10 Things You Should Teach Your Kids To Be Successful In Life | Divya Toshniwal |

Till a couple of decades ago, in order to succeed you had to carry all your subject-related knowledge in your head. Your memory and the facts it held were of the utmost importance when it came to performing a job. To learn something or to research something new, one had to bury themselves in books and spend hours in the library. Today there is google(well of course there are other search engines too but google is the most popular without a doubt). 

So in a world where you can google everything, whether you know when the first world war was fought or what  Newton's 3rd law of motion is, does not carry as much importance. But what were the learnings from that world war and where the law of motion is applicable is what actually is important. In a world where all the facts are available at a click on your phone the only thing that matters would be the application of those facts.

Other than the traditional school courseware what should we teach our kids? (and probably learn for ourselves too)

1. Teach your kids to be creative.

Creativity does not mean get them into the arts or lead them into making music. Creativity is to think outside of the box. To be creative means to be able to find innovative solutions to the everchanging problems of life. Every single day is different and we face a variety of issues and problems that needs resolve. In our psychology sector, we say even when the problem faced by 2 individuals is the same the solutions might not be the same. Creativity helps in accepting the change and also dealing with it. Don't make them walk on a straight line , let them wander off and explore .

2. Teach your kids application of computer software in real life.

Once your kids reach the age of learning computer software, teach them software that has application in real life. Teach them word, excel, and PowerPoint not for the purpose of a theoretical paper but the actual applications of that. Teach them the basics of editing software be it video or audio editing. Help them explore various other software based on their own interest. Teach them a little about graphical representation software as the world is speedily moving towards it.

3.Teach your kids how to deal with money

This is one of the major lack that our schooling system has. We fill the brain of the kids with tonnes of theoretical knowledge but don't teach them practical things at all. Things about finance are taught after 10th when the students have decided which fields they want to work in. Thus most of the students taking up science or arts have no idea about the finance which is the basic part of everyone's life. The basics of earnings, savings, and investments are something that you should start teaching your kids at a very early stage.

4. Teach your kids about nutrition

The eating habits of kids today are really spoiled and it is not only the fault of advertising and media but also us. We all want our kids to eat healthily and to do so all we do is tell them not to eat chocolates or junk foods etc. ( while we ourselves are not actually eating healthy ).  Kids follow what they see. So , the first step is to start eating healthy yourself. Today you can control them and what they eat hence you might make them eat healthily but what once they start moving out? Teaching your kids about how the body works and what food can provide with what nutrition is a must in today's world. So that later in life they would understand what to eat and what not to even when you have no control over their eating habits.

5. Teach your kids to be physically active

Along with eating habits maintaining physical activity is also very important. A few years ago the playtime used to be full of physical activities, but it is not so now. Thus physical activities need to be consciously incorporated into the daily routines of the kids. Teach them that this is a non-negotiable task that they have to perform every day, just like brushing their teeth and taking bath.

6. Teach your kids Self Defence

Not only girls but each and everyone should be able to defend themselves in adverse situations. Teach them some form of self-defense that they can use. They don't have to be a black belt and they don't have to get a medal in everything they do. Just the basics of self-defense must be taught to every individual.

7. Teach your kids the Right Use Of Technology

Technology was made for the world to advance, not sit in a room making memes on things that wouldn't matter tomorrow. Teach your kids how to use technology in order to progress in life. Teach them how to google the right information. Teach them how to indulge in their own interests using technology and teach them how to showcase their talent using it. For a kid who loves making up stories teach them the use of writing apps and aids, teach them about blogs, about publishing e-books. For kids who love to play music teach them how to use youtube or to learn their favorite instrument or research what other apps are available for the same. Teach them how to find the right information.

8. Teach your kids Soft Skills

Soft skills like communication skills, interpersonal skills, negotiations skills, presentations skills, and body language are as important as the hard skills of their respective fields. In fact sometimes it becomes more important than anything else. Teach your kid the importance of emotional intelligence. They say EQ is more important than IQ to hold a job.

9. Generate in your kids Mental Health Awareness

Every third person in the world has faced depression at some point of time in their lives. With life becoming so fast and kids being in the race to be perfect everyday , facing peer pressure and handling social media trolls , the importance of mental health management has increased exponentially . Along with teaching your kids about physical health teach them to identify with their mental health too. Teach them to observe and understand their mind and body to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Help them identify their stressors and overcome them. teach them how to be calm and stay mentally and emotionally fit. This teaching will go a long way with them.

10.Teach your kids to read everyday

Last but not the least, teach them to read, every day. My father always says that being in presence of an intellectual individual makes you more intelligent as you can benefit a lot from their conversations and teachings. But reading what they have written is even more beneficial as that is something they have experiences in their lives, churned in their minds, and then reflected. It is the opportunity to connect to the intellect of those people with whom you cannot sit physically and learn. Reading every day is the swiftest and simplest way to learn every day.

Divya