How To Raise An Engineer

Do you know that you can cultivate your kid’s interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics through playing with STEM toys?  

Like many parents, I got asked this question a lot - what do you wish your child to be when they grow up? 

Well, my husband is an automation engineer and I am a computer engineer. Though we won’t force our kids to take a specific profession, it would be beneficial for them to develop interests in the engineering field. My husband and I surely enjoy our career a lot! 

Parents play an important role in a child’s future career choices. That’s why the majority of the children choose the same profession as their parents’. Early guidance from the parents can affect a child’s perspective in a certain academic discipline.  

Is your child interested in becoming an engineer? Or do you secretly wish that they could be an accomplished engineer when they grow up? If so, this article will bring you lots of inspiration. Read on to find more.

How to raise a mechanical engineer

Mechanical engineers design and create prototypes for mechanical products such as cars, airplanes, or even machines. According to the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), Mechanical Engineers will be in high demand in the next couple of decades.  

The most important thing is to teach your child to be willing to get their hands dirty. If you don’t have a designated area to take on large projects such as building a piece of furniture, then let them try small projects such as installing a handle for the cabinet. 

The best way to do this without making a mess is to use engineering kits. There are many engineering toy sets that come with everything you need to build nice mechanical structures. Many of these toys can accommodate more than one project and let your child build thirty to forty structures.  

Playing with engineering kits or taking on simple home projects will teach your child the basic principles of mechanical engineering, as well as how things work in general. They can also help train your child’s problem solving skills and teach them to concentrate. 

How to raise a computer engineer

If you are not a computer engineer yourself and have no knowledge about programming, it may be a bit intimidating to introduce computer engineering concepts to your child. As a matter of fact, one of the biggest fears that many parents have when it comes to STEM toys is their own lack of knowledge in these disciplines. So it’s normal if you feel the same, too. It is important for us parents to have a working knowledge of coding and programming, but it can be difficult to find the time, energy, and motivation to self-study using free online resources. One way to get around this problem is for you to consider enrolling in a Bay Area coding bootcamp where you will be taught at a pace and level that is commensurate with your skills and learning curve.

Many coding and programming toys are not as difficult as you think. They usually come with manuals and illustrations to guide your child through each step.  

The most interesting projects to build with your child are robotic toys. These toys usually come as a set of parts, motors, and sensors. Many of them even have video instructions to tell you how to put the robot together and how to write commands. 

Once your child assembles all the parts together, the fun doesn’t stop there. Most of these robots then turn into a smart toy that can entertain your child. The more advanced ones even use AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology to interact with your child. 

You can start coding toys for your child at a young age. I have even seen simple programming toys for toddlers.  

As the world is going digital, coding and programming will still be a hot profession in the next few decades. Workers in these fields also bring in decent income and  better financial stability.

How to raise a chemistry engineer

Does your child love to mix things together and see their reaction? Does your child like to work as a researcher in a lab? If so, it may not be a bad idea to introduce chemistry engineering to them. 

Chemistry engineers investigate the properties of matter and create new compounds. The future career path for chemical engineering majors can be biologists, energy engineers, petroleum engineers, etc. 

There are many chemistry engineering toy kits that come with necessary equipment to simulate a lab environment. To make it more fun, they also ask your child to use everyday objects such as baking soda or food coloring to do various experiments.  

Chemistry engineering kits are usually a huge hit among kids because they are easily mesmerized by the “mysterious reactions”. The curiosity and “ah-ha” moments are important in shaping their interest in pursuing knowledge in the chemistry world.

How to raise a electrical engineer

What do electrical engineers do? Well, they design, develop, and maintain electrical products and systems. 

For example, the development of cellphones, automobiles, airplanes, and computer hardware cannot happen without the involvement of electrical engineers. 

So how do you sparkle your child’s interest in this discipline? You can start by introducing simple circuit toys. Of course, this is not suitable for toddlers or small kids. Most of these kits are designed for kids older than 8-years. 

You may worry that you don’t have soldering machines to join the wires together. Don’t worry, many of these circuit kits are made with snap-on components so that you don’t need any extra tool or machine. 

There are many interesting projects that will sure impress your kids. For example, my favorite ones are the build-your-own table fan and DIY projector.

Summary

One of parents’ responsibilities is to broaden their children’s horizon by introducing a wide range of subjects. Doing so can help your child develop more interests and hobbies, therefore, develop the courage to pursue different career paths. What kind of engineer does your child want to be?