A Love of Learning

I read this article in the Desert News and really appreciated the ideas it shares to help children love learning and not be ashamed of it.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865593705/Raising-real-men-Be-smart.html?pg=all

The point that stood out to me as something I could work on now is "Take time to educate yourself." Lately I've been missing the structured learning of college life. I realized this learning doesn't have to be in the traditional formal way (like by physically attending classes and getting grades). I can show my children I love learning when I take every opportunity to learn. My parents are great examples of this... here's a few examples I remember from my childhood:

• Taking the time to read historical markers
• Visiting any and all museums whenever we were on a road trip
• Dad would read books we were assigned in school (and be up all night doing so)
• Dad offered us 25 cents if we learned a new word that he didn't know the meaning of (we'd often scour the dictionary but I never quite could earn 25 cents) 
• Giving opportunities, even when I was very young, to attend musical performances and famous plays
• Teaching us and speaking to us in Spanish
• Reading Jesus The Christ, In the Eye of the Storm, Awesome church history book, etc. out-loud to us on Sunday afternoons 
• Playing and appreciating great music
• Making the time and effort to travel all over the US as a family

This list is not all comprehensive but a starting point for me to jump from with my young family. Thanks to my wonderful parents for instilling a love of learning in me!