Tools to Build Confidence and Self-Reliance (Pt 4)

A children’s dictionary is one of the greatest gifts you can give a Black child. When a child begins to turn the pages of a colorfully illustrated dictionary, learning becomes fun!

- Khabyr Hadas

6) CHILDREN’S DICTIONARY 

As I have elaborated on many articles, images play an essential part of learning and understanding words. I have written that when a person hears an actual word, the cerebellum immediately develops an image to connect to the sound of that word. The repetitive discipline of reading and comprehending what we have read allows us to begin to control our own narratives, cognitive abilities, and fate. It is said that “fate keeps its own schedule”- developing a vocabulary and a love of learning allows our children to become better prepared for that unexpected schedule.

At this time in history, if we are not actually sacrificing quality time to turn the pages of a children’s dictionary or illustrated book with our youth, then I believe we are simply a part of the problem. Unfortunately, the majority of Black parents and guardians have left home-based learning in the hands of their children. We are really quick to hand a child a fancy device to let an animated character or another ethnicity teach our children the alphabet and phonetics. Black parents and grandparents all over the U.S. think it’s cute that their child can open up an app on a (iPhone 15) to learn how to count to 100. Sisters and brothers, pry that cell phone from the tightly clenched hand of your children and begin to read with them. Our children are absorbing information at a rapid pace. 

Algorithms and flashes of images--are feeding our children’s intellect with no time-outs! As they scroll, their brains are receiving tons of meaningless information that builds into a sea of irrelevancy.