Marks Earned at School Versus Life Skills
Be less concerned about marks in school subjects and more with marks in life skills.
Many parents work tirelessly (some even fanatically) to position their kids to get into the best schools possible. I have been witness to this many times. The belief is that the right school guarantees a great life.
Well, sorry to poke a spoke in your belief. This was true once upon a time. Like maybe, 15 years ago (till 2000). Today, rules have changed. Needs have changed. The world has changed.
Today, more and more organisations are demanding ’life skill’ expertise. This includes soft-skills and communication skills and winning attitudes that many graduates simply don’t possess. To paraphrase a director of HR for a over 1000 people organisation, “Youngsters are so rude. They are just not courteous. They look down or look away and speak. They are unable to have simple eye contact. They need a lot of comfort without willing to be responsible enough.”
Another research shows, most people do not know how to make someone feel comfortable.
Neither are most people good at smiling at people they meet for the first time.
Sadly, most people score poorly at appreciating people and things.
Finally, they do not want to assume responsibility for results.
Not surprisingly, nearly three-quarters of hiring managers complain that millennials – even those with solid college degrees – aren’t prepared for a job and lack adequate “work ethic.”
Frequently, it is being reported that opportunities are ready, but kids aren’t. Honestly speaking, I don’t know one employer who’s asking about CAT scores or GPAs in an interview.
How will you succeed if you are not good in all the above?
Childhood may be about safety and self-esteem, but as a child grows into an adult, life requires them to master more than school exams or video games or debates with parents or complaining about what’s wrong in their life.
Genuine growth is about building life skills that shape their identity, confidence, and potential success. In other words, parent need not focus on gaining more marks, they need to make their kids adept at social skills and personal attitudes.
Growing up means venturing out, working and assuming responsibilities on their own. This means exposing them to situations where they might ‘fail’.
Our failure to let them risk and build essential life skills may explain why so many people still haven’t truly tasted success. Focussing on life skills would have prepared them for decisions that refine and develop these qualities.
Do prioritise and ensure that your lifeline, your kids, gain not just marks but also life skills. Then, you would be a ‘Wow Parent’.
