If we ask a horse to fly in the sky, it will make him think he is good for nothing. It is impossible to transform a lion to an herbivorous animal. Yes, we can inculcate fear by introducing him to a whip and forcing him through a circus fire. But at the end of the day every being has its own nature and characteristics in this world. Our life is not for sacrificing our wishes or to fulfill the wishes of others. 

After a child is born, parents conjure numerous dreams revolving around the infant. These dreams slowly and steadily foster into expectations and one day these expectations kill the dreams and wishes that child possesses. Some of the excellent traits of the child which might have bloomed tend to remain dormant throughout their life due to lack of discovering these hidden talents and nurturing them.

Therefore, it is important that parents nurture the nature of their children and provide them with mental independence without burdening them with one’s own expectations. A child is like clay under a parent’s hands. You can either make or break him/her. 

The question then arises is which parenting style should one choose to help children succeed in life?  Should it be Tiger parenting or free range parenting?  Should one be like Dutch parents who raise the happiest kids in the world or like the Germans who are known to raise self-reliant kids? 

There is good news though, science supports a totally different message. According to science, enhancing a child’s learning experience and creativity is all about Empowering your child.

Trying to predict how a child will turn out based on the choices made by parents is like trying to predict a hurricane from the flap of a butterfly’s wings. If you are a parent, you are the butterfly. Your child is the hurricane – a breathtaking force of nature. You will shape the person your child becomes like the butterfly that shapes the hurricane in complex seemingly unpredictable but powerful ways. The hurricane wouldn’t exist without the butterfly. And your child won’t grow up to be a good human being without you.

Here we bring some tips for parents to follow to improve a child’s learning experience and overall development.

1. Independent learning – Let children do their thing. Let them figure out how things work. This proves to be more effective than a parent telling them what’s right or wrong, what to do or not to do.

2. Creative outlets – Provide children with an activity that is fun and occupy their mind without it being stifling or competitive. A point to be noted is that this activity should be one that is of interest to the child be it drama, speech, dance, music, craft etc. FSM Buddy by Furtados School of Music offers various learning courses like online singing classes, online art classes, online guitar classes, online french courses and more for children ranging from all age groups.

3. Support system – While it is important to let them do their thing, parents should also act as a safety net for their children to fall back on. Encourage them, motivate them, and console them. But do not pressurize or demotivate them.

4. Immersive experiences – These provide a multi-sensory adventure for a child. Parents can also get in on the fun with their children with fun activities like finger painting, kids events, even going to a park is an example of immersive experience.

5. Raise yourself - One is never prepared to be a parent. One has to learn along with them as they raise their children. Think of raising children as a learning experience where you learn from your child something new every day.

6. Mistakes are alternative courses of action – There will be situations that did not turn out the way one wanted. But looking at these experiences from a bird’s eye view is what matters most. Children learn from these experiences no matter how small the event or how big the failure was and berate themselves much more than a parent would. So it is best to make them understand that mistakes are alternative courses of action. After all, the best laid plans are ones that are not laid at all.

Have some thoughts on the role of parents in enhancing a child’s learning experiences and creativity? Let us know in the comments section below.