Your child's school does not do a complete job of educating her. A lot is left up to you, the parent, to ensure your child gets a well-rounded education. Yes, your child's school will supply her with textbooks, and will explain what is written in those textbooks, but how much of it is absorbed by your child's is anyone's guess. Over and above, your child needs a lot more knowledge than what is provided in textbooks, in order to survive in the real world.
Although you as a parent can supply your child with information, what works better is if you inculcate in her a desire to learn, and to get out there and seek information on her own.
An eagerness to know what is going on in the world is a positive trait, and should be encouraged as much as possible. Not only will your child come across as being more knowledgeable in any conversation as she grows older, but she will also be more aware of opportunities out there, and will be less likely to miss a good opportunity that comes along. A huge number of children don't know what's available - what courses are being offered, when a particular entrance exam is held, how should one go about trying to reach a particular destination. This knowledge comes with being in touch with the world.
Don't just stick to baseless conversations during dinner. Yes, you must discuss your child's day at school, but in addition to this, every once in a while, make it a point to spend time discussing current affairs at the table. Give your opinion on issues, and teach your child to do the same. In this way not only will your child get more knowledgeable, but she will also be interested in finding out what is going on in the world.
News on television
News channels often have raging debates on a number of relevant topics. Watch these debates with your child. If your child doesn't know what's going on, don't just shrug off her questions in an attempt to follow the debate. This will only cause her to lose interest, and will make her go back to her room and turn on FM. Instead, answer all her doubts, and explain the various points of view to her. Make comments on what is being said, so your child too gets into the spirit of the moment.
Newspapers
Don't expect your child to get interested overnight in reading the newspaper. This interest only awakens when you awaken it, or when her friends and peers do. Keep calling your child's attention to particular articles in the paper, and discuss the topics with her after she's read them.
Internet
Access to information has never been easier these days, thanks in no small measure to Internet connectivity. However, parents do need to realise that there is a very real possibility that your child is chatting with strangers on the net - and not all of them are harmless.
You should definitely tell your child not to chat with strangers, and inform her of the dangers of doing so. Don't presume that just because you've told her not to speak with strangers, she is not doing so. Go one step ahead and tell her how dangerous it is to give out contact information or any other personal information online. After all, you never know what kind of dangerous psychopath is on the other end of the chat line.
