Let us think about the many important life skills that children should learn as early as possible. We senior citizens must firmly believe that teaching life skills to children is extremely important, and that we too can make a meaningful contribution in this area.
Recently, my younger brother’s eleven-year-old granddaughter and six-year-old grandson came to visit me. At that time, I was doing a small electrical repair job at home. I had an electrical tester in my hand. Suddenly, I asked my granddaughter what I was holding. She immediately replied, “It is a screwdriver.” However, she had no idea what a tester was or how it was used. I then explained to both children in detail what an electrical tester does and how it helps identify live electric current safely.
The purpose of sharing this example is simply to highlight that today many children lack knowledge of basic life skills, even though they may score above ninety percent in school examinations. Academic excellence is certainly important, but life skills are equally essential because they remain useful throughout life.
Senior citizens can make excellent use of their time at home by teaching such practical skills to children. You may say that children nowadays do not listen to elders. Perhaps that is true to some extent. But I can confidently say that your grandchildren — your own grandsons and granddaughters — will listen to you with great interest. After all, grandparents speak to children in a unique, affectionate way that innocent young minds naturally enjoy.
There are countless examples of practical skills that children should learn at home. Their parents are already putting tremendous effort into their formal education. Let us, as grandparents, try to contribute by teaching them useful life skills.
I already mentioned the example of an electrical tester. Similarly, we should think carefully about many other important life skills that children should learn as early as possible.
Let me give another example. Suppose two small children are left alone at home for a short time, and during that period one child gets injured and starts bleeding slightly. Have you ever taught the children about basic first aid? Have you shown them where the first-aid box is kept? If not, then this is something that should be done immediately.
There is another important subject I would like to discuss here. Some may call it values or संस्कार, but I would still place it under the category of life skills. Often, when elderly relatives or family friends visit the house, children quietly pass by without greeting them or even acknowledging their presence. It is the responsibility of elders to discuss such matters with children from an early age and gently teach them proper behavior and respect.
We need to create a home environment where these innocent children can learn life skills naturally and comfortably. In today’s world, force or strictness rarely works. Instead, choose a holiday or a relaxed day. Ask the children if they are free and whether they would like to learn something new and interesting — something that would impress not only their parents but also their friends. You will surely succeed in achieving your purpose.
Never think that these things should only be taught by parents. Grandparents can do this wonderfully well. Our life experience and our affectionate bond with grandchildren make this task much easier and more effective.
We simply need to keep one thought firmly in our minds — children must learn life skills, and we senior citizens must play our part in teaching them.
Author
The author is the founder of the Never Say Retire mission. In order to achieve this goal, he also runs this website and his Facebook group Never Say Retire Forum has Hundreds and Thousands of members today.
