Daily Times

There is a magical configuration to every living being that sets its foot on this earth. No child sent to this planet lacks the requisite abilities to be able to make wonders, and make magic when it wants. There’s a magic within each child, with their presence, and those who have the ability to feel it, and open up their arms in willingness to sense it, are the ones who perceive it.

Every child born has their own unique abilities which sets them apart from others. No child is born with less ability than another child, and none are born with abilities that transcend the bounds of sanity. It’s just a matter of how the child’s guardians channel the abilities — shape them up, and raise the child to the best of their abilities.

The wondrousness within each child depends on the ability of the guardians. The way a guardian treats, creates, encourages and sets goals for a child, is what shapes that child. The goals need not be out of proportion, but minor tasks bring the best out in any child. The child grows up mimicking elders surrounding them.

The closest in nature to how humans raise their children are Chimpanzees. Chimpanzee offspring are attached to their mothers and learn by mimicking their parents. The same happens with human beings. The way guardians act and make choices in life greatly impacts the way a child acts, and how that child makes an impact with their extraordinary presence.

Schooling is a continuation of the learning process at home, and a major part of any child’s learning experience depends on the upbringing of the child

The start of a remarkable journey of any child is at home, and no school can change a child, if the rules and regulations at the child’s home are different to the schools. A school is a continuation of the learning process at home, and a major part of any child’s learning process depends on the upbringing of the child by their guardians.

Guardians can truly take out the best in any child. With the right guidance and resources, any child can achieve any milestone in life. No task, no occupation, nothing is impossible to achieve with the right effort. No child is born with a lesser ability, and it’s all a matter of channelling the desired abilities to be able to make the child an exemplary citizen.

Motivating a child to be the best at what they can do is what sets good parenting apart from ordinary. No occupation is less of an occupation, and if a child is encouraged to be the best at what they do; that is what will make them happy and set them apart from the crowd. For instance, a child may want to grow-up to be a clown and if the guardians encourage their child to be the best clown that is what sets that child apart.

Encouragement to perform a certain task is completely different from imposing it. Some guardians push their children into things they are reluctant to do and set unrealistic goals. For instance, to score the highest in school or to excel at a certain sport. Why push a child to score unrealistic grades in school, when school grades have nothing to do with what that child does with their life.

Scoring high marks in school has nothing to do with how that child’s future shapes up. What matters the most in life is how that child is able to form relationships and, the ability to use the social and soft skills to their advantage. Communication, empathy and the ability to be able to relate to others is what distinguishes, and sets ordinary people apart from the extraordinary.

Only when a child can be truly what they want to be, and are encouraged to follow their passions and aspirations, does their true self come out. That is when the child shines and is able to transcend boundaries, and leave their mark on this earth.

The writer is a corporate lawyer and an alumnus of SOAS, University of London. He specialises in corporate governance issues and operates a law practice in Lahore called Sami Shah & Partners with offices in Toronto, Canada and Palos Verdes, California, USA. He can be reached at sami@samishahpartners.com

Published in Daily Times, November 24^th 2017.