{"id":10,"date":"2010-07-22T22:25:48","date_gmt":"2010-07-22T22:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/medicinetomoveyou\/2010\/07\/how-to-raise-a-smart-child.html"},"modified":"2010-07-22T22:25:48","modified_gmt":"2010-07-22T22:25:48","slug":"how-to-raise-a-smart-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/medicinetomoveyou\/2010\/07\/how-to-raise-a-smart-child.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Raise a Smart Child"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a first born Asian Indian American growing up in New York
\nCity, I never spoke a word of English until I began school.  <\/span>Naturally, my parents spoke to me in our
\nmother tongue and conducted day to day life as authentically Indian as they
\ncould in a new country.  <\/span>One of those age
\nold Indian ideals was a deep seeded respect for KNOWLEDGE.  <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

One practice that many Indian children learn from a very
\nearly age is this.  <\/span>Never, and I mean
\nnever, step on a book or keep it just lying on the ground for anyone to come
\nand step on.  <\/span>Stepping on a book, or
\nanything else that is “sacred”, symbolizes that the wisdom contained within it
\nis “beneath you.”  <\/span>Children are swiftly
\ncorrected for doing such actions and are guided to perform a gesture of humble
\nforgiveness, even if the act was done unintentionally.  <\/span>To acknowledge the mistake, I used to be
\ninstructed to take my right hand and place it on the book, and then touch my
\nhand to my forehead in a bowing posture.  <\/span>(I have never seen an Indian friend of mine
\nstep on a book purposefully.  <\/span>We all know
\nthat the consequences would be better left unknown.)    <\/span><\/p>\n

I remember teaching my own children the very same rule- even
\nas early as an infant.  <\/span>I would hold
\ntheir hand and go through the motion with them. 
\n<\/span>Whether or not an infant could understand the act, a parent would do it
\nand at some point it would become second nature to the child.  <\/span>Three and four year olds would know disrespecting
\na valued item was a mistake just as much as it was a mistake to put a finger in
\nthe electrical socket.  <\/span>This degree of
\nRESPECT for KNOWLEDGE is instilled in the child’s mind years before he\/she even
\nsteps into a classroom and starts learning proper academics.  Planting this essential seed begins the process. 
<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span>Of course, follow
\nthrough is equally essential.   <\/span>My
\nchildren, 7 and 8, are reminded that we all go to work every day.  <\/span>My husband and I go to our offices and must
\ndo our job with honor, integrity and the best of our abilities.  <\/span>The kids’ office is their school, and they
\nare encouraged to “work” in the same manner. 
\n<\/span>They understand it is their duty, or dharma<\/i>,
\nat this age to have fun with learning.  <\/span>They understand that when they grow older,
\ntheir duties will change, but their future will depend on how well they do in
\nthe “student” phase of their life.  <\/span><\/p>\n

The product of an early and deep respect for education is seen
\nin classrooms and cultures across the globe.  <\/span>Transforming the opportunity of education
\ninto a reality of personal and professional growth is a primary goal for all
\nparents.   <\/span>Swami Chinmayananda has a
\npopular teaching that applies for successful parenting:  <\/span>“Culture is not taught.  <\/span>It is caught.”  <\/span>Be an example for your children.  <\/span>Make lifelong learning your entire family’s
\ncommitment, not just a school requirement. 
\n<\/span>You will be sure to have a child grounded in the right perspective for
\nlife.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As a first born Asian Indian American growing up in New York City, I never spoke a word of English until I began school.  Naturally, my parents spoke to me in our mother tongue and conducted day to day life as authentically Indian as they could in a new country.  One of those age old…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":220,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-happy-parenting"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Raise a Smart Child - Medicine to Move You<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/medicinetomoveyou\/2010\/07\/how-to-raise-a-smart-child.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Raise a Smart Child - Medicine to Move You\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As a first born Asian Indian American growing up in New York City, I never spoke a word of English until I began school.  Naturally, my parents spoke to me in our mother tongue and conducted day to day life as authentically Indian as they could in a new country.  One of those age old…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/medicinetomoveyou\/2010\/07\/how-to-raise-a-smart-child.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Medicine to Move You\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-07-22T22:25:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dr. Shilpa P. 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