Games or studies??? Where should my child focus?
I wish there was an answer which could be easily implemented, understood and prove to be the right decision made years after our kids grew old enough to choose their career.
It’s a gamble in current scenario. Those who are well versed with the stock market gamble will know the feel and may be better able to take risks. But, there are not many risk takers when it comes to the future of their loved ones.
All of us want to choose that safe path for our children where at least long after we are gone; they are safe and sound financially. Other things like health, happiness, relations and passion become secondary.
And why not? We are not citizens of those countries like US and Australia where unemployment survival amounts are doled out till one get a job! We are not part of the culture where we live for only ourselves like many part of the worlds do. But if you notice, there is a deep relation between both the reasons mentioned above. Parents of those countries where unemployment doles are given out are the ones who can relax and not be bothered about the future financial conditions of their children. Take away this security feature from them, and they will turn into someone like us. 
So the main reason for any one behaving in any particular reason is their insecurity/ security.
Another observation is worth discussing, that I have recently come across with the Common Wealth Games CWG 2010 being conducted at New Delhi.
Of all the participants’ and the winners representing the India, most belong to either the small towns, villages or part of the low income to lower mid income group. Does that ring any bell?
Well it does and it’s very plain and simple. All the above mentioned participants barring a few had no choice and not much to risk. They already were in a condition that being good and playing the games was the only best option for them but not any risk. They probably had no or less access to education of whatever levels or affordability by their parents to provide higher education.
Well, the point that we are driven to is again that insecurity drives us to stick to non risky decisions. Similarly, assured security drives one to better risk taking.
Having said that let us analyze the whole scenario with respect to our kids and the decisions we make.
What the education cum sports minister of India needs to do. Provide SECURITY to the parents about the future of their children interested in anything other academic learning.
These are a few innovative changes worth implementing.
- Performance of each child should be assessed only with his/her past performance. No ranking, no grading.
- Interschool competitions in all intelligence areas to be conducted where each child competes in his/her area of passion and represents his/her school. The point 1 and 2 will ensure that competitiveness is kept high and yet the segregation of the children within his/her own class and school does not occur.
- Curriculums are designed more to assess and hone the strengths of the children and not harp on their weaknesses. This means more dynamic curriculum to be designed, that advances based on a child ability to grasp that forcing each one to follow one single curriculum. This type of methodology is adoption of the real time ability of each child. Welcome to the era of E Learning and internet.
- Every child who takes up a sports activity and is supported whole heartedly by his/her parents will be given reimbursed by the state government.
- Each child who wins a medal in the junior team will be ensured a seat in his/her passion area including engineering, medicine, architecture, management etc. etc.etc.
- Stop to all exams and end of 40 – 60 days waste of time on exams days will be utilized for more of sports camps, musical camps, art camps, disaster management camps, linguistic camps, logical camps, relationship camps, nature camps etc. etc. etc.
- Raise the salary of the trainers, teachers and coached and make them part of the profitability of the institutions.
Somehow, it seems that the slow transition that was happening till today, will be a thing of the past. A gust will take over the country and its youth to the brighter future that we all deserve.
