Advice for teaching my child how to be a hacker?
I need your help. In most situations I normally know what to do - even if it's not the right thing - but I do it - but this - this is the biggest challenge of my life.
I'm having my first child end of Jan - my wife is a fully trained Montessori teacher/obsessive so the kid's regular ed is covered (she always tells me proudly that the "Google and Amazon boys were taught in Montessori" - so no worries on that score ;) - but what should I do? A lowly hacker working for a big-5? I want to get him into hacking and the sort of things discussed on this forum - at an early age - would appreciate your experiences in doing this and what I can do to help him learn and grow.
I don't want to screw this up - I'll do anything to help the little chap grow, be independent, questioning, not be a soft touch but not be too cynical (me), happy, find someone to share life with; in fact thinking about this I should just leave it to my wife who is 10x a better person than me.
All advice gratefully received!
12 comments
[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 35.8 ms ] threadHowever yours is an interesting one I hadn't considered.
I felt he was saying something simular to another of his quotes : 'Logic can get you from a to z, imagination can get you everywhere'
I. E I'd you want your kids to be intelligent don't teach them facts, heighten their imagination.
Pull things apart, put them together, wonder if they can be better, make things, experiment, mix stuff up.
Imagine!
It may be that your little one is not interested in computers, but playing, making, exploring, and experimenting will be of value no matter where their interests take them.
This free advice is worth what you paid for it.
1. You will screw up. Unless you screw up profoundly, everything will turn out better than you can imagine. Even if you screw up profoundly, everything will probably turn out all right.
2. It's great to have plans. They won't survive the opening phase of the battle. An infant quickly becomes a person. But it takes forever compared to your plans. Montessori is years away. No amount of "good parenting" can short circuit that. There's years of changing diapers and little sleep and having no clue before it comes. Enjoy the moment. Enjoy not having a clue. No parent does, some people just don't realize it.
3. Your child will be a child even when they're six one with a black belt. We're all children at heart. Take advantage of the excuse to act like one.
4. Your child is not you. Their grades are their grades not yours. Their team wins the soccer match. You don't. Your child isn't better when someone else does worse. Parent and pursue your own interests.
It's fun and wonderful and hard. You will need grow,too. You will.
Good luck.
The first thing to know in a family is to recognize & respect when someone is better than you. You already did that with your wife. I am sure, you will see that in your child - as an individual with his own merits. Children don't need to be taught to be a hacker; they need a companion to explore. See things from his perspective; learn along with him; you will have a wonderful time!