Creativity and talent are not really very different from each other. Generally, the entire process of education teaches a child to be creative. Whether it`s academically, or not related to academics at all. If you think about it, the best inventions have come from creativity alone. Redundant examples; but think about any new thing, it has been invented only because someone was creative enough to think that it would work. Video calls, digital photographs, social media, the list is endless. Just imagine if Mark Zuckerberg’s parents did not allow him to follow his dreams. How would we able to stalk our childhood crush online!
Creativity can come from what your child learns in school or what your child absolutely does on his/her own. As parents of course you want what is best for your child and certainly your child does not know immediately what they want from their life, but as a parent and a teacher it becomes your responsibility to remain open to unlimited possibilities. Even as adults sometimes we are unable to figure out what we want as our career, we just go with the flow. If your child has the ability to think and have these creative thoughts, well you are a lucky parent.
Recently, we saw how Greta Thunberg made noise at a global level. Being just a teenager, she was able to express her voice, her emotions and her concern about global warming. I am sure there would be thousands of kids who have a mind of their own, sometimes they lack the right platform and sometimes they just lack the right kind of encouragement. As we all know Greta was hugely supported by her parents. It’s not an easy task for a parent to let their child stand on that stage and confront the world leaders, not just confront but challenge their policies. They put their child at a huge risk. In spite of this, it was the parents who believed their child has the capability to turn around the world, to garner such attention, to educate millions of people about global warming and actually be able to make a difference. This kind of confidence, this kind of support and of course this kind of boost is huge on the parents part. There are thousands of child actors, do you think they decide to be actors? Certainly not. They maybe expressing their interest and desire to act and then their parents, teachers boost them up further, align the resources and support the child.
I am sure you must have seen the Ellen show. So many kids often make appearances on her show with the most unique talents. Some are able to accurately name any country, city, street on the globe and some are able to dance and sing like no one is watching. Not every child is gifted but every child has some unique ability and most certainly the parents now are hugely supportive. As a parent and a teacher, it’s your job to notice what your child is best at and then try your best to give your child the right education and the right platform. That is all that your child expects from you.
Dealing with a toddler can be easy, they listen to you. If you ask them to dance, they will happily do so. If you tell a toddler, they are best at singing they will happily engage in a few tunes. What is tough is to handle a teenager. Not every time they will have the most reasonable demands. One day they would want to be a scientist the very next day they will want to be a guitarist. That’s how a teenage brain functions. This is where it gets tough for the parents. As parents and teachers most of the time you accurately know and understand that your teenager is being unrealistic, however you cannot be a hundred percent sure. Almost half the teenagers end up choosing a career they fathomed during their early teens, so if you go by the statistics, you cannot say whether your child will be a scientist or a guitarist or both. What do you do in a situation like this? If you are a parent, it`s almost guaranteed that you will be in a situation where you will find yourself in a fix. A very simple thing you can do is just be open, to listen and not refute any ideas simply due to the absurdity e.g. I want to go to the moon.(Look what happened there!) Choosing what to do as a career is a very big deal and if your child is seeking your support when he/she is trying to share something about it.
There are few very stressful stages in a teenager`s life. Number one is when they hit puberty, they tend to focus too much on the changes happening within and around them. Number two is every time they have a crush on someone, obviously. Number three is choosing their career or just a career path. Your job as a parent is to support and encourage them to build on that thought. Yes, academics are important. However, if your child decides to follow something unconventional, you need to show your support. It can be acting, singing, painting, a general inclination towards arts, everything should be heard. Make your child feel heard and understood. Let them experiment. It`s not the end of the world to lose a couple of years experimenting and understanding what they really want to do in life. Career is not a rule, I believe it’s a constant flow. The world we live in now, has moulded us to think that by twenty your career has to be decided, but as parents you can change this for your child.
We have recently seen that Marie-Laure de Rochebrune, has become the first female curator of the Louvre museum.
In 2021, it`s surprising to hear that she’s the first female to achieve this.
There are many firsts yet, to be achieved and your child could be the one to achieve those.
Consequently, continue your support and always encourage your child to follow their heart.
No challenge is too big and no dream is too small.
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