"WE are teaching THEM?!" (Buzan on Children's Thinking)

Melody was born about three weeks ago. One comment me and my wife make quite often is the way her eyes open wiiiiiide in an all-embracing stare at the world around her.

Last Wednesday, Tony Buzan did a Q&A with the crowd with resonated deeply with me, especially given Melody's way with her eyes:

• Which group of people are the most inquisitive? Answer: Children
• Who are the most enthusiastic? Children
• The most persistent? Children
• The most happy and enthusiastic? Children
• The most eager to learn? Children

"And," he then cheekily asked, "WE'RE teaching THEM how to think??" The tragedy of the destruction of children's love for learning can be seen in the everyday:

• Children love to run - we tell them to sit still
• Children love to sing - we tell them to keep quiet and "Listen to me!"
• Children love to look deeply into objects and people's eyes - we say, "Don't stare!"
• Children love to touch anything and everything - we go, "Don't touch!"

In the context of Christian education (and I can't resist this): Children love all people and love to imagine. Then we come along and teach them who's "in", who's "out" and what they can and can't believe.

God forgive us.