Preparing children for an ever changing world
- Details
- Published on Sunday, February 1, 2015
Board of Trustees
Beautiful Plains School Division
One of the most prominent factors in our children’s lives today is change. Whether it is a young newcomer to our community or a child that has been born here, change is inevitable. Technology, the economy, social media and many other factors have greatly affected the world in which they live. As educators and parents, we must prepare our children for a world very different than the one we experienced as children. This calls for a change in the way we educate and parent. Change can be very unsettling and threatening for children and sometimes more so for adults. Humans are predisposed to want to have their lives stay the same. But that is not realistic or healthy. We need to empower our youth to embrace and accept change. This is vital to their success and the success for our community as a whole. There are several strategies to create a healthy climate for change.
First, it is important to pay close attention to the development of our children. The focus needs to be on the needs and welfare of our youth and not on the concerns of the adults who are their caregivers. The children need to know that they are our foremost priority and that their success in this complex world is our primary focus.
Secondly, we need to model effective ways to be resilient and cope with change. Calm language when addressing problems will emphasize that while dilemmas will always arise, we brainstorm ideas and courses of action to resolve the problem. We demonstrate how to work collaboratively to solve problems. We try to work for common good and find a solution that is beneficial for all involved. We say “What can we do?” rather than “Whose fault is this?” Finger pointing and blaming others is not productive and doesn’t allow positive action for change. We also need to focus on what we can control and improve upon and not spend time focusing on what we cannot change. This often means we look inward at ourselves to see how we can change our own perceptions and attitudes. Complaining does not change reality it only compounds everyone’s level of frustration.
As well, adults need to become lifelong learners and try new things rather than staying in a comfort zone. Children need to see their caregivers be open to different ideas and ways of living. That might be as simple as trying a new food or activity to as complex as trying to navigate through a tough relationship. This teaches children to not be afraid of change but to be excited about learning new ideas which will hold them in good stead in their personal and professional lives.
Change may be the only constant our children experience in their future. We need to be able to prepare them to be resilient, react positively and face the world head on.
