Should parents also learn a new skill everyday along with the child?
Should parents also learn a new skill everyday along with the child?
What are the impacts on the learning process of a child?
Personal experience.
My father is a busy man,
He rides a bicycle to the department
And he gets a tan.
My father melts metal for INSAT rocket
He is a professor who keeps chalks in his pocket
He writes poetries and articles
And gets a lot of appreciation
I want to write like him and
Want people to say congratulation.
This was my first ever poem that I had written when I was in 3rd standard in the 80s. At that time there was no internet and there were no computers or smartphones for people and of course there were no Online Learning in India then. But the parent kid interaction was of a different kind. Not pondering on the nature of relationship, I would rather talk about how this first poetry happened. I used to watch and observe my father and mother who were both avid readers and used to indulge often in poetic discussions on a song or poetry or the summary of a book. Sometimes the discussion was about the author and his or her style of writing. Of course, like every Bengali household, our house used to read Rabindranath Thakur, Nazrul Islam and Sukumar Roy who were the most celebrated authors, noble laureates filling most of the book shelf in the living room and study room. As I grew up, I noticed that I am getting more and more attracted towards art, literature and music after my studies. I wasn’t too good at sports but definitely started to pick up trophies and certificates in art, recitation, writing and music. Great. So, then what about it!!!
Present Day: Life in an Urban city. The father Son bond.
As I lay back and observe, I could do so much probably because both my parents used to indulge heavily into art music and literature. I would like to correct myself here and must say they invested a great amount of time to expose me to the world of something that wasn’t taught at school. Zooming to today’s time I have live examples around me where I see stark differences between the kids who have indulging parents and those who are just taking up Fun Online Classes to develop skills. The latter of course loses the passion in sometime where as the kids who has the parents taking Fun Online Classes perform more passionately.
Meeting the Indulging parents- Arush & Mandar
Let us meet Mr Mandar Shirke, an IT professional, a very committed father, has taken up a new hobby to learn the game of badminton from available Online Skills Training classes and advises. The only reason is that the son, Arush Shirke, a 10-year-old has been trying to play different sports but Mr Shirke discovered that he was looking more at ease with badminton. But, with a long lockdown in action, he could not find a place where he could take Arush to get trained. So Arush was introduced to Online Skills Training sessions just like his school studies. But somehow, he would ask too many questions to Mr Shirke. So, one fine day he had to find his answers and started researching a bit on internet by watching videos. And then came a Sunday, when he too joined the online skills training session for badminton. Wristwork, service, smash, dropshot, feather touch, backhand etc were all new terms for Mr ShIrke but this got really interesting for him. Next day evening, we started to see Mr Shirke coming and joining the badminton boot camp in our society. As of today, the father son duo is quite a team to take on to some really semi professional players. The moral of the story is simple. Arush started to see badminton as a new-found fun hobby, fitness became a priority after studies, father and son relationship has enhanced and lastly, he is now a top-ranking student in his Online Skills Training class.
The arty father and music loving son- Adhya & Amit
Just not stopping here, there are many more examples. Meet Mr Amit Thakur and his son, Adhya. Mr Amit is again an IT professional working with an MNC and his son is a cricket lover beside his studies. But that is not what the skill is. He is a budding pianist. Mr Amit used to play the guitar and he is a sketch artist too. Never really took any formal training but he learnt both with online skills training classes. Work pressure didn’t allow him to continue with the same, but then one day he watched his son watching a Yanni show on television. Looking at him so interested at Yanni playing piano, Mr Amit went ahead and bought him a Yamaha keyboard. He also inspired him to take some fun online classes on music just to get acquainted to the instrument.
But in a few months, he lost interest somehow and he was ready for cricket again. As the father saw the instrument lying idle, he started to fiddle with the keys and with some online skills training workshops he could pick up some basic notations. It was easy for him as he had already familiar to Guitar playing. That’s it. Suddenly the scenario at home changes. The son heard his dad playing a hit Bollywood song. The son then watched him play the song. And finally, he wants to take up the challenge that he will play too. So, he read the notations, played it, practiced it and performed the song in a family gathering that was highly appreciated. When some members of the family asked how could he play so well, he answered “papa taught me to play”.
The moral of the story is simple… as the father took interest in the same or similar skill, the son too managed to pick up the same very fast.
The Material Manager and flautist father, the actor and singer mother & the teenager son who followed- Keshang Yolmo, Dhendup Yolmo & Aparajita Yolmo
Mr Dhendup, material manager with ONGC, always has long hours at work. But that never stopped him from re living his musical side of life. He explores multiple instruments but flute is what wins his heart the most. His better half Aparajita, is a regular on television and web screen with her acting but she is also a trained singer. Well, to learn a skill besides studies is always a necessity in eastern Indian culture. Now that both parents strongly have their own hobbies and are indulgent in music, both the sons have picked up similar tastes. The elder one has already finished his studies and pursuing a career but the younger one is in his teens and he prefers to jam with his dad whenever he can. Keshang is a natural musician, as his mom quotes.
She says whenever she would hum a song while in the kitchen keshang would join her in singing. Whenever dad would casually play an instrument, Keshang will have all the questions ready to know what is what. This is when there was no online learning in India. So one had to start to learn from a teacher at home or at school physically. Keshang decided to fiddle with the instruments and then finally learnt from dad to play the guitar. Today he is at a stage where keshang is ready to share his knowledge via online skills training classes and workshops.
Though Mr Dhendup is happy with his musical abilites and wants to keep it to himself, he has not yet explored the idea of fun online classes for others. Where as Keshang is all set to do the same. While I was having a short dialogue with Keshang, we discovered that he is keen to explore more. He wants to do a lot of things in life, but his thankfulness to the parents for inspiring him and to sit alongside him when needed to learn these skills, is at par excellence. It is music to ears when we hear the father son duo play together.
Aparajita Yolmo with Jishu Sengupta, one of the leading actors of Bengali Cinema.
The Conclusion
The online skill training courses, love for the child and a little inclination towards any skill development can make a parent more involving that in turn strengthens the bond with the child. This way, the child not only absorbs knowledge faster but also is ever ready to apply the knowledge that he or she is learning. Application of knowledge is always more exciting for kids.
Stay safe. Stay indoors. Keep learning. And keep taking the online skills training classes or some fun online classes.
