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Is Your Child Clueless?
How aware is your child? Is your child's general knowledge fairly good, or is it weak? Does your child have an opinion on current affairs?
Encourage your older, school-going child to read the newspaper everyday, as a matter of habit. A good age to start your child reading the newspaper would be between 10 to 12 years. Of course, your child can start reading it even earlier, even if he just begins with the cartoon section and looks at all the pictures. Your child can begin by reading the headlines everyday and then discussing them with you. Yes, make it a point to discuss current affairs with your child if you want your child to develop an interest in world issues. Of course, all your discussions need not center around news, but you can definitely make it a point to discuss it for a short time everyday, in addition to discussing what your children did at school and other things.
The more you discuss the news with your child, the more interested he will be with what is going on in the world. True, it is not essential for you to be involved in increasing his knowledge of current affairs. Many children develop the habit of reading the newspaper on their own as they grow up and interact with friends who do the same, but then there are so many others whose general knowledge is so poor that they have no idea with what's going on, and suddenly, one day they may find themselves in social company where everyone is avidly discussing the latest happenings while they stand there at a loss, unable to participate in the conversation.
26-year-old Lalitha had a great job with a small advertising company, and had a small bunch of really close friends with who she would go out and have a great time every weekend. One day, when she was on a holiday and had to interact with new and different people, she suddenly realized how inadequate her knowledge of world affairs was. She was so caught up in her own little world, that her lack of current affair knowledge never seemed to be a big deal. And then, when these new people who she had just met, turned to her and asked her for her opinion on the ongoing elections, she gulped, looked blank, and wished the floor would open up and swallow her.
She then went home and devoured the newspaper for more information, so that she doesn't come across as so clueless the next time she is at a social gathering. Of course, her interest was only short lasting, and a few months later she had to endure the same shame. Gradually, she pushed herself into being more regular and worldly aware, and now is more confident about her abilities to hold a conversation on a wide variety of topics.
A knowledge of current affairs makes your child more socially confident as it makes her a better conversationalist - and, consequently, a more confident person on the whole. In addition, knowing what is going on in the world will make her more keen to be a part of the action. Statistics show that people with a good knowledge of current affairs are more motivated than those who show no interest with what is going on around them. So this evening instead of gossiping about the neighbours, discuss Prince Charles's wedding to Lady Parker Bowles or the VAT with your children.
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