One of my colleagues’ daughter (who is 9 years old) took a math test recently and scored the mark ‘Good’. She told her father, and he reacted by saying ‘well done, congratulations!’. And then she continued by saying: ‘you know, I did not pay attention and I know how I should have solved it’. She is a child who last year, in second grade, won many awards, went to the national mathematics contest and won.
What makes me happy is to see how her mother and father did not point out her mistakes, but congratulated and encouraged her, telling her that it is great, that they appreciate her, that she is a good child and that she is loved (regardless of scoring a ‘Very Good’, ‘Good’ or something else). Besides school, she does a lot of sports, has a lot of energy, she’s creative, she thinks fast, she’s sociable.
When I was a student I scored a 9 in an exam (truth be told I was a geek back then and my parents were used to me getting 10s). My father said to me: ‘9? Is that a mark?’. For years I tried to work with myself to get rid of the idea that I can do better, that what I do, what I am, how I am is not enough. I am not sure I have succeeded entirely.
I believe that the kind of parents mentioned above need to be an example. To make a child feel like they are enough is essential in the development of self-confidence, in building life standards, in self-acceptance, in self-love.
A child with self-confidence shines, and feels that they are loved, accepted, and with energy, inspiration they will dare to manifest in the world and to develop in harmony.
#knowyourself
#education
#thebestinvestment
#youareenough