Kids in today’s school system are not being prepared well for tomorrow’s world. We had no idea what the world had in store for us. And here’s the thing: we still don’t. We never do. We have never been
good at predicting the future, and so raising and educating our kids as
if we have any idea what the future will hold is not the smartest
notion.
How then to prepare our kids for a world that is unpredictable,
unknown? By teaching them to adapt, to deal with change, to be prepared
for anything by not preparing them for anything specific. This requires an entirely different approach to child-rearing and
education. It means leaving our old ideas at the door, and reinventing
everything.
Let’s look at a good set of essential skills that children
should learn, that will best prepare them for any world of the future.
1. Asking questions. What we want most for our kids, as
learners, is to be able to learn on their own. To teach themselves
anything. Because if they can, then we don’t need to teach them
everything — whatever they need to learn in the future, they can do on
their own. The first step in learning to teach yourself anything is
learning to ask questions.
Luckily, kids do this naturally — our hope is to simply encourage it. A
great way to do this is by modeling it. When you and your child
encounter something new, ask questions, and explore the possible answers
with your child. When he does ask questions, reward the child instead
of punishing him (you might be surprised how many adults discourage
questioning).
2. Solving problems. If a child can solve problems, he
can do any job. A new job might be intimidating to any of us, but
really it’s just another problem to be solved. A new skill, a new
environment, a new need … they’re all simply problems to be solved.
Teach your child to solve problems by modeling simple problem solving,
then allowing him to do some very easy ones on his own. Don’t
immediately solve all your child’s problems — let him fiddle with them
and try various possible solutions, and reward such efforts. Eventually,
your child will develop confidence in his problem-solving abilities,
and then there is nothing he can’t do.
3. Tackling projects. Work on projects
with your kid, letting him see how it’s done by working with you, then
letting him do more and more by himself. As he gains confidence, let him
tackle more on his own. Soon, his learning will just be a series of
projects that he’s excited about.
4. Finding passion. Help your kid find things he’s passionate about —
it’s a matter of trying a bunch of things, finding ones that excite him
the most, helping him really enjoy them. Don’t discourage any interest —
encourage them. Don’t suck the fun out of them either — make them
rewarding.
5. Independence. Kids should be taught to increasingly
stand on their own. A little at a time, of course. Slowly encourage them
to do things on their own. Teach them how to do it, model it, help them
do it, help less, then let them make their own mistakes. Give them
confidence in themselves by letting them have a bunch of successes, and
letting them solve the failures. Once they learn to be independent, they
learn that they don’t need a teacher, a parent, or a boss to tell them
what to do. They can manage themselves, and be free, and figure out the
direction they need to take on their own.
6. Being happy on their own. Too many of us parents
coddle our kids, keeping them on a leash, making them rely on our
presence for happiness. When the kid grows up, he doesn’t know how to be
happy. He must immediately attach to a girlfriend or friends. Failing
that, they find happiness in other external things — shopping, food,
video games, the Internet. But if a child learns from an early age that
he can be happy by himself,
playing and reading and imagining, he has one of the most valuable
skills there is. Allow your kids to be alone from an early age. Give
them privacy, have times (such as the evening) when parents and kids
have alone time.
7. Compassion. One of the most essential skills ever.
We need this to work well with others, to care for people other than
ourselves, to be happy by making others happy. Modeling compassion is
the key. Be compassionate to your child at all times, and to others.
Show them empathy by asking how they think others might feel, and
thinking aloud about how you think others might feel. Demonstrate at
every opportunity how to ease the suffering of others when you’re able,
how to make others happier with small kindnesses, how that can make you
happier in return.
8. Tolerance. Too often we grow up in an insulated
area, where people are mostly alike (at least in appearance), and when
we come into contact with people who are different, it can be
uncomfortable, shocking, fear-inducing. Expose your kids to people of
all kinds, from different races to different sexuality to different
mental conditions. Show them that not only is it OK to be different, but
that differences should be celebrated, and that variety is what makes
life so beautiful.
We can’t give our children a set of data to learn, a career to prepare
for, when we don’t know what the future will bring. But we can prepare
them to adapt to anything, to learn anything, to solve anything, and in
about 20 years, to thank us for it.
www.Hypersmash.com
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