Do you love children?
Children of the twenty first century are completely different from earlier ones. If you love children you need to understand in depth their needs, their thinking process, their approach to life and how to ensure their happiness and holistic growth to become productive members of society.
Charles Darwin said: “It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” Rate of change is increasing at an exponential rate. Will your child be able to adapt? Children are “Digital natives,” we do not need to teach them technology, we only need to teach them to make technology their slave and not their master. A simple example: Can your child communicate face to face, without the use of gadgets?
We are aware of the importance of Multiple intelligence, Emotional Quotient, Life Skills – but we are still teaching our children to learn by rote and memorize. Memorizing any information or knowledge will not help in future. We need to teach children Autonomy, Decision Making, how to take Responsibility, and how to build and nurture close relationships. Today, an Electrical engineer cannot repair a fuse, a literature teacher has never written a book, a zoology graduate has never interacted personally with animals. And – there are no proper role models or Gurus to teach skills practically. City children hardly get to see nature and basics of life. They are taken on international tours, but they are not taught diversity, understanding of different types of human behavior, cultures, thinking patterns etc.
Help Children Deal with their Feelings
Children need to have their feelings Accepted and Respected
- Always listen quietly and attentively, without interrupting
- You can acknowledge their feelings with: “Oh …Mmm….I see…..”
- Give the feeling a name: “That sounds frustrating”, “You are angry”
- Allow the child his wishes in fantasy –“You wish you did not have a brother at all, isn’t it?” “you wish there were no exams?”
All feelings can be accepted — Certain actions must be limited:
“I can see how angry you are at your brother. Tell him what you want with words, but you are not allowed to hit him.”
