Learning is not only about stocking a lot of information.

There usually is an ultimate purpose behind every learning endeavour.

If a child learns to ride a bicycle, the purpose might be to be able to go for a trip with his dad. It might be because he or she wants to be able to do like his/her friends. Or it might just be to feel the thrill of speed and the wind on their face.

If you learn to use the internet, the purpose may be to get access to any information when you need it. Or it might be to connect with friends who live overseas.

Learning at school is no different.

Except that most of the time, we hold the purpose for our children while they can’t really fully grasp it yet: so that they have an education, that they get a good job and that they are able to fend for themselves in life.

You may repeat this to them time and time again… but they might still not get the picture. After all, they’re just kids!

If you show them however, the message is ten times more powerful.

A good way to show them that it’s important to learn things at school is to let them see how you enjoy your own job and are happy about the time spent working and are energized by it.

Too often, children have as models parents who work because they have to but don’t enjoy what they do and are drained by it. Seeing that on a regular basis will not be a great motivation to do the same.

So, if you are not an example of what having a nice education can bring in terms of work, this might be a good time to turn things around and to ask yourself how you can be for your child.