WHAT CONCLUSIONS HAVE YOU MADE ABOUT YOUR CHILD?
Here is a conversation between Mama Bola and her neighbour, Mama Zahara.
Mama Bola: Mama Zahara, there is this competition by the Federal government that requires primary school students to make and record a presentation about THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA. Winners of this competition will be given a full scholarship from secondary through tertiary institution in addition to monthly stipends. Will Zahara apply?
Mama Zahara: Hmm…, Zahara!
Mama Bola: What do you mean Mama Zahara?
Mama Zahara: That girl called Zahara, you don’t know her. She will just sit in one corner. She’s very quiet. I know my Zahara, she can’t partake in such competition.
I know most of us are familiar with such conversation as above and I am sure that a lot of us would arrive at a conclusion just like Mama Zahara.
It is common to see parents making some conclusions about their children based on their observations. While parents’ observations may be true, their interpretations and conclusions are usually wrong.
How often have you denied your child of such opportunity as described above simply because of your wrong conclusion about them?
“He cannot do programming because he is poor at Mathematics.”
“He cannot learn writing because he got 42% in English in the last exam.”
“She cannot become a web developer because she is an average student.”
“She cannot learn cake design because she is too lazy.”
“S/he cannot apply for that scholarship or participate in that competition because they are not looking for his/her type.”
And the list goes on.
How many adults today are victims of such circumstances because their parents made certain conclusions that denied them certain vital life-changing opportunities.
In our cake design class at Edtrack Academy, there’s a student called Kiki (not real name). Kiki is known to be a very quiet and usually timid girl. Coupled with the fact that Kiki was brought up by her grandmother, it is easy to make certain conclusions about her. I am sure you know such kind of girl; you hardly think of any ambition about them. But Kiki’s story is about to change.
She was enrolled in our cake class and it was amazing to see that she baked her first cake from the first class.
This is the power of exposing your children to several opportunities and allowing their potential and talent to choose for them.
Whether or not you enroll them at Edtrack Academy, make sure you change your limited mindset about your children and stop the uninformed conclusion.
Arikewuyo Abdulrafiu