16 GIFT OF KINDNESS FAMILY Is Ambition A Necessity To Nurture Success In Your Child? By Jamilah Samian www.coolmumsuperdad.com As a parent, it might seem logical for you to prefer your child to have a burning ambition which would drive him to garner milestones that he might not have dreamed of initially. After all, a clearer view of the future means greater motivation to do better in studies, sports, extra-curricular activities and everything in between. There’s some truth to the notion that ambition helps to build confidence and success in the long run. But truly, a child is a child and not an adult for a reason. An adult reflects on the Past, considers the Present, and plans for the Future. On the contrary, a child can only think of the Present most of the time. Reflecting on the Past and planning for the Future require some kind of guidance from the adult(s)-in-charge. Here are some lines I hear parents say: “My son/ daughter has no ambition whatsoever . . .” Or “My child flip-flops from one ambition to another . . .” Does either of these sounds like you? The good news is, you’re not alone. To be honest, a child who knows exactly who he or she wants to be is a rarity indeed. More often than not, your child isn’t sure who he wants to become, right before he signs up for college. STEM, STEAM, STREAM or E.STREAM Perhaps you have heard of either STEM, STEAM, STREAM or E.STREAM: Your child’s interest could be one of the above or a combination of two or more of the above. Or it could be none listed. Either way, it’s good to remember that the world is changing. Perspectives evolve, so do career opportunities. For example, farming used to be regarded as an obscure and lowly job years ago. Nobody wanted to have anything to do with all that dirt and muck. Today, however, precision farming is a highly respected field, a solution to feeding our world whose inhabitants are increasing in great numbers but running low in food and resources. Looking back, among my childhood friends, I only knew of one person who was crystal clear who she wanted to be after secondary school. thinking and such. But many children, especially the little ones, cannot think that far ahead, although they might have some idea of such abstract concepts. A child might be talented in a certain area, but if she had negative experiences related to this particular area, it is possible she might not explore it further. Finding the right teacher is equally important. A son of mine struggled for more than a year in Chemistry. Then he found a teacher who used a different technique. Things made sense after just two lessons. Suddenly his grade leapt from C to A. Overnight, he began to walk a little taller. Explore Possibilities Just because you have a child who likes to be thrown in the deep end might not mean it is best her siblings get the same treatment. What if everything else fails? Introduce them to heroes, past and present. Practically every field has someone who has been or is a champion. Getting inspired by today’s heroes does not require a ton of money, unless you want to see these heroes in person for a good reason. Check out your child’s areas of interest or talent, look up for the pioneers in that field, and see how these achievers overcame their life challenges to become who they are today. Chances are, your child will be inspired to at least begin walking a similar path – good enough for a start. • STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. • STEAM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts (artistic), Mathematics. • STREAM equals Science, Technology, Religion (ethics/life values), Engineering, Mathematics. • E.STREAM is STREAM with an E for Entrepreneurship. Experiences Shape Our Likes And Dislikes Experiences weigh heavily on a human being’s likes and dislikes. This is true especially of children, since they might be too young to see the value of a game or activity. You the parent or teacher might argue that a game or activity will teach them a myriad of life skills e.g. perseverance, friendship, critical No matter your child’s age, take the time to explore possibilities with them. Discovering talents and interests could be accidental. Learning something new rewards them with a feeling of achievement and wonder, which are likely to strengthen their confidence. Encourage your child to try new things, even if it means going through some difficult moments. Know when to give a gentle push and when to hold back. Jamilah Samian is the author of “Leadership In Parenting“, “The Kindness Miracle”, “Cool Mum Super Dad”, “Cool Boys Super Sons”, and “The Groovy Guide to Parenting Generation Y & Z”. Visit her website at http://coolmumsuperdad.com/ الوسط ¿ 94 صفَ ر 1440 ه ¿ تشرين األول AL WASAT 94 ¿ Safar 1440 ¿ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2018</strong>
17 EDUCATION الوسط ¿ 94 صفَ ر 1440 ه ¿ تشرين األول AL WASAT 94 ¿ Safar 1440 ¿ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2018</strong>