Do you see the future?

 In the previous century, we could tell our children to go to school, study hard and get a job. And it worked out exactly that way.

But that approach is no longer working. Now we must teach our children to become problem solvers and independent thinkers. 

The challenge is how do we as parents move away from our last century thinking to teach our children how to survive in the twenty-first century?

Our children are growing up in a world that's vastly different from the one that we grew up in. We didn't have internet and cellphones, there was no Google, Facebook, or WhatsApp. We didn't have to deal with cyberbullies. We had to deal with the real flesh and blood bully who would beat you up and terrorise you, and that was bad enough. But he or she had a name and a face. 

We definitely didn't have to deal with Covid19 and people close to you and across the world dying.

We also could find a job much easier. All we had to do was read and write, send our CV off and then wait for that all-important phone call, which did or didn't come.

But now things are different. There are more people than jobs. There are fewer opportunities if you are still thinking the old way. If you are still stuck in the 1900s then all you will see is unemployment around you. You can no longer tell your child to get a job because there simply isn't enough at the moment. Covid-19 made sure of that.

But still, parents are refusing to realise that new careers are being created every day on the internet. People without qualifications are making money and coming up with creative solutions to problems. People with degrees can no longer just rely on their qualifications. The world now wants creators, innovators, inventors, people who can look at a situation and see a solution where others see only problems. The world now needs the ones who see opportunities where others think there is none.

The art of making money is no longer a formal one. We are moving towards a world where skills will be in demand. If you can't afford to send your child to university, encourage them to follow their passions, let your child explore and experiment with new ways of doing things. Allow them to come up with their own ideas. Support your child in this quest.

Children are making money with the most ridiculous things on Youtube and Instagram. They are becoming millionaires by posting pictures of themselves in the latest fashion. A few years ago that would've seemed impossible. But now it's happening. And all those children are being encouraged, guided, and coached by their parents. 

I'm not saying that everyone will become rich y posting pictures on Instagram and making Youtube videos. But at least allow your child the freedom to be creative. And don't let money be your motivation. 

We must begin to imagine a future where our children can contribute to society in many ways. We must also take an active role in their lives and be there to guide them and support them as they are pursuing their dreams. We must start raising children who don't see their degree as something to flaunt and rely on but to appreciate it as a door that opens opportunities to knowledge and how to apply it.

Being a child in 2021 is already hard enough, don't be the reason that your child's life is even more difficult.

Start seeing the world through your child's eyes. And ask how you can make it better. 

You have the opportunity to raise a curious child who will always look at the world with wonder, one who will not be afraid to try new ideas and have fun in finding solutions. Use that opportunity

Talk to your child. Listen to their ideas. Encourage their dreams. And get informed about the world that we live in. You might find yourself pursuing a new career in the process, or learn something new too.