Coaching for Change

RAISING KIDS FOR FUTURE Change is the only thing that does not change. This is something that we all know. And as we enter, what Professor Klaus Schwab calls, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, it is being said that 65% of the children entering primary school today will be doing jobs that do not exist yet. I had once attended a lecture by Education Scientist Prof. Sugata Mitra. As a concerned parent, I asked him that with technology disrupting the world we know not just the work but the way we live and learn also, what skills should we teach our children today so that they can be successful tomorrow. He said, “train them to be adaptable and resilient”. Living in the affluent developed world where the external environment is predictable today and in the era of the smartphone where everything can be summoned at the touch of a button without even a second’s delay, this is something we parents and educators need to think about “Are we raising adaptable and resilient future genera...

Are You Burning Bridges With Your Child? “My 13-year-old daughter is just so unenthusiastic and passive for just about everything. I have to constantly remind her of small things like putting her shoes away to packing her bags. She is intelligent, but she needs to be reminded to do her homework and prepare for her assessments. When she does it, she does it well…but my pain is the reminders. I feel like a broken record player…you know one that keeps playing the same track again and again!! Arghhh!!! Other children her age are so active and self-motivated” , ranted my client. Fatigue and frustration were apparent in her voice, face and body language. This is a story of not just one parent but of so many of us. As a Mum and Teen Coach, I have had the privilege of listening to both sides of the story on the same issues. The parents see themselves being ignored and disrespected. They also feel frustrated as the responsibility of getting everything done lies on them whilst ...

I dedicate this article to my favourite age group… the youth of today. This is a topic about which a lot has been said and written and yet it remains an enigma to most of us when it really shouldn’t be. It should be as easy as it is for a 4-year-old to tell a story. Recently I was invited to mentor a bunch of kids to polish their Public Speaking Skills. These kids were going to present their project to a group of judges and the best idea was to win an award to fund their idea. I first asked them to tell me about their project. As they told me about why they chose the project, the passion, enthusiasm, and energy in their gestures and body language was apparent. Then I asked them to present their idea to me as they would to the judges. Suddenly the whole dynamics changed, the same bubbly bunch became uptight, nervous and robotic. When I asked them what the reason was, they said:  -It’s a formal presentation so we need to look and feel serious. -It feels weird to stan...

Traveling with children during vacations provides a wonderful opportunity to make children think and develop : -Planning Skills - Problem Solving Skills - Decision Making Skills. Instead of making them passive tourists while parents decide the places to visit, involving children in deciding the places to visit can be fun for both the parties. Get each member of the family to : 1. List out which places to visit 2. Best route and transport to get there. 3. Choose one place from each member’s list. The whole experience gives them a feel of what it is like to lead others and take responsibility for their decision. In the end, while it leaves them with a sense of empowerment, it creates memories and stories to cherish for a lifetime.