Teaching Children to Work Hard

As a parent, it is really hard to rise up a child. You have to think of all the pros and cons with the things you teach to your child. Especially nowadays, those kids are already wise even at their very young age. With the advent of the use of computers, internet, television and other multimedia gadgets, teaching children on how to work hard to reach their goals in life becomes more difficult. Peer pressure and family situations are some factors to focus on. Goal setting and motivation do not come naturally for the kids, parents have to teach it and mold it on the minds of the children. Teaching children to work hard for their goals should start from the parents. They should set as good examples to their kids. Here are some tips on how to teach children to work hard:

1. Teach the child on goal setting. First, you should let your child understand the meaning of goal. Then once he understands what the goal is, tell him to think of the goal he wants to accomplish. Like for example in school, your child wants to get a perfect score in his exams. You should help him define his goal. Like telling him to spend at least 15 to 20 minutes every night studying for every subject before the scheduled exam. Then, a night before the exam, tell him to study at least 30 minutes as exam preparation.  In this way, he will not have a hard time studying for all his subjects.  Tell him also that perseverance is very important in order to achieve his goal.

2. Let the child write down his goal.  Once the child already thinks of his goal, may it be short-term or long-term, tell him to write it down.  In this way, your child will not forget all about it. It will help him realize that goal setting should always be a part of his life, and he has to take it seriously. It should be a part of his personal “to-do list”.

3. Observe what motivates your child. Motivation begins with wanting something. Encourage your child to really think why he wants something, and then you tell him that motivation will help him become successful in his goal. Like for example, your child wants to buy a game boy.  So as a parent, you can tell your child that if he will study hard and get high grades in school, you will buy him a game boy as a reward for all his efforts.  In this way, you can help your child be motivated to do something to make his dream come true.

4. Praise your child in all his attempts to work hard. Positive encouragements, especially from parents that can help boost the ego of the child to work hard. Tell your child that if ever he commits some mistakes, he should not be negative about it.  Instead tell him that committing mistakes will lead him to success. It is from these mistakes that a person will try harder to be successful in his endeavor. As a parent, you should not ever forget to praise your child even how simple his accomplishment is.

5. Let your child make his own choices within the frames of moderate parental guidance. Just like everyone, kids want to make their own choices, may it be good or bad. As a parent, though, you have to let your kid understand on every decision he makes. You have to guide your child gently with encouragement about the goal he wants to accomplish.

6. Emphasize “do your best” to your child. Tell your child that in every work he does, he should put all his best efforts on it. For without hard work, everything that he plans will just be useless. Emphasize to him that he has to take things seriously in order to make his dreams come true. Once he does this, he will experience happiness and contentment with everything he does. This will help him establish a foundation for a good work ethic, something that he will carry throughout his life.

With all these tips, teaching your child on how to work hard will become less difficult and makes you become more fulfilled as a parent especially if your child also cooperates.

A Career After College

College graduation plays an important role in every student’s life.  It is the breaking free from the four corners of the classroom and paving goodbye to “student-hood”. No more school works to finish, no more to school projects and compulsory school club attendance, no more to research papers, and no more to mind-boggling examinations. Graduation is the main exit point from the routine which a college student has to go through for four years or more.  For others, however, college graduation is a start of a new beginning- the start of an endless journey.  It is the turning point wherein a student is not a student anymore, but a new professional who will be embarking on a fresh chapter in his/her life.  It is the first step of embracing the real world away from the comforts of school – the real world of a “working class.”

We should take into consideration that before entering the working class, we were able to decipher already during our college days the career we want to pursue after college graduation.  Of course, it is the general rule that one will likely settle with a career that fits his/her course in college such as Accountancy students will go for accountant jobs, Biology students for a medical-related profession, or a Journalism major student towards a mass media job.

Sometimes, however, it is not by default that a fresh college graduate will pursue a career in-line with his/her college course. There are some who chose a career far-out from what they studied in college – i.e., a Chemistry major running an Italian restaurant, a Business Management graduate as a successful fitness instructor, or a Biology graduate who is now a top-brass intelligence officer.

Hence, we ask – What drives people to choose a career that is off-tangent from the course they studied in college? What are the factors considered in choosing a career to pursue?

PASSION AND PRACTICALITY

Passion and practicality are two main factors that influence individuals what kind of career they will pursue. A combination of both makes a very idealistic well-being of a career oriented person. It is not all the time that one can savor these two very important things in a career. There are those who chose to follow their passion instead of wealth and fame that he/she can get from another job. There are some people, on the other hand, who chose the practical reasons in choosing a career, such as higher income, power and fame, and a less stressful job.

Passion.  During the time when we still students, we had this vision of what we want in the future. There were dreams of becoming a lawyer, a doctor, or to take good care of a one big happy family. Other dreams were drawn towards the limelight such as being a famous movie star or politician. Because of this vision, one chooses a career that will get him/her to that vision. In other words, this is what an individual really wants to do. This is passion.

Not all people passionately love their jobs. There are those who chose the other side of the fence rather than pursue their passion. There are some, however, who grow loving their jobs. Passion is something that is very important because if there is no passion and drive to do one’s job, every day will be a drag in going to the workplace.  Instead of enjoying work, one gets bored easily and shows no excitement in the workplace.  This can actually adversely affect someone’s performance in the job. Because he/she has no drive to do the job because of the lack of interest to it, there is a tendency that work outputs are sheer product of mediocrity.

Practicality. There are some graduates who get into a job which they do not like in the first place. Among the major reasons why people choose practicality over passion in their chosen fields is the fact of higher income from the job, simple job yet earning so high, the comfort offered in the job, and the prestige of the job.   Accordingly, choosing practical reasons over passion is, in itself, a practical thing to do. For others, one can still pursue the thing that he/she really wants to do after retirement.

In times like now wherein global financial crisis is at its hype, one should choose a job or career that is practical.

Looking the abovementioned scenario of what a fresh college graduate is likely to go through after graduation; one can say that it is not that easy to enter the “working class.” One has to make tough decisions on what career to pursue – on whether one will choose his/her passion or to pursue a career that is more practical, regardless if that is really what one wants.

Furthermore, the most important thing about in the working class is that one should be able to contribute in the society.  It is not necessarily something very expensive or material stuff. By simply being a good citizen and honest worker are enough contributions in the society. Furthermore, by paying taxes as well as observing environmental laws, one has contributed a significant part in the society.

Meanwhile, when it comes to choosing a career path, one should balance what is worth pursuing at – weighing the advantages and disadvantages because the corporate world is way bigger (and most of the time more cruel) than the world we have inside the school.  Furthermore, if one is caught in the situation that he/she has both passion and practicality on his/her side in choosing a career, then one should not waste time to grab that opportunity. If there is only the presence of one (whether passion or practical reasons), we should see to it that our decision will be for long-term results. Foresight is the key for success.

Importance of Education

Education is a primary factor to attain the ladder of success, not only economically but also morally. The supposed purpose of education is career advancement, higher wage or pay and easy job search. However, if we think deeper, education has also a social purpose. It teaches us how to live and love. It molds us on becoming responsible individuals to the world we live in.

Way back before the industrial revolution, educational importance was limited to: 1.) learning, 2.) preparation for wise leadership and personal achievement, and 3.) opening your mind to new ideas. What about today? And what about tomorrow? It is something we should think about for our children.

Learning is a means of overcoming ignorance. It makes you open your mind and explore your gift of intelligence. It enables you to think and learn from your mistakes. It gives you a sense of direction. And prepares you to what you would become in the near future.

As they say “man is a unique being”. We have our own different minds. Therefore, we all learn differently. That is why; we need education in order to fully understand the meaning and essence of learning.  In school, we have our teachers to teach us and guide us in our learning process. At home, we also have our parents to mold us on becoming concerned and well-informed individuals. Since childhood, specifically, at the age of three or four, we are already starting to learn. Our parents send us to preparatory school – nursery and kindergarten. It is where we start to learn how to write and read three to four letter words.  At the age of seven, we then start our elementary level. Here, we learn how to read words, phrases and sentences. Our teachers teach us many lessons in all subjects. Until we reach high school and finally, college. After graduating from college and become a degree holder, one is already prepared to face a new horizon. One may now start to look for a job that best fits him or her.  And where he or she believes would attain success in his or her career life. However, education does not end there for many professionals. Some would still take up masteral degree or doctorate in order to increase their learning prowess.  Therefore, education is a very long process, if not, never-ending. For as long as we live, we need to be educated.

Education, however, is not only limited to school learning.  One also becomes educated through the use of computer. We are now in the so-called “industrial society”. Therefore, it is not new to us if one gives interest in computer education. Learning is not only obeying or following, it is also exploring. Through the use of computer, we expand our knowledge to many things. We can use our mind and try new discoveries. Unlike in school where students develop their memorization skills, in computer, the individual learns to discover his talent and passion in the virtual world.

The importance of education, therefore, is not basically to receive higher pay and find good job opportunities. However, also on our ability to blend with the common society, discover how to live a rewarding life through enhancing our talents and skills and developing our inner self.