Give them wings, but don’t decide their flight!

Parenting is not just a difficult but a responsible job. With each step taken towards the betterment of our child, underlies little insecurity about the child’s untold future. Often we hear parents saying “I want my child to become an engineer, doctor, dancer etc. In such cases parenting guidance becomes ever bothering expectations and burdens a child. Though we all talk about holistic approach towards learning;which includes curricular and co curricular activities both given equal importance. Yet many of us still feel afraid seeing their child’s developing interest in any other co-curricular activity e.g. music, arts, dance etc. The reason is we still think that this may lose a child’s interest in academics or the child may lack in other important skills to be developed. Hence, this leads to restricting of a child’s natural talent or molding your child’s hobbies and interests according to your own interests.

An educated parent of today enrolls the child in variety of hobby classes which is commendable, but at times those classes are decided by a parent not by a child. It’s also noticed many a times that we often feel very irritated if our child frequently changes his/her interests and criticize this habit thinking the child is indecisive or good for nothing. This negative attitude stops a child in exploring his/her innate talent. In the attempt of giving best to our child, we don’t give them scope of trying something new and to make mistakes. As a parent we have to understand the fact that our task is to do our jobs sincerely without pressurizing our child.

We need to provide them exposure of variety of skills be it curricular or co-curricular and let them decide what they want to become in their lives. We need to support their disappointments and celebrate their success. We all should aim to make our child find his/her special interest rather than pursuing the approach “Jack of all but masters of none”. We can nurture them, guide them, provide them opportunities; yet we have no right in making them what we want.

Young children are like little birds waiting to fly high.
Give them wings, but don’t decide their flight.