On the go? Listen to the audio version of “How to develop your child’s inquisitive mind: ‘Because I said so.‘”
I believe I received this shirt on Father’s Day in 2015. As you can tell by the wear and tear, it’s one of my favorite shirts. I don’t remember exactly what I said when my family handed it to me, but it was probably something like, “that’s right!” Yeah teaching children to be inquisitive is important, but not more important than doing what I say when I say it! I even ran into an older gentleman who read my shirt and said, “Hey, I would do what you say too.”
One of my favorite shirts! “Because I said so. -Dad”
“That’s right!” I thought. “You see these biceps?! These back up my authority. You do what I say, when I say it. Why? Because I said so!” Some of you are beating your chest and wondering where you can buy one of these shirts. Others are ready to vomit. Nowadays, I agree with the latter group. “Because I said so” is easy to say (and wear), but it’s actually quite shallow and it can potentially squelch a child’s inquisitive spirit. We’ll discuss more, but before we dive in, we have to answer two important questions: 1. What does it mean to be inquisitive? 2. Why is it important to raise children who are inquisitive?
What does it mean to be inquisitive?
To be inquisitive is to be curious and extremely interested in learning new things. Typically, inquisitive people have an insatiable desire to know more about any given topic. For example, my son [randomly] asked me the following questions last week: 1. Why is the sun so bright? 2. Why is a Rip current called a “Rip” current? 3. Why do we say “bless you” when people sneeze?
I know that as soon as I mentioned the word “curious,” some of you thought about this old quote:
Curiosity killed the cat.
A lot of people
My ten minute Google search tells me that this quote originated in the 1598 play, Every Man in His Humour, written by the English playwright Ben Jonson. Since, it’s been used as a forewarning for those who are inquiring about or expressing curiosity in something that may result in trouble. Over the years, this quote has been used to keep people from interfering in others’ affairs. Of course this quote has also been used to discourage children from asking “too many” questions about anything. I even remember as I stared at a lifeless cat in the middle of the road, someone told me, “See? Curiosity killed that cat!” Sounds like a pretty compelling argument if you ask me.
Why is it important to encourage children to be inquisitive?
In true Olaolu fashion, I’d like to offer you an alternative to the previous quote:
Curiosity Ignorance killed the cat.
Olaolu Ogunyemi
Let’s use the same scenario above. Some argue that the cat died because he was too curious. He met an inevitably fatal ending because he was satisfying his naturally inquisitive mind. Well, I’d like to offer that the cat wouldn’t have wandered into the road in front of a car if he had known it could end his life. In other words, his fatal outcome was based upon his ignorance, not his inquisitive mind.
It’s not all life or death situations though. There are many other benefits to encouraging our children to be inquisitive.
Here are a few benefits.
It broadens their perspective on current events.
It gives them a desire to know more about life, science, religion, etc.
It helps to develop their critical thinking skills.
It helps develop their perspective and opinions.
It sparks their mind to conduct analytical processes.
It teaches them to remain open minded.
It gives them confidence as they learn new things.
It teaches them to think freely and explore their thoughts and emotions.
It creates another teachable and memorable moment for you with your children. That’s what my entire parent-child-connect (P2C) platform is all about!
So now for the million dollar question:
How do you raise inquisitive children?:
1. Ask questions.
It’s no secret that I’m a huge advocate for setting the example. That is our job as leaders and mentors. The more our children see us asking questions, the more they will be inclined to do the same. Your example also teaches them the appropriate time, forum, and method to ask questions. For example, if your significant other says something and you yell back, “Why do I need to do that?!” Expect your child to do the same.
2. Give answers based upon fact.
Children may be naïve, but they’ll eventually realize if you’re just making stuff up. It’s ok to say, “I don’t know. Let me read more about that and get back to you.” It may even be a great opportunity for you to learn together! In any case, give them factual information.
3. Teach them where to find answers and how to conduct research.
I’m sure we have all heard this proverb.:
If you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn.
Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie
I’m not encouraging you to hand them a dictionary or an encyclopedia, and tell them to “go figure it out.” I am encouraging you to show them how and where to gather information. Encourage them to read! This is why I include fun facts and educational material in my children’s books. Not only is this skill transferrable to the classroom, but it teaches your child how to examine perspectives and analyze information before developing their opinion.
4. Listen to them and be patient.
Patience is another topic I discuss regularly. It is a critical part of any relationship, and it’s impossible to raise inquisitive children without patience! It takes time for them to ask questions that they perceive to be complex. The fact that they don’t know how to ask the complex question makes asking the question that much harder.
Relax. Give them time to ask the question, and if they need a little help forming the question (i.e. they are struggling to form the words), gently help them. Whatever you do, don’t rush them or cut them off mid-sentence. Take time to hear their question, and give them an age-appropriate answer that they can comprehend.
5. Encourage them to ask questions.
This is a pretty simple concept. If you want your children to be more inquisitive, encourage them to be more inquisitive. Sometimes, they may be scared to ask questions. Maybe there’s a guy yelling and wearing a worn out t-shirt that says, “because I said so!” I say that tongue-in-cheek to make fun of myself, but you get the point. Be aware of what you say about and your disposition towards your children when they are being inquisitive.
Their inquisitive mind is constantly expanding as they learn about and take in the world around them. Your children’s life-long experiences and opinions will be based upon what they learn and perceive to be true. Their willingness to ask questions and challenge the norm will inevitably make them catalysts for change. And ultimately, that change will drive us to a brighter future.
Happy Friday! I am excited to share my latest project: a read along of my book Billy Dipper’s Time to Shine!
Do you know a child? Maybe you know a teacher, librarian, parent, or mentor? Send them this link (https://youtu.be/F25Npwt8zdA), and let’s read together!
Billy Dipper’s Time to Shine by Olaolu Ogunyemi — Read Aloud Books for Children
Thanks for your support! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share!!
Olaolu Ogunyemi: U.S. Marine Officer| Mentor | Best-selling Author
Happy Saturday great people! Want to know how to build confidence in children? Keep reading!
I created the Parent-Child-Connect platform to provide resources for parents, teachers, and mentors to connect and build positive relationships with their children. The intended effect of those positive relationships is that we build mentally resilient children who will pursue their own dreams and become beacons of hope in our society.
That is why I am excited to introduce you to the My Strong Mind children’s book series and bring you words from the best selling author himself, Niels Van Hove!
I received an advance review copy of My Strong Mind Vfor free, but I decided to provide a review because this one (along with the other books in this series) is worth the buy! As a parent of three children ranging from age 3 to age 12, I am always looking for books to help build confidence and mental resiliency. This is one of those books!
As you read through, you will find practical lessons like “catch and change” that encourage children to reflect on their own thoughts and behaviors to develop self-awareness, confidence, and positive thoughts.
In summary, this book is easy and engaging enough for a first grader to read, but the topic and practical advice transcends all ages. I highly recommend My Strong Mind V!
Tips from the author and guest blogger, Niels Van Hove
Niels Van Hove: Author of the My Strong Mind children’s book series
After facing some challenging times in my own life, I became an accredited mental toughness coach. Inspired by my two daughters, I wrote a children’s book with the goal to help develop mental toughness in kids.
My girls were 6 and 9 when I published My Strong Mind in 2017. All scenes in the book were based on little struggles they had to deal with in those primary school years. Now I’m up to the 5th My Strong Mind, and mental toughness is more relevant than it ever was. Just think about what kids had to go through during the pandemic.
Confidence describes the self-belief a child has in their own skills and abilities. They give things a go, even when they’re not that great at it. They still feel fear when trying something new out of their comfort zone, however they accept fear as an emotion as part of learning and getting better. They understand failing is part of learning and growing, so it’s ok to feel nervous or scared.
Confidence also covers the interpersonal confidence they possess to interact with others. Confident children dare to stand up for themselves and others. They have high levels self-worth, which make them better at not taking things personally. They can let go of things easier that are out of their control, like the behaviour of others. Interestingly enough, research shows that mentally tough children show less anti-social behaviour.
We can be sure our children will have to deal with adversity and need to show confidence during their life. The book covers some great confidence examples like; asking a question in the classroom, talking to adults and look them in the eye, calling out bullying, standing your ground under peer pressure or overcoming negative self-talk.
The ‘catch and change’ technique is great for both kids and adults. Catching a negative thought like I can’t do it, or I’m not smart enough and replace it with a more positive affirmation, is a great way to change your mindset around for the better. Parents and kids can practice it together or have a conversation about it. I still use this simple technique regularly to reframe my inner self-talk. It’s an evolutionary fact that we have more negative than positive thoughts, so better learn to catch them right?
Great resource from My Strong Mind V
I always say I want our children to thrive, not to simply cope and survive. My mission remains to bring mental toughness to the world. I hope my latest book can contribute a little bit to this and help children around the world build their confidence over time. May mental toughness be with you.
Hi guys!! We thought it was about time for a GIVEAWAY so here goes!! Starting today, you will have the chance to be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a total of (3) gift cards! (That’s right, THREE!) A $25 Visa gift card, a $15 Target gift card, and a $10 Starbucks gift card.
All you have to do is:
1. Buy a copy of one of my husband’s children’s books! E-books count and if you have Amazon Prime, it’s FREE to download! Each copy gets you additional entries!
2. Screenshot your purchase and send an email to parentchildconnectemail@gmail.com! (Must do this for your entries to count. Also, purchase(s) must be made within the giveaway dates.)
Giveaway opens TODAY, 2/26 and closes on Friday, 3/4 at 11:59pm EST. Drawing will be LIVE on Saturday, 3/5. Be sure to share this giveaway and good luck!!
You read that right! My newest children’s book, Billy Dipper’s Time to Shine, is finally here! Check out this cool (and completely adorable) commercial my daughter created!
My brother (Josh aka the illustrator) and I are going LIVE on Facebook and YouTube this Friday (2/18) at 10 A.M. EST on Story Time with Mr. Limata! We will read Billy Dipper’s Time to Shine, have a discussion, and do a Q&A session with YOU! I look forward to seeing you there!
As always, thanks so much for your support! Click here to check out my Amazon Author Profile for more information on this children’s book and my others!
Hello folks! I hope you are having a great holiday season as we prepare for a new year. Though the pandemic has persisted, 2021 turned out to be an exceptional year for me and my family. In 2021, we published our first children’s books and established the parent-child-connect brand to provide resources to parents, teachers, and mentors.
You will find several great products here that I proudly advertise on my family’s behalf. Along with my products on www.parent-child-connect.com/store, we provide these resources for your entire family to enjoy! Check it out!
Last but certainly not least, we hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous new year! Let’s bring in 2022 focused on achieving our most ambitious goals. If you can put your mind to it then you can do it because you control your own destiny! I believe in you!
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
“Reviewed By Asher Syed for Readers’ Favorite Crow From the Shadow, written by Olaolu Ogunyemi and illustrated by Joshua Ogunyemi, is the first book in the Parent-Child-Connect (P2C) picture book series. The book begins by introducing the reader to Crow, a young narrator who says he’s from The Shadow, following this by stating that The Shadow could be anything. It controls every aspect of Crow’s life and sets restrictive parameters of what he can and cannot do. Crow tells us what his own preference is with what he wears, how he performs at school, and the places he likes to visit. Each is pushed aside by The Shadow’s instruction that Crow feels obliged to follow. As the story progresses, Crow describes isolation and the destruction of motivation, dreams, and all other positives in his life. It is only when Crow comes out from under The Shadow that we see what life is like in the sunlight.
Woah! Crow From the Shadow is nothing at all like the other children’s books I’ve been reading for a while, and completely realigned my barometer on what a fantastic piece of kid-lit truly is. And what is it? It’s this and whatever else Olaolu Ogunyemi creates like this. The first thing that leaps out from the start is that this book is cool. Really cool. Not a word that can be associated with most children’s picture books but decidedly appropriate here. The way Crow talks and the way he describes what is going down in his world is profoundly honest, and Crow looks like the kind of bird you want to be friends with. He’s in a hoodie. He speaks like he’s straight out of an indie film and sort of resembles Spy from the 80s comic strip, if Spy was cool. Joshua Ogunyemi is the artist who breathes life into Olaolu’s words, sticking to a dark palette initially but slowly moving toward color as Crow starts making decisions for himself. I love this book and would give it a whole bucket of stars if I could.”
“Reviewed By Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers’ Favorite
Horace is a horsefly and he’s not feeling very well. But he still wants to greet his friends: the horse, the cow, the bird, the duck, and so many others. He likes to listen to the sounds each animal makes, like the ‘moo’ of the cow and the ‘neigh’ of the horse. Feeling weak, Horace asks the young reader to take him to visit with his friends. And, when he returns, Horace finds Mama Bug making something to help him feel better, as all mothers love to do.
Olaolu Ogunyemi’s picture book story, Horace the Horsefly, is a sweet story with an unusual protagonist: a horsefly named Horace. Horseflies are not usually everyone’s favorite living creature, but Horace definitely puts the charm on as he leads us around the farm to greet all his friends. Told in lyrical rhyming verse and accompanied by bright, colorful illustrations, this story teaches young readers about animals and the sounds they make. Using simple language, the author is also encouraging youngsters to recognize more words, especially the many uses of onomatopoeia, like ‘moo’ and ‘neigh.’ By repeating many of the words, the young reader will start to recognize the repeated words easily. This builds a reading vocabulary and confidence in reading on their own. As well as teaching them about animals and their sounds, the author is teaching young readers the importance of friendship and love, especially the love shared between a parent and a child. And what’s best? Even though Horace isn’t feeling well, he still has a warm smile for all his friends.”
I love November, so we are celebrating with a sale + a bonus quick parent tip about giving!
☑️ Marine Corps Birthday- Nov 10th ☑️ Veterans Day- Nov 11th ☑️ My Birthday 🥳🎉- Nov 13th!
The sale: Free shipping ($30 minimum)! Free Advance Review Copy of my upcoming instant classic! Up to 35% off of select items! You get first dibs since you subscribed to my blog! 🎉
Now for the bonus Quick Parent Tip: How to teach children to give.
Throughout the year, my wife and I do our best to teach our children the importance of giving. However, we really emphasize giving this time of year simply because a lot of people are in “receive” mode. In other words, our children are expecting to get, get, get. So we figured we should challenge the norm and emphasize giving; embracing the old phrase, “’tis the season of giving!” Here’s a few things we learned along the way (acronym- G.I.F.T.):
Give. This one seems pretty obvious, but it is a challenge nonetheless. Why? Because we all have great intentions on teaching our children how to give, but sometimes we forget to be transparent with our giving… Or we forget to give at all. I encourage you to be transparent when you generously give your time, talent, and money. Of course we are not doing this to brag but to show our children what generosity looks like.
Invite. Invite your children to join you when you give. For example this year my family and I are working with our church (Mount Ararat Church in Stafford, Virginia) to pack shoeboxes of gifts in support of Operation Christmas Child! My children are packing gifts they would enjoy and writing a letter to a child they do not know in hopes that they will bring joy to that child’s life.
My children are sending Crow From the Shadow along with other gifts in support of “Operation Christmas Child.”
My children are sending Horace the Horsefly along with other gifts in support of “Operation Christmas Child.”
Forgive. This is an odd one to mention when discussing generous giving. Yet, here I am mentioning it. By openly forgiving others, our children can see that we have a heart for people. At its core, forgiveness is the ultimate act of giving someone something whether we believe they deserve it or not. So let your children see your kindness as you forgive others.
Teach. This is arguably the most important step. Teach your children why giving is important. Make the topic relatable so it becomes less of just an annual tradition and more of a character trait. Ultimately, we want our children to be considered givers; thus, we must encourage them to give often, willingly, and without prompt.
I will leave you with this quote by Kathy Calvin:
Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.
It’s official! I promised my team I’d release at least two books in 2021. The next one is for my little readers (ages 2-5). Available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo… You name it! *Shirley Caesar voice*🎤
More praise for “Horace the Horsefly”:”By repeating many of the words, the young reader will start to recognize the repeated words easily. This builds a reading vocabulary and confidence in reading on their own. As well as teaching them about animals and their sounds, the author is teaching young readers the importance of friendship and love, especially the love shared between a parent and a child.” -Readers’ Favorite
“As an educator and reading specialist, I appreciate the vibrant and engaging colors that are perfect for keeping the attention of young readers. This story does a great job of introducing children to various animals and the sounds they make. Children will enjoy identifying each animal and mimicking the sounds, perfect for language development. There are also many sight words throughout the story, which is an excellent way to help young children learn and apply the words. The repetitive pattern is predictable enough for little ones to follow and become comfortable with, this also helps build strong reading skills.”
Check it out and share, share, SHARE! This message must/will reach thousands around the world. I want our young people screaming, “I determine my own future!” 🌍😁
