really hasn’t been a need.

They have surrounded themselves with like-minded people, never having to challenge any of their beliefs. Never diving deeper that one layer on any social issue. Dismissing any new idea or philosophy as “they just don’t get it…”

Life becomes a “one and done” as far as the information process is concerned.

I really hope you find that as sad as I do…

And I am sure I have been just as guilty of this as anyone else.

But the mind can change. It wants to change.

That child is still within you. Wanting to learn. Waiting to learn. 

So, when your child touts “my mommy says… ” or “my daddy says…”

Do not beam with pride, no matter how much as your ego tells you to.

The real point of pride would be hearing your child say:

“I looked into this, and here is what the evidence shows.”

I know… big words for a five-year old. But be honest… kids truly do say the darnedest things…

And there is no shame in raising a Sheldon, though better social skills are always a plus. 😉 

Encourage them on their search for answers, without prejudice. Kids are truly sponges. They want to learn. They want new adventures. They want to know everything about everything.

And, in the process, I bet you will also learn a thing or two. Even at my age, I am still learning things all the time. Hopefully we all are.

Now we all know there are things we were brought up to believe that just aren’t true. We learned from our parents, from friends, talking heads, celebrities, sports heroes.

As adults, we go to headlines for our talking points… social media, a quick meme… never delving deeper…

This should never be the end of your education, only a starting point.

It should fall under the heading of “Thinks that make you go hmmm…”

It should make you want to research. Find out if this point of view is truly correct. Then find out why it is or is not. Arm yourself with actual facts from verified sources (more than one, and as many as possible… point and counterpoints).

After more research, you are finally ready to share your opinion. One that is truly yours. It may mirror another persons conclusions. But now it has a part of you in it.

And you can defend it. And feel confident.

But don’t forget, information is always subject to change.

Society learns more each day about a variety of topics.

So your opinions will most likely evolve. They need to. You need them you. It’s human nature.

Remember, once upon a time, leaches and bloodletting cured everything (Yeah… that didn’t work out so well…).

We thought the world was flat (Sorry flat earthers, it’s not).

We thought Pluto was a planet, then it wasn’t.

We can only know as much as the current knowledge base has ascertained. 

Always be a student of life. Be hungry for new knowledge. Be welcoming of new ideas.

Be a child again. It’s kinda fun.