We often talk about skills in our lives, but have we ever pondered about what these skills are? Skills are the abilities to do something well. I believe each one of us is blessed with some or the other skills of life but what makes a magical difference in the way we lead our lives, is how well we are aware about our skill sets and how much we work in the direction to enhance it ! Well, each crisis gives us an opportunity to learn and grow along with it. The current scenario of this pandemic which has engulfed the entire world in its sufferings has made all of us realize that there is a totally different perspective of life. This is the time when many of us are actually unlocking their hidden talents and desires as now we have more time to introspect and fulfill all what we once desired to have it in our lives! Trust me; it has also brought smiles and happiness on many of our faces too.

Skills development is something which is correlated to your talent. Talent is something which is inborn or we have it naturally, but skill is only developed by hours and hours of beating on your craft. Skills can be attributed to personality characteristics or traits that contribute to perform work and most importantly it can be developed in childhood and through life experiences.

Skill development goes a long way and it is a continuous process in a child’s life. It all begins right from childhood and at home. The conducive environment of the home, the positive approach in any situation, appreciations for efforts done by the child, along with the right actions performed by the people at home will always bring up a happy and a confident child. As a child learns from the environment around, it is very necessary to begin with a happy and pleasant surrounding right from home. In this way, we are helping each child to look at the brighter side of the life which not only helps him or her to grow happier but also helps to feel emotionally secured with understanding parents by the side. The child who has an emotional stability will be better in dealing with whatever life brings and would learn better the skills of coping up with stress. Behind every successful child, there is always an actively involved parent. The efforts done as a parent would be quite evident once the child could relate about what does it mean to be empathetic, to be appreciative, to be thoughtful if these were the things the child had observed around at home in his or her childhood.

Some are the knowledge based skills which also contributes in holistic development of the child. As parents, we need to tap the potential of our child and help in ways which would gradually make him or her feel wonderful about it. The teachers too play an important role in promoting the different skill sets in a child. Spending time with your child, talking to them, making them understand the importance of effective communication, citing real life examples, narrating some achievements of yours in the childhood days, something realistic and interesting where you successfully hosted a show, managed an event and many such things like these which will always make a child to look forward in listening to you will help him or her in learning and adapting basic skills of speaking , communicating and help the child groom better. It is also very important to share some of the major setbacks and hurdles faced in your life as a parent along with the ways in which you overcame those so that the child knows that life is not only a bed of roses. It must be known that adversity is a blessing in disguise and if we desire nothing is impossible to achieve with sheer grit and determination. Involving them in certain discussions at home, considering them to be an important member to voice their opinions will not only make them feel important but will also help them to think in an analyzing and critical way. Apart from the concepts of textbooks, talking about general topics, political views, geographical beauties, different cuisines, sports and many other such areas would ignite their quest of knowledge and they would learn to be independent learners. What comes as a conclusion is that, it is very important to spend time with your child to help your child in acquiring certain skill sets and enhancing the one which he or she is already blessed with!

Written By:- Ms. Ankita Sinha, Primary Wing Teacher, MRIS, Charmwood