Over my job interview, I had an interesting conversation with the General Manager (GM). I was just sharing with him about my growing up journey as an only child, where I was given alot of freedom and responsibility. The word "RESPONSIBILITY" caught his attention and we started discussing what that word means for parents and youths today.
Parents today have become so result-driven that all they do is demand their children to do well in their studies. They exert control, pressure, expectations and comparisons.... just so as to make sure the child becomes "responsible" in his studies. However, one would realise that such a manner would result in two extreme outcomes.. 1. The child's social life is totally handicapped. All he/she knows is just study, study and study. 2. The child does not respond well to the pressure, and retaliates by turning to vices and addiction. Outcome?? Parents get more upset and exerts more pressure and scolding. In the end, the children keep moving away from the parents directive and become irresponsible instead!
That's where CROSS-TRAINING comes in! By removing the demands and expectation on the child in area of studies and begin to inculcate and teach responsibilities in other available areas! Example: Punctuality in meeting people; Cleaning up own own; Helping out in household chores; Opportunities to lead and organise events. Coupled together with appropriate affirmation, encouragement and timely discipline, the child would learn about responsibility when he/she witness for themselves the fruits of their labour! Once that is set, it would pave a smoother path to teach them about being responsibility in their studies.
Does CROSS-TRAINING work? YES.. I have tried that with some of the youths that I work with and it sure is a powerful learning experience!
PS: I am not targetting against parents, but rather sharing my own viewpoints that at times we need to think out of the box. It's important to walk a child through the process rather than just concerned with the outcome!
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