Visible Learning

My kids are still at an age where they think I know a lot. Not everything, but a lot. I’m one of the ones they come to with their questions, and it still surprises them when I don’t know.

Yep, they’re still young.

I can remember how it felt at times, though. I wondered if I would ever know some of the stuff my mom knew. I struggled to learn in school and life, and she just seemed to have so much knowledge already! Even in those times I didn’t want to acknowledge her wisdom, I definitely recognized her knowledge. It was a scary thing to become a mom myself and wonder how I would ever just know things.

But, I can look back over the years of parenting and realize that I have learned. I have definitely learned a lot.

And, so, my children see the things that I just “know” and marvel much as I did as a child.

I think I’ve mentioned before that my mother was always visibly learning. She was always taking a course or reading a book. To this day she loves to learn. But, it was obvious to me that she gained her knowledge because she truly worked for it. As I watched her, I wasn’t sure I would want to put as much effort into continuing to learn as my mom did, but I was always proud of her knowledge.

My children are not as old as I was when I really started noticing my mother’s learning. But, something happened the other day that made me realize it’s not too early to start.

I have been lately convicted of the need to get back to Scripture memory. Not just the girls’ school passages or the weekly Acteens verse, but personal and steady Scripture memory. So, the other day as I was standing at the kitchen counter assembling a chicken pot pie, I placed my little two-ring binder on the counter in front of me and began practicing a passage from Philippians.

Olivia was intrigued.

“What are you learning that for, Mommy?” she asked curiously.

“Just because,” I answered. I explained to her that I needed to memorize Scripture because it helped me to live it better. To my delight, she thought that was neat. And I was encouraged to be a visibly learning mom.

As I begin to make a conscious effort to visibly learn in front of my children, I pray I will be promoting a legacy of learning that they will adopt as parents some day.

After all, it’s never too late to learn something new.