Everyone in the black community wants to raise intelligent children. This a common thread that runs through all our homes, so we thought it would be great to share our suggestions for raising intelligent black children.
Be Their First Teacher
Sounds like a no brainer to those who understand, but this isn’t a common thought in the black community. We depend too much on the educational system. However, if you really want to set your child apart, then you must get started from 0 to 5 years old teaching them. This is before they attend our educational system.
In addition, if you are the first and main teacher, then they are learning on the weekends and over Summer, Winter, and Spring breaks as well. Giving your children the edge over all the others who are not.
Reading Early and Often
You must teach your children to read as soon as possible. You can help develop the love of reading by reading to them from the time they are born. Constantly reading to them helps them understand what’s on the page and also develops their vocabulary.
We suggest starting by teaching phonics as early as one or two years old, depending on the child. Once they can make out the sounds of the letters, it is much easier to teach them how to combine them. Children who are great readers tend to do better in school and life. It is just the facts, so be sure to give your child this advantage.
However, here is the secret key to teaching reading. You have to be a reader yourself and not just with them.
Your children must grow up with the understanding that men and women in their family read, regularly. It will create an expectation and pattern in their life that will serve them forever.
Embrace Mathematics
You would be surprised how many children come to the first day of kindergarten and don’t know how to do basic math. This baffles me, but it is especially true in the black community. Our children must get a head start on math in order to keep up in this society and thrive. We know STEM is the hot sector around the world, but your children will not have a chance if they don’t get a good start at math as youngsters and nurture this throughout their upbringing.
Incorporate A Foreign Language Early
All children are born geniuses in my opinion. You might think it is difficult to learn a foreign language, but children will suck up three to four of them if you have the foresight to put it in their lives. Their brains are wired to take on more information than we can imagine or tend to give them credit for in the black community. But the facts are clear, children who learn at least one foreign language are more likely to have higher test scores, academic performance and attend better colleges.
My suggestions for languages would be Swahili, Spanish/Portuguese or even Mandarin.
You want to give then a language that will connect them with their culture and/or something that will increase their market ability in the world.
Consider A Musical Instrument
Not sure if musical instruments are being pushed in the black community these days, but if you want to raise an intelligent child it is something you should consider.
When my oldest son was 5 years old, the Discovery Channel and Chicago Magazine did interviews on him for child genius segments they were holding. They were AMAZED he didn’t play an instrument because apparently children with his mental capacity typically play instruments.
This is what alerted me to musical instruments being important in the development of intelligent children.
Thought I would pass along the suggestion.
Connect Them With Black History
Every people need a strong base in who they are and their people. This is critical for raising intelligent children as well because it grounds them in their reality. Let’s them feel a connection with the black community around them and hopefully throughout the world. It will give them insight into our problems and hopefully ideas for their solution.
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