Most often while focussing on our child’s future and worrying about what we want them to become, we start neglecting what our child really is like. It shouldn’t be really about becoming somebody, but being somebody. For example, it is better if you encourage your child to ‘be’ a chess player, or space researcher, or musician instead of ‘becoming’ a chess player, or space researcher, or musician. Because when you focus on your child’s growth in the right way, your child will not only succeed and prosper in life, but will be a happy and a good person too.

What does this mean?

It means that you help your child in unfolding their true potential. You help them blossom. You encourage what they are supposed to be. It also means that while you are dreaming a bright future for your child, they are doing the same for themselves. And mostly their dreams are much bigger than your belief. That’s because they can dare to dream big and beyond the boundaries.

Have an open mind.

Sometimes your child’s process of learning can be an unlearning for you. Sometimes you may require unlearning so they may learn a lot more. Don’t think your child is stupid. What you call stupid is just a bud of curiosity and inquisitiveness. If they are excited about the world around them, don’t quench it with the mundane. And if they ask you questions, don’t feel bad to accept that you don’t know the answer. But you can certainly help them in finding the answers. So, if they are asking stupid questions today, they will ask intelligent questions tomorrow. And you know what, sometimes their stupid questions can help your broaden your perspective or imagination. It is okay to believe that rains are caused when God’s fridge breaks and leaks water.

How to figure out your child’s true potential?

While growing up we have heard a lot about purpose of life, true potential, skills, talent etc. And haven’t we always wondered how one gets to realize these things in oneself? Perhaps you too might have gone through a lot of TED talks to understand the same about yourself. But do you know there is a very simple key in finding your true potential. Actually, your true potential isn’t really locked unless you have locked it yourself.

That simple key is — Curiosity. Yes, you have read it right. You know how? When you are curious about anything or a subject, you start exploring it. You explore questions, you explore answers, and you spend a lot of time discovering about it. You even start practicing more. And then you start working towards it. Your curiosity drives you further. The entire process becomes an effortless mess. And once you start working towards it, you start inventing, giving the subject your own perspective and looking at things through different lenses. This whole process is called unfolding your potential.

And it is not necessary that if you are curious about painting today, you will become a painter tomorrow. No. In fact, you might just be a kind of expert who requires the skills of a painter because by now you know your colours well, the designs, the proportions, the perseverance, the hard work, the concentration, the strokes. Can you think of a career with these skills? I can think of many different careers coming out of it.

Therefore, just let your child ‘be’. Let them be playful with their environment. Let them explore. Let them be stupid because honestly, a human never stops being stupid. Let them learn what they want to learn. I am sure you’ll be glad to see your child after years. Actually, you’ll be blessed to see what blossoms out of your child after years.