Why Parents Sit Beside Their Child in Every Class

You are not a spectator

At Shichida you sit on the mat beside your child for the whole hour. Not behind glass, not in a waiting room with a coffee. There are three good reasons for this.

1. Security makes learning possible

A young brain that feels safe learns; a young brain that feels alone spends its energy on vigilance instead. Your presence is not sentimental — it is the condition that allows everything else in the hour to work.

2. You learn the techniques

Sixty minutes a week is a small fraction of your child's life. The bigger effect comes from what you carry home: how quickly to show a card, how to phrase praise so it builds effort rather than ego, how to run a memory game in two minutes. You cannot learn that from a corridor.

3. Shared delight is the reward

When your child recalls a sequence for the first time and turns to look at you, your face is the prize. That loop — effort, recognition, warmth — is what turns a task into a love of learning.

What if I cannot always attend?

Many families alternate between parents, and grandparents are very welcome. What matters is that a familiar, engaged adult is beside your child, not which adult it is. Do tell your instructor when the accompanying adult changes, so they can help the transition feel easy.

Curious to see it for yourself? The easiest way to understand a Shichida class is to sit in one. Message our team on WhatsApp to book a trial class and we will help you choose the right stage for your child.

Sources & Further Reading

For readers who would like to explore the wider science of early years cognitive development, the following authoritative organisations offer trusted further reading:

1. Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University. Brain Architecture & Early Childhood Development.
2. World Health Organization. Improving Early Childhood Development: WHO Guideline.
3. UK Department for Education. Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
4. NHS. Children’s Development & Early Learning.