There's no question about the interest and fun value of stamp collection. All you have to do is let them see special stamps that contain famous cartoon figures and they're instantly hooked! Add a few interesting facts about other types of stamps - like explaining how many Sony Playstation sets they can purchase with a rare stamp - and you'll no doubt have an obsessive philatelist in your hand.
Indeed, there's no trouble in catching the interest of your kid - but the problem is how you can maintain that interest and turn your kid into a good stamp collector.
It would be such a waste if your kid started early on this hobby then end up bored or disappointed with his collection. With proper training, however, you'll be able to ensure that your kid will be a responsible stamp collector and grow up with a hobby that he can always depend on to cheer him up - and maybe earn him a few bucks as well in the future.
Lesson 1: Let Your Kid Know about the Importance of Taking Responsibility
Kids are essentially immature and irresponsible but that doesn't mean they can't change or we can't train them to become more mature and responsible. With the right motivation and guidance, your kid can become a good stamp collector - one who knows the value of his collection and gives it the care it deserves.
Don't force your kid to love his stamp collection if it's obvious that he's not into it. There are just some things that parents and kids can never agree on. On the other hand, don't be too harsh in reprimanding your kid when he commits a little mistake here and there. That's the easiest way to drive your kid away and make him lose interest in stamp collecting entirely.
Lesson 2: Help Him Discover the Beauty of Stamps
Use illustrations and vivid descriptions to help him appreciate the stories behind each and every stamp he adds on to his collection. Explain the significance of the Penny Black and commemorative stamps that were issued by countries like Afghanistan or Russia.
Kids are known to let their imaginations govern their minds and hearts so it's important for parents to capture their kids' imaginations as well if they wish to succeed in turning them into responsible stamp collectors.
Lesson 3: Lead by Example
One of the most difficult things to do when collecting stamps is sorting, cleaning and drying them. Make sure that you teach your kid how to remove bits of paper stuck at the back of a stamp in a careful, step-by-step process. Be patient if he doesn't get it at the first try. Be properly impressed when he finally does it right.
Lesson 4: Mounting Stamps
The penultimate step in this process is teaching your kid how to properly mount his stamps. Teach him how to organize stamps in an album and why some stamps should be always kept in front while other stamps are not worth keeping. Let him know about the importance of keeping duplicates and how it will help him widen his collection.
Lesson 5: Trading and Earning
Even kids are not invulnerable to the lure of money. To increase your kid's love for stamp collecting, let him have his first try at trading stamps. Make sure that he truly has a rare stamp he could sell at a profit. His first trade will be something he'll remember for a very long time and it would also be the one that would serve as motivator to keep him hooked with stamp collecting - and away from befriending gangs or exposed to any bad influence.
