Philosophy
Edukey’s ideology and parent education courses are based on the following concepts:
- Experience matters - from day one: - Several recent studies in the past few years support that genetics has only a partial influence on the development of cognitive, emotional and social skills in humans. The remaining influencer is the environment. Furthermore, much emphasis is put on the fact that the first three years of a child’s youth are critical years and will have a lifelong impact in the formation of the brain and the defining of the neural and synaptic architecture.
- The risk of parent outsourcing: The rate at which the world has advanced in the last 20 years is staggering. Dual-income families are the norm (often a necessity to sustaining a family), and, as a result, the role of parent has eroded. Nannies, nurseries, television and educational DVDs and technological tools have become the new surrogate parents of the 21st century for many families, maybe at the expense of the next generation. While all this support can be positive in moderation, parents are irreplaceable. At a minimum during the first few years, both fathers and mothers should make an effort to spend quality time every day with their children.
- A unique bond: Parents are their children’s role-models. In need of love and attention, infants and toddlers are constantly seeking these emotions from their parents. With seemingly infinite energy, they will sing, run, talk and play endlessly if given the chance. Given this interaction, they will also learn endlessly. The brain of a toddler under the age of three is hardwired to capture and process experiences at a rate that will never be exceeded in their lifetime. Any moment spent between a parent and its child can be a new learning opportunity, about the surrounding world, life, nature, languages, anything…
- Learning should be fun and challenging: The priority is to motivate and entertain the child using innovative techniques and tools. Playing games, counting objects, reading stories and chatting together during daily activities (like eating, walking around, bath times, etc.) are all ways to motivate and entertain your child. These are the cornerstones of parent-child interaction.
