Add Character Training to Learning Multiplication Facts
Is it NOT easy for most kids to learn all of their multiplication facts such that they can say the answer almost immediately. To be able to say your multiplication facts as fast as you say your name takes for most people, a lot of hard work. So while you are in the process of helping your child learn his/her multiplication facts, it may help to also incorporate some Character Training.
1. Teach Patience
It will probably take quite a bit of time for your child to learn all of his basic multiplication facts. so early on teach your child about patience. It’s important that as the parent we are patient with our child and realistic about the amount of time it takes to master the multiplication facts. It’s very unlikely that mastery will happen overnight.
You can remind the child that many things take quite a while to learn. For example, remind him/her that he/she didn’t learn how to walk overnight. It took a while to learn how to count to 20, to learn his/her alphabet, to learn to read, etc. Learning these things was worth it, and learning their multiplication facts will be worth it as well.
2. Teach Diligence
Teach your child early on about the importance of being diligent. Explain to them that great things come to the diligent. They have to keep persevering until they reach their goals. Teach them that they have to keep pressing forward even when there are roadblocks.
You can even show them different inventions and how our life is different because people didn’t give up on what they were trying to accomplish. How would our lives be different if we didn’t have the airplane or electricity. There are lots of great invention examples you can share with your kids to encourage them to be diligent.
3. Teach the Difference Between Joy and Happiness
Even if we are dealing with something tough, teach your child that they should still have joy. Teach them the difference between joy and happiness. Happiness depends on what’s going on, but a person can have joy even during a difficult time. Teach them to keep their joy at the forefront.
4. Teach them to Keep a Positive Attitude
Encourage your child not to speak negatively. Don’t say “I can’t learn this stuff.” Encourage them to say instead “I can learn my multiplication facts!” As the parent, give the child positive affirmations that you believe he can learn his math facts if he works hard.
5. Teach Gratefulness
Have your child to make a list of things they have already learned. Then encourage them to express gratitude to God for having helped them learn those things, and ask Him to help them with this new task.
I believe that incorporating some character training into your child’s lessons on learning multiplication can help to make the process smoother. If you have been having a difficult time teaching your child his multiplication facts, try to incorporate some character training into his lessons and see if that helps.
