Mary Pouline, Author and Founder, Sapience Publications
Guiding Growth
Hi, I am Mary Pouline.
As an educationalist and author, I have had the privilege and good fortune of dabbling in fields far and wide. Parenting and teaching are two such domains I interact with on a daily basis. My professional life revolves around creating a transformative learning experience for little ones. Years of being in the vicinity of budding learners and dealing with them in different settings have also given me invaluable insights on how to raise them into responsible citizens.
My journey has been peppered with varied experiences that have turned into treasured life lessons. I thought it would be a wonderful idea to share some of these with my esteemed readers. I hope my expertise and understanding can give you something worthy to carry home, whether you are a parent or a teacher.
Parenting
Renowned author Jess Lair once remarked, “Children are not things to be moulded, but people to be unfolded.” Every child has immense potential and it is the parents’ responsibility to see that the potential is fully realized. Involved parenting takes time and effort, but the results are well worth it. I would like to address some common parenting conundrums. If even one of these tips helps you navigate the minefield of modern parenting better, I would consider it a job well done.
= Raising a Gifted Child: Did you know that around 3 to 5% of children are considered gifted? Being gifted doesn’t just mean excelling in academics; it can also show up in other areas, like having a knack for creativity, leadership, or visual and performance arts. It can come from a mix of genetics and environmental influences. So, every parent has the potential to nurture their child’s unique talents.
= Understanding a Child’s Intelligence: These are the three tests or 3Ps of understanding a child’s intelligence:
- Potential Test: This involves conducting an IQ test with expert assistance.
- Personality Test: This test involves understanding the child’s personality through observation, situation-handling skills, and traits.
- Performance Test: This examination, which reflects the child’s abilities, is conducted at the school, state, national, or international level.
It’s important to remember that focusing solely on performance and potential doesn’t fully capture giftedness. We also need to consider the child’s personality and how they handle pressure.
=Why Do Children Lie?:Kids tend to tell two kinds of lies. The first is a white lie, which is innocent or trivial. For instance, if a child didn’t have lunch and someone asks, they might say they did. The second kind of lie is strategic, where a child might say they haven’t received their progress report on a Friday but then show it to their father on Monday, asking him to sign it right away. Parents should avoid these actions by not signing or dealing with them in the evening. Otherwise, there’s a risk of children becoming habitual liars.
= Things You Shouldn’t Discuss in Front of Your Kids: I would like to impart a bit of Tamil wisdom here. “Puram Kuruthal” (tattling) means speaking exactly the truth about another person; however, it may harm their reputation, and it is unnecessary for the child to know about it if the content is harmful. The next is all about “Avaduru” (slandering) which means concocting stories about a person out of one’s own imagination. This undoubtedly damages the person’s reputation. Doing this in front of children may cause them to pick up this bad behaviour.
= Never Compare Your Child with Another Child: I recently attended a parent’s meeting, where I spoke about comparisons. I asked the parents if they have ever felt demotivated when compared to others, whether it’s by a spouse, boss, colleague, or friend. It was unanimous – no one enjoys being compared. I then raised the question of parents comparing their children with others, even though it’s something they don’t appreciate. I suggested that instead of comparing, we should focus on complimenting them to encourage positive results.
….contd in Aalumai Sirpi Magazine.
