This back-to-school time of the year, along with the FAMILY theme of this edition of the magazine, presents a great opportunity to examine the idea of “Family Learning.” It is

the learning that family members experience together, or apart, and bring back to share with each other, over their lifetimes.

Family plays an important role in helping children develop a life-long love of learning, and an understanding that learning is a never-ending process throughout life. A fun, caring, supportive and exploratory environment, whether at home or at school, plays a major role in developing confidence and a life-long love of learning in children.

One of the great pleasures of being a parent, and the owner of a preschool, is to be able to share and explore with, teach to, and learn with children. Reading and writing are just small parts (albeit important ones) of what we will all learn and experience in our lifetimes. Much of our learning does not occur in a formal classroom, but in the classroom of the world where we live. Show a sense of wonder about the things around you, and your children likely will develop a sense of curiosity and desire to learn. Everyday tasks such as grocery shopping (checking to see what items you need, creating a list, finding the items in the store) can make each day its very own adventure.

Recently, my three children and I went fishing together. We spent time looking, talking about, and touching the worms. (My daughters were more intrigued by them than my son was, but he knew a lot about worm anatomy!) We learned how to place worms on the fishhook, and why the fish are attracted to them. We talked about safety near the water’s edge, along with fishing equipment safety and

use. We discovered the places in the stream where the fish seemed to be located, and talked about why that might be. We spent time learning through practice on reeling in the fish and landing them. We looked at, talked about, and touched the fish we caught. This included the kids showing real concern and compassion for the well being of the fish as we placed them back in the water. All of that was in addition to discussing the clouds in the sky (what the clouds looked like to each of us, what clouds are made of, how they move) and the different color and shaped flowers around us. This was a fun family event in which we learned about different species, the habitat around us, the importance of being responsible and safe, and about each other. Each of us had a different perspective on everything we saw and explored that afternoon.

Studies continue to show that being an engaged parent, sharing family meals, creating a loving and supporting environment, and experiencing “family learning” leads children to: greater academic achievement, enhanced vocabulary and reading skills, a sense of family unity and identity, greater emotional contentment and confidence, an optimistic and inquisitive outlook on life, improved manners and social skills, better peer relationships, and overall happiness. All of these should help in developing the four important “C” skills children need in the 21st century: Critical thinking, Collaboration, Creativity, and Communication.

If you aren’t focused on your “family learning” opportunities yet, take this back-to-school” time as an opportunity to start. If you already are actively engaged, use your sense of wonder this season to enhance the upcoming adventures that await your entire family.

Family bonds tighten with shared experience

Michael Petrucelli is the on-site owner of the Goddard School at 8350 Lemont Road in Darien. Goddard School is a nationally recognized educational system of multiple locally owned and operated schools for early childhood and elementary education.

As seen in the September edition of Suburban Life Magazine