Equipping Children with Life Skills

Life skills are subtle but they play a major part in development of a child’s personality in later life. A school I like a child’s second home and these life skills should be made a part of the curriculum as if embedded in the school curriculum these skill get internalized. It is easier to teach children rule in the early formative years and these skills also become their second nature which will benefit them in all stages of life. Unfortunately in India the schools are still running on basic curriculum that has been there since ages, five subjects that are compulsory, exams twice a year and students get promoted to the next class. The students learn everything from ancient time to modern, science, math, trigonometry and geography and yet these students lack the basic life skills and struggle even after they have landed themselves in jobs or settled in marital lives.

There are ten life skills that need to be instilled in each of our children.

1. Basic Hygiene: This is one of the most important life skills that will remain throughout the entire life. Learning how to use the toilet properly, washing hands, eating etiquettes, proper ironed clothes. Most private schools are taking care to imbibe these basic habits however, majority of government run school are still to make it part of their curriculum.
2. Opening Bank Account: Children should be taught the basic process of opening bank accounts and how to operate them. As in this age of digitization there is one too many platforms where one need to make monetary transactions and knowledge about the same is necessary.
3. Feminism: This, term out in the open to be prod and judged by one and all, this is possibly the most misinterpreted. Children at a very tender age consciously or unconsciously see gender stereotyping around them. Clearing these concepts is very important for a healthy mindset.
4. Time Management: Time is the most valuable commodity which once lost can never come back. It is very important to make children understand the concept of time management. Without which it won’t be possible to achieve great heights.
5. Identifying Passion: Not every person will be a doctor or an engineer. It is very important for a student to understand his passion and not join the rat race; it will only lead to frustrations.

By: Madhuchanda Saxena

Content: https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/education-today/featurephilia/story/skills-that-should-be-taught-in-schools-but-aren-t-1355431-2018-10-04