What do you belive is the most important learning environment for raising a child and why?

Question

What do you belive is the most important learning environment for raising a child and why?

Answer 1

I believe that home is the single MOST important learning environment.  I believe this because this is where children see what is real.  It's where they spend the most time (hopefully). Home is where kids get their examples of how to live and how to act.  They do get these examples from other places as well, but HOME is where kids are really forming their opinions and thoughts.

Having said that I will add that many places can be a good learning environment , provided it has the right atmosphere and experiences.

Answer 2

You're going to have to be more specific.  As a teacher, I think that all environments are learning environments and that the combination of all of these will allow for a child to have the best education possible.  A good education starts at birth and isn't forced.  Basic parent/child interaction is good learning.  Don't talk baby talk to an infant or young child and don't force learning, make it a game.  You definately don't want to turn a 3 year old off of learning.  If all this happens during the early years, before a child enters the school system, then the child has a much better chance of being successful.  Also, always model good lifelong learning for your child.

Answer 3

I agree completely with the first posters, every environment can be a learning environment, especially if the kids are enjoying it.  I was in the grocery store produce section with my twins (not yet two years old) and they were pointing to all the fruits and veggies and naming the ones they knew and I was telling them the ones they didn't know and they were having a blast.  A man came up to me and said that he never knew the grocery store could be so educational! Children are always learning, it's up to us as parents to take advantage of that fact and try to make it fun and interesting to them.