Life Start's- Beyond Academics

How To Pick The Right Career Path?

2021-06-07T01:41:00.001+05:30

The journey of a student starts from the 11^th standard when our education system allows them to choose any one stream from the 3 conventional streams (Science, Commerce, Humanities).

As per the New Education Policy 2021, a student is allowed to choose his stream in the 9^th standard. This will give a child more time to understand and learn the basics of that subject which will build a strong foundation for them.

How a child can decide about their career in 9^th standard if they don’t have any idea what career options are available for them, which career path they pursue in the future and which one is best for them. What will be the demand of the market till they completed their graduation?

I had observed many parents and students in the dilemma of choosing the right stream or subjects which they can continue till graduation. Till now we are using the hit and trial method to find the right career path.

Is there any proven method to decide which career path is right for us? Yes.

There are some steps if you follow them you can pick the right career path for you.

Here we have 7 steps of self-analysis assessment for choosing the right career path.

1. Self-Assessment (Understand yourself first)

In our school or college, we are mostly influenced by our friends, successful siblings, and sometimes by our seniors also. But we are not sure about our originality. The first thing you need to ask yourself is who you are? What you’re good at what you enjoy the most?

We are afraid of asking these questions to ourselves due to peer pressure or family pressure. Or maybe we don’t know the right technique to find answers to these questions.

Here are some useful questions you can ask yourself.

Which subject did I enjoy the most in school?
Which activity did I love to participate in academics or beyond?
What are my good and bad characteristics?
What are the career options available in the future if I choose this particular subject?
How much time and effort it will take to excel in it?
Can I devote that amount of time without getting bored?
Do I love this subject or I’m just influenced by some other factors?

All you need is paper and pen and a willingness to write honest answers to all the questions.

This exercise will help you in identifying your true potential and interest. You can also use free self-assessment tests and career tools available online to know more about your traits and behavior.

2. Make a list of career options you want to explore

At this point, there can be two scenarios:

First is, you have some career options in your mind and you want to explore them more.

The second is, you are clueless and have no idea about any career option.

If you belong to the first category and you have your list of career options, keep it organized and choose the top 5 career options for you. Research a little bit more about them and find out the basic characteristics of the same.

For instance, you are a creative and fun-loving person, who loves to socialize with people, and the career option you want to choose is monotonous, requires more attention and time for practice. So that combination may not the best fit for you. Because it contradicts your characteristics. So careful assessment of your traits and required skills for the career option you want to pursue is necessary.

If you belong to the second category, and you didn’t have any list of career options then try to find out that career options which match your traits. Where you can utilize your natural skills and abilities and pursue them in the future by enhancing the skills you have.

3. Find the basic requirements of your top 5 career options

Every career has its requirements and required skill sets. Before you decide about any career find out the basic requirements of that career. If the requirements of that career matched with your skill sets then only you will enjoy it in a long run and grow gradually in it.

If you choose a career that is opposite of your natural characteristics or skillset, then it will be difficult for you to grow further in your career. At some point, you feel stuck or frustrated and try to find out other options or attempt to change your domain; which is very difficult after a particular period.

If we take an example of a career in teaching, basic skill sets required for that are patience, subject matter expert, human behavioral knowledge, teaching ability, understanding of child psychology, socialize nature.

If your real behavior is above 60% similar to the basic requirements of teaching, then only you can enjoy the teaching profession in the long run. Otherwise, you feel stuck or less motivated and don’t took interest in sharing your knowledge deeply with students.

Which harmful for you and students too. Likewise, every profession has its basic characteristics try to find those to choose the right career for you.

4. Know the difference between hobby and passion

There is a saying by my mentor “Passion brings money in your pocket and hobby takes money out from your pocket.”

It is important to identify whether you are influenced by your passion or hobby to choose your career.

Suppose you love to do the painting in your free time and you are looking for establishing your career as an artist.

Ask some questions to yourself before you derive to any conclusion:

Can I do painting 24x7 without feeling bored?
Can I be able to continue it lifelong whether I earn money from it or not?
Do I passionate to learn different art forms and minute details about painting?
Do I have that artistic perspective that encouraged me to see the creative side of everything?

If your answer is Yes, then there are chances you are passionate about painting is not just a hobby for you. But if the answers are No, then you need to think about other career options.

Never take your decisions in a hurry when it is about your career path. Take your time, talk to different people, take the help of professionals, research on the internet, and try to talk to yourself to bring the best out of yourself.

5. Identify how long you can pursue it

As we discussed earlier, it is necessary to identify how long you can pursue your selected career.

Here you need to think about the future scope of your selected career. In history, we have shreds of evidence that a particular career took boom for 3-4 years and due to the abundance of people in that career, it loses its dignity.

From 2008 to 2013, B.tech is so popular among the students that everyone is fascinated by it. Suddenly demand for B.tech colleges rises. And the focus of colleges shifted from quality to quantity. Consequently, we have B.tech graduates which are unemployable. They have a degree but not appropriate skills and knowledge.

So it important to consider the future of your opted course and demand in the market for it.

If you can upskill yourself according to the demands of the market and cope up with every situation then you can design your career path by your will.

6. Future possibilities of that career

As we just discussed, it is important to consider the nature and future scope of a career while choosing it.

Now the question arises, how to check future possibilities of any career?

If we talk about the current scenario, in COVID-19 the demand for online services increased suddenly. Whether it is online marketing, online classes, or online working. And if you take a sneak peek at the past 10 years there are various emerging careers are available nowadays which have never been heard or not so popular even 5 years ago.

Robotics, Machine learning, Digital Marketing Data Science, Data Analytics, Neuro-linguistic Programming, Software Development are some examples of the professions which are growing rapidly and shift to the next level in the future.

Always think about the next 10-15 years while deciding on your career. And most important, the characteristics of that career should match with your own.

If the career you choose similar to your basic nature you feel at ease in learning advancements in it, the ups and downs of market demand hardly bother you. When you are determined and passionate about your work you are ready to manage everything easily.

7. Take a final decision

Now it's time to take the final decision about your career. All the steps we have discussed till now will help in finding your goal in life and help you in deciding the right career path for you.

Once you are clear with the goal and career path to achieve that goal now you can focus on the learning process to accomplish the goal you have set.

Make Easy Money Online Myth vs Reality

2021-06-03T01:18:00.000+05:30

Earning money has typically been associated with offline mode generally.

But nowadays, the Internet taking over a large part of our lives. More people looking for ways to earn money online to increase their financial inflows with secondary income streams. Do easy ways to earn money online exists? Or it is just a myth.

If you search on the Internet you will get so many ways to Make Money Online Quickly.

Some of them are:

Freelancing
Online Surveys
Paid for searching the web
Online market trading
Start your website or Blog
Review websites & apps
Write and publish an E-book
Online Tuition
YouTuber
Selling your products online
Affiliate Marketing
Buy and Sell Domain Names etc.

But if you observe keenly, the above ways of earning extra income are not as easy as they claimed.

No doubt all the above methods are real and available online to make money. And in the pandemic of COVID-19, these methods gain lots of attention and popularity.

When someone advertises “ You can earn online by investing your 2-3 hours”. It is only a way to grab your attention. A legit online money earning method needs your time and expertise just like the traditional job.

It is a trap for amateurs when someone expresses easy ways for quick money. Nothing comes easy and free. To build a strong building you need a strong foundation. Just like that, to earn money online for the long term and do it professionally you need to invest your time into it to build a strong foundation.

At the time of COVID-19, when businesses are not prepared for the upcoming circumstances and people are losing their job and struggling with less income; the concept of the side hustle and passive blastoff in a way that everyone starts looking for online sources for extra income.

Which is a good thought.

If you read about top billionaires around the world, they always gave stress on the concept of multiple sources of income. And everyone accepts the necessity of this concept in the pandemic.

But make sure the approach you choose for another source of income is legit and you are ready to work on it for the long term. Otherwise, it feels like a quick money scheme or scam to you.

Whatever option you choose, you need some expertise and basic knowledge about the work. You should be mindful of the platform that you choose for online earning. Also do not expect to earn a huge amount quickly while using online ways to earn money.

Things you should keep in mind which choosing online earning options:

Choose 3-4 options for online earning or side hustle and research about them first.
Whether you use YouTube or buy any course try to check the authenticity of the content you are watching to learn about online money-making.
Try to talk to people who are working on it for a long.
Learn all the facts like:

What kind of basic knowledge is required for it?
How much time do you need to devote initially?
How many legit platforms are available for it?
How you can pursue it professionally in the future?
When exactly you can start earning money from it and how much?

After considering all the facts pen down your selected online income options and their pros and cons.
And try to figure out which option is best suitable for you to start your journey of extra income through the online method.
Never start multiple methods simultaneously in the confusion of which one works best for you. In this case, nothing works for you.
Take your time, do complete research and then start your journey of online income sources.
Never start anything online to earn money only. Try to follow your passion.

All the key points I had shared with you are from my personal experience.

When COVID-19 hits like everyone else, I was also in search of some online income sources where I can utilize my extra time and earn something extra.

I tried some online income sources, but one at a time.

Network Marketing,
Worked with Edu-Tech Startup. (It was a worth decision for me. I have learned so many things from this.)
Freelance PowerPoint Presentation Designing
Digital Marketing
HR-Talent Acquisition
Blogging
Website Designing

All the above options required very little amount of investment and completely risk-free if you have a timely decision-making ability.

But I found my passion for Blogging and HR-Talent Acquisition and the rest skills I learned during exploration worked as an extra benefit for me to find the right client and platform.

Online earning is not a quick get rich scheme. You need to devote your time, you must have a learning attitude and on the top, you need the patience of at least 3-6 months.

So be mindful and alert before you register yourself to any website or start something online. Do complete research about the job and the company. If it seems legit then only start on it. And have patience everything will gradually make sense and your efforts will pay off well.

Why Personal Branding Matters? | Role of Social Media In Personal Branding

2021-05-27T16:32:00.001+05:30

Personal branding is a conscious activity to create an influence on public perception. The process of personal branding involves finding your uniqueness and then allowing yourself to be known for them.

In the era of the internet, students need to understand personal branding. Their behavior on social media platforms can impact their professional life too. Students need to understand the images or information they posted on social networking sites likes, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram could be used by the organization in deciding for hiring. Even your potential customer take a look at your social accounts before deciding about the purchase.

What is the first thing you do when you meet someone the first time?

You try to find them on social media platforms. Whether it is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. You search them on social media platforms to get more information about them. Not only that, these platforms are now used to check the credibility or authenticity of a person.

Whether it is an individual or any organization they try to look for more information on social media. It gives you insights into their personal and professional life.

How much they are active on social media?
What is their thought process in general?
Where they spend their free time?
About their traveling habits.
Professional journey till now.
What kind of food do they prefer?

If any person is a little bit active on social media and shares something about them you can get an idea about them from their social media profiles.

Why Personal Branding Is Important for Career Growth?

Personal branding is a vital part of a successful job search. Personal branding is more than just creative business cards or pretty fonts- it's about how you present yourself to potential clients, customers, and anyone else imperative to your career.

According to Jeff Bezos, one's brand is "what people say about you when you're not in the room". It is what you stand for and how you present yourself.

Your brand is who you are, what you say, and what you do, and this should be reflected online.

It's an indication of what you have to offer and can make or break your success. It showcases your confidence, credibility, and ability to stand out about your firm beliefs. If you use social media correctly it is a platform for job seekers and companies looking for hiring too.

When you search for a job your updated and professional CV is an important element. Just like that, it is equally important to ensure your social media profiles are updated and working properly if they are public. It common activity for employers to google the profile of the potential candidates.

Make sure your display picture is your original one. When you have a profile with original pictures it builds a sense of authenticity for others. Beyond keeping your profile fresh and professional, you should be active on your social profiles, so that employers can contact you easily.

Social media platforms are the best platform for personal branding, social networking, finding jobs, and connect with potential customers and clients.

But what makes it best for personal banding?

According to a survey of Kepios in Jan 2021, 4.20 Billion people are on social media platforms which is 53.6% of the global population. And annually there is an increase of 13.2 percent of new users.

A large percentage of the population is online and connecting globally for more opportunities.

Personal branding through social media platforms has the biggest advantage, it is pocket-friendly. You can connect with people all over the world without spending amount on traveling, billboards, etc. This will save a hefty amount people usually spend on traditional methods.

If you closely observe, each social media platform has its characteristics:

LinkedIn for professional connections
Instagram for creative and inspirational connections
Facebook for personal connections

Selection of the right social media platform is also very important for personal branding.

COVID-19 change the whole scenario of marketing and branding of companies and individuals itself. Large auditorium seminars are now converted into online webinars.

Job seekers getting opportunities online and companies commencing the whole interview process online.

So in the end I’ll summarize the crux of today’s topic. This is high time to understand the importance of personal branding and the correct use of social media for personal online branding.

How To Raise A Happy And Confident Child?

2021-05-26T14:14:00.001+05:30

When it is about children's future, no parents want to compromise and do their best in their capacity. Every parent wants to raise their child with healthy habits desiring a successful future for them.

The Foundation of a happy and confident child start’s from its childhood.

What activities do they perform in childhood?
Where they spend their free time?
How they behave with others?
Whether they have sharing habit?
Do parents involve in activities with kids?

Likewise, there are so many basic things that build the foundation of a happy and confident child.

A happy child has a skill set that allows living life to its fullest. When a child receives appreciation and gratification for good deeds then they can pass it on to others also.

There is a book by Greg Hiebert- “You Can’t Give What You Don’t Have”.

This book is based on the personal incidences of Greg Hiebert. From a very young age, he hides his mental fears and didn’t get any psychological help for a long time.

This problem is common in every generation. Sometimes parents expect too much from their children and try to fulfill their dreams through children. Without knowing what children want from its life. What are their dreams and desires?

On the contrary, some parents don’t have any dreams and desires apart from routine life, so how they can raise a child with dreams and desires?

To raise a happy and confident child, parents need to work on their perspectives, habits, and attitude also. Family surroundings are the first school for any child. They learn, follow and believe things they see in their surroundings. Whether parents are aware or not, but a child has very sharp observation in childhood and they absorb everything from their surroundings, whether you are not much serious about that activity.

What activities parents should plan for a child?

1. Do not underestimate the power of playing.

Whether it is indoor games or outdoor games, each has its benefits on the mental and physical upbringing of a child. If we talk about indoor games like ludo, chess, monopoly, etc. These games build patience, decision-making ability, team spirit and build a healthy competitive attitude among kids.

Like so outdoor games like football, cricket, basketball have their benefits. These games construct physical strengthening, team playing, social interaction, etc.

Social interactions of kids enhance their confidence and they enjoy healthy relationships further.

2. Involve them in household chores.

Parents must involve them in household chores for the overall development of kids. It builds a sense of responsibility among the kids and it develops a cooperative and caring attitude among kids with some basic routine work. Another benefit of this activity is, it gives you more family time and children can understand the routine of their parents easily.

Nowadays, when both parents are working it is necessary children will learn some basic household chores to be independent.

3. The habit of Gratitude.

Having a habit of gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness in your everyday life forms a positive and healthy attitude among kids and parents too. Having a habit of saying “thank you”, “I am grateful” makes a big difference in the overall personality of a human. It makes them humble and kind towards others.

4. Have Reasonable Expectations.

Encouraging your kid for the best and having reasonable expectations keep them motivated towards their goal. There should be a healthy discussion at home about the interest, dreams, and desires of a kid. If they have an interest in sports or other activities try to motivate them to create a balance between studies and that activity rather than forcing them to focus on only one. Kids need mental sport from parents to open up easily with their desires. If parents give them space to open up for a healthy conversation on any topic, kids never get into the habit of hiding anything from their parents.

5. Self-discipline is a must.

The habit of self-discipline builds a strong foundation for kids to succeed in life for their goals. Whether it is studies, sports, recreational activities, or screen time. Children themselves have a habit of maintaining the balance between their activities. Every activity has its importance in the development of a child. The habit of self-discipline not only helps them to excel in academics but this habit will help them in their career also.

6. Expect Effort not Perfection.

There is an old saying- “Practice Makes Man Perfect”. Motivating your child for perfection is good but never try to force them for perfection. Overemphasizing achievement may ruin their interest in that activity. Try to teach them to be optimistic about every situation. Whether they win or lose, what they learn from that is more important. Try to build a learning attitude among kids, so they learn from every mistake and never repeat those mistakes in the future. It increases their confidence and inculcates a self-learning attitude.

7. Teach them Emotional Intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is the capability of a person to understand their emotions in different situations. It is an art of dealing with emotions that can be learned. Sometimes teenagers feel overwhelmed due to changes in hormones or difficult situations. Thinking kids will have this skill inborn is completely wrong.

It is normal for everyone to feel sad, anger, fear, sadness and disappointed. All these are normal emotions that we feel in life. try to cheer up your kid rather than being furious with them. Coach them to understand their emotions and the reason behind them. When they try to accept them as they are, gradually they will learn to handle their emotions too.

“Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.”― Eleanor Roosevelt

All the practices we have discussed till now are not only for kids but parents too. A kid is a reflection of the environment they live in. What they feel and see around them, they grasp that. If your child is showing any abnormal signs try to talk to them discover the reasons behind it.

The best thing parents can do for raising your child as happy and confident is accepting them as they are. Provide a loving and happy environment to them. Kids who feel appreciated and open to listen to by parents are more likely to thrive even in difficult situations.

Do you need a college degree to be successful?

2021-05-25T00:53:00.002+05:30

When I was in school, I always dreamed to build my career in the field of computers. I started looking for the best options or degrees related to the computer domain.

I completed my 12^th from commerce stream with computers. Then I enrolled myself in a degree course named B.C.C.A (Bachelors of Commerce with Computer Application).

Now, some of you might be thinking why didn’t I opted B.C.A (Bachelor of Computer). Correct?

My 12^th percentage is 1% less than the required cutoff percentage for B.C.A so, I picked up B.C.C.A which is a new option available those days. After completing my graduation, like most of the students, I started preparing for the entrance exam of M.C.A (Masters of Computer Application). Meanwhile, I explore other options also in case I can’t qualify for the entrance exam of M.C.A.

After M.C.A, I started my professional journey, firstly I did an internship, then different jobs which are not directly related to my degrees. The irony of maximum student life.

When COVID-19 hits the Indian market and wobbles everyone’s lifestyle and routine; then one day I’m thinking about my whole journey and how much I was eager to be an IT sector professional. But I’m working in another domain.

“Is academic excellence is the only requirement for a successful career."

Undeniably not.

The usual process of education is passing out of school followed by college then followed by a master's degree, technical or vocational training, etc.

But if you talk to any professional after their career path of 5+ years, you will realize your actual journey start’s after college. Whatever you learned in your college life is just the introduction. In your professional journey, you need to learn implementation and execution of course while keeping yourself updated with the new knowledge.

If you observe closely,

One perspective is- Yes, education is necessary because it makes us aware of all the knowledge that is available out there. It helps us to read and write and introduces us to the basics of academic knowledge.

Another perspective is- There are so many examples of highly successful entrepreneurs who either did not go to school or received very little education but with their skills, perseverance, and hard work they made it big.

So, which one is the right approach to pursue our career path?

Whether we opt for degrees or not?

If degrees are not much valuable nowadays, then what we do to get a decent job?

But most of the companies still give preference to degrees.

The answer is, the problem doesn’t solve with the degree only. What activities you did with your degree, how much you have studied and practice things seriously? All the factors combined create your actual worth.

Just watch this video.

As only an academic syllabus can not prepare you for the real challenges of life.

The judgment of people and dealing with the team.
Knowledge about the handling of critical situations.
Taking the right decisions in critical situations.
Cope up with the current scenario of the market and the latest trends in the market.
Managing clients and delivering quality service on time.
The solution-oriented approach in critical situations.

All this you will learn with experience and observation.

Google, Apple, IBM don’t focus on a degree only now. What they are looking for are skills and a learning attitude.

In the era of the internet and online learning, so much information is available on various mediums. You can learn any skill by practicing it at your home. There are so many examples among us who build an empire just by the passion for learning and doing things.

Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Jack Ma, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos owns the most highly valued companies.

Do you know what is common in them? A learning attitude. When you are at the top no one cares about your degrees. If you have a dream and passion to learn eventually you will find the way to succeed.

Do you the that dialogue of Om Shanti Om Movie-

“Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho … to poori kainath use tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai”.

This happens when you tried your best with a never quitting attitude.
Today, I am a blogger, associated with an Edu-tech startup and planning to start my consultancy project.

In the finale, I will say only one thing “If I can you can too”

Importance Of Soft Skills In Personal Life

2021-05-23T13:18:00.001+05:30

In our previous post, we had discussed the importance of soft skills for everyone. And at what age a person should start work on its soft skills.

In today's post, we will discuss the importance of soft skills in our personal life.

Soft skill is a composite expression, and each of the two words explains a significant aspect of the concept.

The word “soft” is the opposite of hard which may appear to mean “lenient”, “forgiving” and “easy-going” but inculcate soft skills in a person is not that easy.

The word “skill” highlights the practical function. The term alone has a broad meaning and describes the ability to complete any task.

Now, in the 21^st century, soft skills are a differentiator for a person's success in life and career.

How Soft Skills Helps In Personal Life?

Soft skills refer to people skills or life skills which showcase the personality traits of one’s relationship in a social environment. These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, language skills, personal habits, emotional empathy, time management, teamwork, and leadership qualities.

Let’s check how these skills will improve your personal life.

Improved Communication – In our life, sometimes we wonder why it is difficult to deal with people around us. Whether we are unable to express or they are unable to understand? We spend most of the life with our parents and siblings, still why we feel they can’t understand us well?

This situation arises due to the lack of communication among family members. Most of the time people confuse communication with just speaking or language skills. Communication is a way of expressing yourself clearly and calmly so that other people will understand you in a better way.

Before you express yourselves just think about the words you are going to use while expressing yourself. The use of harsh words, harsh tones, or taunting can ruin your conversation completely.

Once something is said, in anger or with incomplete information can damage your relationship with others. Think wisely and calmly before communicating. Taste your words before someone else taste them; If you feel hurt by those words, then it is obvious the other person will feel the same.

Always check below things while personal communication:
Get complete information about the situation before pointing to someone else.
Never reply in anger.
Taste your words before someone else taste them.
Wait for the appropriate time to talk about sensitive matters.
Keep yourself calm and compose if another person is furious.

Sometimes, you may feel that only you are taking initiative or corrective measures while communicating but others are not bothering you at all. But don’t forget this is the chance for you to showcase your leadership skills in your personal life.

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker

Skills required: Communication skills, listening skills, conflict resolution.

Healthier Relationship- When you practice calm and composed communication with others then it improves your relationship with them and their perspective too. Gradually, they also start to work on their way of communication. It improves the overall environment at your home and social connections also. You feel more likely to spend time with your friends and family rather than spending it out with others.

When you take initiative to make things right with a positive attitude then you are the actual creator of your life. Putting your feet in someone’s else shoes will give you a better understanding of their feelings too.

Have a look at this video.

Skills required: Emotional intelligence, People management, and relationship building.

Better Decisions- Soft skills are not only about better communication, but it also includes your leadership and decision-making capabilities. Kids always learn from their parents or near surrounding whether it is directly or indirectly.

Sometimes we forgot how we are reacting in certain situations but our children or other persons involved in that situation may remember that forever. When you show signs of doubts, fear, negativity in every situation, gradually it became your habit and others will not consider you when it comes to take important and quick decisions. And unknowingly you are transferring that mindset to other loved ones too.

On the contrary, if you are a confident person, a positive thinker, analyze the problem from different perspectives before making the decision, and you don’t hesitate to take risks when it is necessary then people admire you the most. They look at you as a role model. This positive attitude helps you in encouraging your loved ones too.

A leader is one, who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. —John Maxwell

Skills required: Leadership skills, Decision making, problem-solving, critical thinking.

Better work-life balance- Balance between personal and professional life is important for a healthy life. You have to learn to give equal importance to your personal and professional life when required. Sometimes, it can be difficult to balance both due to certain responsibilities but try to compensate it with little lovely gestures. When you spend time with your family after a long working day, you feel calm, relaxed, connected, and rejuvenate for upcoming events.

We all have experienced, family get-togethers, playing with kids, outing with family or friends refreshes us from all the stress we have in our daily routine life. In this fast-moving world, time spent with our loved ones is precious and memorable memories for all. These moments build more faith and a stronger foundation between the family members so that they can share their problems easily with each other.

“Having somewhere to go is home. Having someone to love is family. And having both is a blessing.”

Skills you learn: time management, social skills.

Our life is the best teacher when it comes to learning people skills or life skills. Only we need a learning attitude, to refine these skills to upgrade ourselves with the new knowledge of the emerging world.

What are 21st Century Skills? | Introduction to 21st Century Skills

2021-05-20T13:29:00.003+05:30

Introduction to 21st Century Skills

The term 21^st century skills refer to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed- by educators, school reformers, college professors, employers, and others- to be critically important to success in today’s world.

21^st century skills enable an individual to face the challenges of the 21^st century world that is globally active, digitally transforming, collaboratively moving forward, creatively progressing, seeking competent human-resource, and quick in adapting to changes.

The ground of 21^st century skills is common skills and competencies that are generally considered. The main emphasis of these skills is effective and deeper learning. It tries to eliminate traditional learning methodology that involves learning by rote and cramming of information for the sake of grades only.

21^st century skills enhance skills like:

Working with others
Analyzing situation critically
Presenting yourself confidently
Evolve deeper learning habit
Sharing of practical knowledge etc.

Why they are known as 21^st century skills?

Since the beginning of life on earth, understanding the skills to survive is essential. Survival of the fittest itself tells us the importance of “Life Skills”. Over the last 25 years, several institutions and international organizations have proposed frameworks and outlined competencies needed to address 21^st century challenges.

Why we need 21^st Century Skills?

The Delors Report (1996) proposed one of the first frameworks of 21^st century skills to identify competencies needed in the coming century. The Delors Report also formulated 4 principles identified as the 4 Pillar of Education: Learning to Know, Learning to Do, Learning to be, and Learning to Live Together.

Wagner (2010) and the change leadership group at Harvard University identified another set of competencies and skills. After hundred of interviews with business, non-profit and education leaders, Wanger stressed that students need seven survival skills to be prepared for 21^st century life survival. These skills are:

Critical thinking and problem solving
Collaboration and leadership
Agility and adaptability
Initiative and entrepreneurialism
Effective oral and written communication
Accessing and analyzing information
Curiosity and imagination.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) has also identified the need for 21^st century skills among youth. This framework is based on the assertion that 21^st century challenges will demand a broad skill set emphasizing core subject skills, social and cross-cultural skills, proficiency in languages other than English, and understanding of the economic and political forces that affect societies.

Partnership for 21^st Century Skills (P21), a coalition of business leaders and educators proposed a framework for 21^st century learning, identified essential competencies and skills vital for success in 21^st century work and life.

What skills are included in 21^st Century Skills? And Why?

As western economies have transformed from industrial-based to service-based, mastery in particular hard skills with a focus on digital literacy, are in increasingly high demand.

People skills that involve interaction, collaboration, and managing others are increasingly important. 21st century skills are also referred to as “Applied Skills”, “Soft Skills” or “Life Skills”.

The skills have been grouped into 3 main areas:

Learning and Innovation Skills: Critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration, creativity and innovation.

Digital Literacy Skills: Information literacy, media literacy, information and communication technologies (ITC) literacy.

Career and Life Skills: Flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, social and cross-cultural interaction, productivity and accountability.

It is high time that our educational institutions, faculties, and students understand the importance of 21^st century skills at an early age and include them in the curriculum. Until our youth is not flexible and adaptable to handle different situations critically and creatively; we can't ensure a better future in terms of employability for our upcoming generation.

Good Parenting Tips | I Wish My Parents Could Understand

2021-05-18T17:06:00.002+05:30

I Wish My Parents Could Understand

This statement is sometimes can be the deepest emotion of a child who had never get a chance to share their deepest desires with their parents.

Dear Parents,

Don't get us wrong, we greatly appreciate everything you have done for us. Nothing can replace the love, support, and encouragement you have given us over the years. But sometimes we need the choice to be ourselves, to think according to our age group and to do what we want.

We have never done anything for you not to trust us 100%.

We might disappoint you from time to time, but we never learn to take decisions correctly until you take all our decisions just to protect us. At times you just don't understand and you make a big deal out of the littlest things.

We are growing up in a different generation than you so no, you do not know what it is like.

1. Just because I’m talking to guys or a guy is coming over it doesn't mean he is my boyfriend.

2. When you compare me to someone else or want me to act like them you make me feel useless.

3. Not all my friends are influencing me for bad things. Please trust us we also have a sense of right and wrong people.

4. Just because I'm out all night it doesn't mean I'm breaking laws, drinking, or doing drugs.

5. I just want to be myself — I am not always going to have the best attitude.

6. Just because I am not responding the way you want, it doesn't mean I'm not listening or disobeying you.

7. Sometimes things are difficult and I'm trying my best.

8. I try to make the best decisions. But there is no single person in the whole world who is perfect.

9. I am young and am going to make mistakes.

10. If I’m connecting with people on social media, it doesn’t mean I’m interested in any kind of relationship it can be for professional purposes.

11. Punishment won't always teach me my lesson. Sometimes it makes us stubborn.

12. I have my specific ways and perspective to understand things and methods to apply.

13. I take what you say into consideration but being an elder doesn’t mean that you are always right.

14. I don't want to talk about my grades. Because grades are just one perspective of intelligence, the world had evidence for more creative people with low grades.

15. It is not impossible for me what boys do. So, stop saying these words- “Girls can’t do this or that”.

16. I am not too young to know what love is.

17. I live in a different generation.

18. I am not depressed because I am in my room all day and figuring out something.

19. Sometimes you be taking the whole situation with the wrong perspective.

20. I need my personal space sometimes.

21. We are suffering from a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety due to cut-throat competition, which you will never understand.

22. You yelling at me isn't going to do anything.

23. Just because you don't talk to us for a day doesn't mean we do whatever you want. If I strongly believe in something I try it at least once.

24. Don't compare me to neighbor's kids, maybe you are aware of the result only, but not with the effort they put into it.

25. I love you more than you'll ever know.

Parents and children fight, and there is nothing that can change that. There are times when a mother and daughter are best friends and there are also times when they hate each other.

Growing up comes with a lot of changes in our life. Our parents don't understand everything that is happening in our life. They don't understand when you need your space or when you need a hug. You need to be the one to mention those things to them.

Being away from a child made them realize all the little things their children do for them, but why parents don’t appreciate those little things when their children are with them.

When your child is growing up and maturing, it is natural they are going to make mistakes. But being a positive and good parent, you must ensure they learn from their mistakes and evolve as a better version of themselves every time. Your belief in them makes them stronger for every hurdle they face.

There is a saying-“ Learning is a never-ending process.” And this saying applies to both parents and child.

We know in your days there are no official ways for good parenting tips, but if you wish to learn some of the tips you can improve your relationship with your child easily and encourage them to touch the heights they want.

It is not much difficult to understand a child if you try to understand their point of view. Being a child they also know that time had changed and it is not easy for you also to understand the complexity of today’s era. But there is only one solution for this, try to learn new things so that you both can understand each other well.

A relationship requires two people putting in the same effort, not just one person trying to make it work.

Why Everyone Is Trying To Sell Something? | It’s All About Selling

2021-05-17T16:24:00.004+05:30

Selling! Selling! Selling!

Nowadays social media is overflowing with various advertisements.

Everyone is trying to sell something whether it is a product or service. It seems like everyone has some expertise in something and they are offering that experience to you to grow further in life.

But there are lots of people who are still wondering about some questions:

What to sell?
How to sell?
Whom to sell?
At what price to sell?

Believe it or not, most of the advertisements you will see aren’t meant for you.

Don't get me wrong, they are targeted towards your demographic and would love for you to buy but they don't expect it.

The reason you’re seeing it is the law of large numbers, and the fact that if they show enough people “like” you that someone will “need” or “want” to buy.

Fundamentally, they persuade you for buying by showing a large number of likes and positive comments. But who knows the reality behind the scene.

Another reason they are trying to “sell” you something is, they analyzed the current trends and needs of the market, which you haven’t realized. I’m not smart enough to say that I know what is best for me at all times, but in my experience of marketing, I learn some truths behind the marketing industry.

The current selling atmosphere is best summed up by exposure to social media. The reason why we have this selling atmosphere is best summed up by this quote:

Feeling confused?

Sometimes we don’t know what we need because we don’t know what that is, and it’s always good to at least attempt to explore those. Because everyone is exploring something we also tried to explore everything whether we need it or not.

Let’s understand it more clearly.

If you try to understand the psychology behind the selling, you will understand the marketing industry better.

Sales psychology is a type of process that involves considering the psyche of your target market to sell your products and services. Instead of convincing customers, to buy, they try to find a way to market to your current needs and wants. There are different ways that individuals buy products. Some customers buy impulsively and rationalize the purchase later. In other cases, the person uses logic and reason over emotion when purchasing new products.

Let’s try to decode some factors about customer behavior.

Why people buy any product or service?

If you observe your customers behavior keenly, you will discover 2 factors mainly:

The need to avoid pain or loss
The need to gain pleasure

These are the two motivating factors in a person for doing anything in their life; to gain pleasure, or to avoid pain.

People buy products or services based on emotional needs or wants, and then justify their purchase logically.

So, in the qualifying phase of the sales process, you need to find what is the desired results are your prospect is seeking? Then you must dig deep to find their internal emotional reasons for wanting your product or service.

When you connect with people and their emotional reasons for wanting what they desire, you have tremendous power to give them what they want and have them feel great about buying your product or service.

How marketers use FOMO psychology?

The advent of social media has contributed to this surge in the fear of missing out. This is because so many people post the glamorous part of their lives on social media, which tends to make other people feel like they are missing out when they cannot live up to the standards created by the glamorous people. However, what so many people forget is the fact that people only show you what they want to show you on Social media. They leave every other part out and you do not get to see the imperfect side of their lives.

FOMO marketing is a form of marketing where you leverage the consumer desire to grab every opportunity that comes their way.

What does this mean? In marketing, all you have to do when using the FOMO strategy is to ensure that your audience realizes they would be missing out if they do not purchase your item, because people do not like to miss opportunities.

Marketers aim to ensure that your audience buys on impulse rather than having to regret why they didn’t buy later.

Why do we experience FOMO?

FOMO has many different faces and triggers.

Friends’ activities: FOMO is often related to our friends’ and acquaintances’ activities that we’re not involved in. This can lead to the fear that we’re being excluded and that we’re not liked by the people that are important to us.

Too many options: However, fear of missing out can also be triggered without our friends being involved, for example by the sheer amount of possibilities for our free time. Should I have gone to that other concert? Maybe the other job would have been better?

Staying in the loop: Another cause of FOMO is the endless flow of news that is only a click away at any time thanks to our smartphones. It’s practically impossible to always be up to date with absolutely everything. But people who suffer from fear of missing out feel they need to be, clicking back and forth from newsfeed to online newspaper to messaging app so as not to miss a single trend, development, or opportunity.

Cutthroat competition: In this competitive world people are trying to learn every trending skill to get a hike or promotion in their job. Without knowing the truth, whether that skill will add value to their current domain or not. Some are doing it for a side hustle for extra earnings. No doubt marketing skill is essential and highly paid if you use it properly.

Next time when you buy something just ask one question to yourself, do it add value to your life or you are just buying it due to FOMO?

What are the 8 biggest career mistakes to avoid? | Career tips for freshers

2021-05-14T15:53:00.000+05:30

There is a saying- A smart person learns from their mistakes, but a wise person learns from other’s mistakes.

As a fresher, you are going to make numerous mistakes while looking for a job, but it doesn’t mean that you avoid handy tips available to you around the globe.

The working world, you are going to enter is completely different from what you’ve imagined it to be. It is entirely different from your college or university environment and learning the rules by doing will cost you time.

Yes, initially you are going to do mistakes because every company has some protocols or ways of doing things, which is different from the theoretical knowledge you learn till now. But there are some common mistakes you can avoid after reading this write-up.

Making decisions based on salary alone

One of the most common mistakes freshers do is focusing on salary or package alone. As Jack Ma said when you are the age of:

20 – 25 Years Old

Be a good student. Get some experience. Make mistakes. Don’t worry.
You fall, you stand up, you fall, you stand up. Enjoy it.
Don’t worry, any mistake is enjoyable learning for you; it is wonderful revenue for you.

25 – 30 Years Old

Follow Somebody. Before 30 years old.
Go to a small company. Normally in a big company, it is good to learn to process. You are a part of a big machine. But when you go to a small company, you learn the passion, you learn the dreams, you learn how to do a lot of things one time.
Before 30 years old, it’s not which company you go to, it’s which boss you follow that’s very important. A good boss teaches you differently.

Not knowing your worth

This very common thing I have observed with freshers. They are confused about the skills they have and underestimate their worth. Knowing exactly the worth of skill or talent you are going to serve for your company will give you confidence and a competitive edge in comparison to your peers performing similar jobs. Never underestimate your worth or settle for less salary, only because you are fresher. Keep track of your accomplishments. They are going to hire because you have potential; after all, if you settle for less and don’t understand your worth then who should else?

Caution: Don’t settle for less doesn’t mean that you decide this purely based on salary. Sometimes, the experience you get is more valuable than earnings.

Expecting too much, too soon

We live in a society of comparisons, our family and friends compare us often with others without knowing the background details. We all have our aspirations from our first job. We thought, if we are toper, graduated from a good college or did a particularly demanding course, so we are the best and deserve the best too.

But the fact is, industry treats all freshers more or less just the same. They judge you on several parameters, your marks and college are a part of which. Rather than expecting too much at the beginning, look for a job that has a scope of growth.

Thinking linear for your career

Sometimes, I saw students stuck in a linear career path; that I have this particular degree so I do jobs related to this domain only.

We are living in an ever-changing environment, things changing around us very fast. If 3-4 years back you decide about some particular degree or course, then it doesn’t mean that till the time you complete your course; that should as valuable as before. In the current scenario, you need to develop a learning attitude with the spirit of a possibility thinker.

Gone are the days when you find someone at the same company for 30 years. Keeping a narrow choice span is not advisable. You have to expand your horizon to explore better options for you.

Living in a deception that your qualifications are self-explanatory

In the working world, you need to prove your worth through your work. Your resume sheets can be filled with attractive words but that doesn’t set you apart from other candidates. Your confidence, knowledge about the current scenario in business, politics, markets, consumer behavior will give you an extra edge.

Use of limited ways for job searching

Don’t stick to one medium for job searching. Use your network, college campus opportunities, professional social platforms to find a good job. And don’t stick to online confirmations only; go out and give walk-in interviews, check the website of your dream companies for fresh openings. Don’t just sit idle and wait for your dream job, work to find your dream job.

Lack of preparation

Don’t do the formality of the interview with proper preparation. Prepare yourself for the different interviews you are going to attend. Keep a check on the following things:

Read the job description properly while applying for a job.
Always have a resume ready to share with your networks while searching for a job. Do minor changes before forwarding if required according to profile.
Always check all the information about the company that is available online.
When you get the first call from the company, ask for further information for better clarity of a job profile.
And the most important thing, save the number of the concerned person immediately with the company name; so if they call again you can recall the past conversation easily.
If you didn’t hear back from the company after the first call, try to call them after few days to find out the reason for no reply.
Do not just walk in casual clothes. No matter what job profile you are interviewing for, the fixed uniform for interviews is formals.

Having a ‘know-it-all’ attitude

Confidence is good but being overconfident is one of the biggest mistakes any fresher can commit. During initial days at new job, open to listen to everyone and understand the environment around you. Don’t rush to share your ideas; work on your ideas properly so that you can present them with confidence when required.

Do any of these career mistakes sound familiar? The key to success is to experience failure, overcome obstacles and take corrective actions. If you can make mistakes, learn and do better next time, you’ll be ahead of the game.

Essential 21st Century Skills- Prepare Yourself

2021-05-11T17:07:00.004+05:30

During the latter decades of the 20th century and into the 21^st century, society has undergone an accelerating pace of change in economy and technology. Its effects on the workplace, and thus demands the educational system preparing students for the workforce, have been significant in several ways.

21st-century skills comprise skills, abilities, and learning outlooks that have been identified as being required for success in 21st-century society and workplaces by educators, business leaders, academics, and governmental agencies.

This is part of a growing international movement focusing on the skills required for students to master in preparation for success in a rapidly changing, digital society. Many of these skills are also associated with deeper learning which is based on mastering skills such as analytic reasoning, complex problem solving, and teamwork. These skills differ from traditional academic skills in that they are not primarily content knowledge-based.

Traditional education systems have generally not been preparing learners to face such challenges, the global education community has increasingly talked about and mobilized in favor of the changes required.

Just have a look at the video, it showcases all the essential 21^st-century skills recommended by UNICEF, World Economic Forum, and C.B.S.E.

Unemployment is a myth; Unemployability is the fact. It's never about talent, hard work, marks/grades, qualifications, & experiences. People just lack the right skills.

How 21^st Century skills are different from the current curriculum?

21st-century skills are a blend of knowledge, thinking, innovation skills, media, Information and Communication Technology.
They are designed to provide real-life experience in the context of core academic subjects.
21st century, engage the learner in the learning environment effectively and develop skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.
In this way, students will be prepared with the necessary knowledge and life skills that will help them to be successful in their future careers.

Who needs to learn these skills?

When it comes to learning there is a myth in our society that only students need to adopt new skills. But when it comes to 21^st-century skills, whether you are a student, teacher or professional everyone needs to learn new skills in their entire life for a better understanding of the emerging world and changes into business globally.

Teachers play a significant role in helping students develop 21st-century skills by applying methods that increase students' abilities. If teachers are equipped with these skills then only they can implement them in their classroom. We need to understand this fact that, first of all, we need to equip our teachers for 21^st-century skills.

In this globally and digitally interconnected world, all learners, from cradle to career, need new skills and knowledge to succeed. If we want to prepare our children for success in school, work, and life, opportunities to learn 21st-century skills are essential. These 21st-century skills are not only important to students but everyone now than ever before. They not only provide a framework for successful learning in the emerging world but ensure that everyone can thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops.

Soft Skills- Why Soft Skills Are Important For Everyone

2021-05-10T01:05:00.006+05:30

Well whether you are a student, professional or even a parent soft skills are significant for everyone. We are encircled by people at every stage of life. Whether it is our family members, friends, colleagues, seniors, or others we met. The art of knowing how to get along with people and displaying a positive attitude is crucial sometimes.

Here soft skills play an essential role in our life at every phase of life.

What are Soft Skills?

Soft skills or interpersonal skills are important aspects of one’s personality. Soft skills are often called as people skills or life skills. They are personal attributes that can affect relationships, communication, and interaction with others.

Soft skills are a collection of personal qualities, attitudes, habits, and social behavior that illustrates an overall personality of a person. These skills can include social graces, communication abilities, language skills, personal habits, cognitive or emotional empathy, time management, teamwork, and leadership traits.

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

Hard skills are a set of skills or expertise that shows you have knowledge about a particular subject and you have expertise on it. Subjects you will learn in school or college come under hard skills. Hard skills are technical skills you have for any particular subject or field.

When you pop out for a job to start your professional career, companies look for a combination of hard skills and soft skills in the potential employee before hiring.

If employers looking for both skills in a candidate, then why these skills are not part of our curriculum till now?

Do our schools and colleges doesn't know the importance of these skills or they are ignoring the importance of soft skills for a student?

When we should start learning Soft Skills?

If we talk about hard skills, subjective knowledge or technical skills; our school and college studies are focused on these skills very well. But why they forget about soft skills.

The trend has changed in the last years. Hard skills still represent a fundamental aspect, but soft skills equated them for importance. According to the leadership professor Robert Lavasseur, most of the researchers he interviewed in this field “rated soft skills higher than technical skills”. Because of their rising importance, the need to teach soft skills has become a major concern for educators and employers all over the world.

“The development of soft skills is much more difficult than the development of hard skills because it requires actively interacting with others on an ongoing basis and being willing to accept behavioral feedback”.

The OECD ‘Future of Education and Skills 2030’ report released in 2019 highlighted the growing importance of soft skills in education due to trends such as globalization and rapid advancements in technology and artificial intelligence, which demand changes in the labor market and the skill set which future workers require to succeed.

Another key finding from the literature is that to maximize the benefits of soft skills over the long term, they should be focused on young children particularly from the age of 1 – 9 years old.

If our schools start teaching soft skills from 9 years onwards from now, then we can empower our future generation and equip them with the right combination of skills they require for future jobs. Because like any other skill, students need ample time to practice these skills.

Why we undervalue soft skills?

It is considered by default that technical skills or hard skills are of great significance in executing or performing any job. But, do you think just knowing ‘how to do the task?’ can help you perform the task effectively?

Well, If you ask me, I don’t think so. According to me, what plays a major role in performing a task effectively are the ‘soft skills’.

I believe that being part of the society, the reason why people undervalue interpersonal skills is that they believe these skills are generally fixed — how often have you heard someone be described as a ‘natural born leader’. They think either you are born with these skills or you will simply live without them. And this mindset makes people put less effort into these skills.

But the scenario is completely changed now, as more and more job activities become automated, soft skills, which cannot yet be replicated by machines, have become more important.

Deloitte also reported that "soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030" and that hiring employees with more soft skills could increase revenue by more than $90,000.

So, it is high time to polish your soft skills before this growing competition will leave you behind.

Leave your suggestions and opinions in the comment box. Share it with others also.

Parenting Styles- How parenting styles impact the development of a child?

2021-05-08T18:14:00.020+05:30

Parenting doesn’t come with a rule book. Our parents also learn parenting by doing. They have some unofficial guidelines from their elders but don’t much aware of the types of parenting and technicalities involved in it.

Parenting is a dynamic process, influenced by socio-cultural factors. It is an important contributing factor for a child's overall development.

Parenting styles are the representation of how parents respond and nurture their children. The quality of parenting can be more essential than quantity. How much time did parents spend with their children? How parents are engaging in different activities with their children?

Parenting practices any parents choose demonstrate only specific behavior, while parenting style represents broader patterns of parenting practices.

Majorly there are 4 recognized parenting styles. These styles are based on the below factors:

Level of expectation
Performance demand
Attentiveness
Authority
Level of discipline

Let’s check which parenting style you are using with your child.

Authoritative Parenting or Democratic Parenting Style

Authoritative parents are responsive to their children and willing to listen to questions children have. These parents are more nurturing and forgiving rather than punishing their children.

Pros on children:

Open communication with kids.
Well-behaved and accomplished kids.
Mentally and emotionally balanced.
Kids are more responsible and social.

Cons on children:

Sometimes, kids don’t see their parents as legitimate authority figures.

This type of parenting creates the healthiest environment for a growing child in their development.

Authoritarian Parenting or Strict Parenting Style

Authoritarian parents allow for little dialogue between parent and child and expect children to follow a strict set of rules and expectations. They usually rely on punishment to demand obedience.

Pros on children:

Well-behaved children
Focused and goal-oriented

Cons on children:

A child has low self-esteem.
Children can be fearful or shy.
Face difficulty in social networking.
Cam behaves differently, when outside of parental sight.

In authoritarian parenting, children are expected to follow strict rules; failure to follow such rules usually results in punishment.

Mostly, authoritarian parents fail to explain the reason behind such rules. These parents are status-oriented and expect their orders to be followed without explanation.

Permissive Parenting or Indulgent Parenting Style

Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children. They often talk to their child as a friend more than that of a parent. They are non-traditional and lenient parents, who allow considerable self-regulation and avoid confrontation.

Pros on children:

Better Communication
Improved self-esteem
Enhanced imagination
Increased positivity

Cons on children:

Poor emotion regulation
Rebellious and defiant when desires are challenged
Low persistence to challenging tasks
Antisocial behavior

Permissive parents are very responsive and warm but also reluctant to enforce rules.

Uninvolved Parenting or Neglectful Parenting Style

Neglectful parenting is one of the most harmful styles of parenting that can be used on a child. It is unlike the other styles. If parents recognize themselves as neglectful parents or if a friend recognizes them as a neglectful parent, it is an alarming time to take assistance so that they can get back on track to have a healthy and communicative family.

Pros on children:

Some children find their way by learning things on their own, due to fear of dependence on others.

Cons on children:

There is no trust foundation with their parents.
Children are emotionally withdrawn.
Have an increased risk of substance abuse

Due to a lack of emotional responsiveness and love from their parents or guardians, children raised by uninvolved parents have a harder time forming relationships with others later in life.

If you observe closely, there is no set path for the upbringing of a child. There only one way to ensure the right development by implementing a combination of the above parenting styles according to the situation. Just try to understand your child's desires and act accordingly.

Parenting Tips | How Parent’s Play An Important Role In Child Overall Development?

2021-05-07T18:53:00.009+05:30

This topic is so close to my heart because I can completely relate my life to this topic.

I was born and bought up in a small town with a joint family. In a joint family, a child gets lots of care and attention all the time. Everyone attempts to pamper you and protects you from everything. It seems so worthy initially because every time there are lots of people around you to take care of every wish you have in your life. Your life gives the impression of a fairy-tale.

My life was so pleasant till my post-graduation; I was in so protective environment. I never had an idea about the reality of the outside world exactly. My complete routine revolves around my family, friends, and studies only.

But when I stepped out after my post-graduation for a job, then I realized that I missed a lot of things till 20+ years of my life.

I was less confident, introverted, and not comfortable while conversing with anyone except my close circle. On the contrary, my friends are so confident and full of excitement for a completely new journey of life.

But why there is a huge difference between us? Why I am not so excited and confident like my friends?

Then I realized the difference between the environments we had in our families.

Here, the role of parents plays an important role in the overall development of a child. It is the right guidance of parents that develops the character of the child. Parenting is an ongoing job. The proper role of the parent is to provide an environment of encouragement, support, and access to activities that enable the child to master key developmental tasks.

The parents’ roles are of the maximum importance for the personality development of the children. Basic traditional roles of being a parent are: nurture and educate children, discipline them, manage home and financially support family, whereas modern roles brought active participation of parents in children overall development. The main idea is that parenting style must be child-centered and should aim to optimal growth and development of their children, to help them have adequate biological, social, psychological, and emotional growth.

Take Care of the Biological Needs of Children

The first role of the parents is to take care of their child’s biological needs. Providing physical care to fulfill the needs of the child imply: proper food, fresh air, good lighting, enough sleep, recreation time, etc.

Socio-Cultural Development

Children observe everything at home. How family members are interacting with each other? How arguments are settled in the family? It teaches them a variety of good values that are imbibed and crucial to growing up. The child learns how to behave with other kids, playing to a common goal, team spirit, picking the right friends and a lot more.

Mental Development

Parenting styles help the child learn innovatively, accepting failures and overcoming them, understanding discipline, accepting feedback, and the award-and-punishment concept. It governs their response to stimuli, thus molding their minds.

Take Care of the Social-Emotional Skills

Another duty of you as a parent to help your child in acquiring emotional wellbeing. There are positive factors, such as praise, encouragement, calm talk and response,

affectionate attention, etc. that will help to build healthy emotions. Each child is unique, don’t compare your child with others (especially when you observe a weakness), rather help him deal with being different and even encourage him to be unique.

Assist your children in learning how to express their feelings and desires and help them develop healthy relationships. If you want to raise an emotionally healthy young adult, be calm and emotionally supportive. Teach your child how to control and change their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors according to the situation.

Discipline Gently

Understand what a child is communicating directly or indirectly by his attitudes and behaviors. A major aspect of parenting is to establish and maintain proper communication with your child in the family by sustaining a certain level of discipline.

How you communicate with your child in odd situations, matters a lot? Always have a calm reaction, respond consistently, and appropriately, sensitively, and gently give corrective feedback to your child when his behavior is inappropriate. A calm and emphatic talk helps children become conscious of their mistakes. An upset reaction increases the tendency of a child to defend him.

Support and Motivate the Child

If you want your child to be successful and to achieve his goals, encourage and motivate him. Positive motivation and encouragement are a must, love your kids both when they succeed and when they fail.

Teach the child to look at failure as a situation of learning and not as a tragic situation. Listen to them and be supportive, encourage instead of crushing the child’s capacity to say no, at all costs.

Spiritual Development

Understanding religion, prayer, knowing right from wrong, being empathetic, having the right ethical values, valuing elders or Youngers, and strengthening goal-setting liberate the free spirit in children. Teaching your children to be more accepting and believing in the greater good can help them gain a sense of purpose. Try not to bound them to any particular religion and let them explore spirituality on their own.

Life Start’s-Beyond Academics | Do Our Educational Institutions Preparing Us For The Future?

2021-05-07T15:44:00.006+05:30

School and College can be the absolute best years of a person’s life; full of fun, freedom, and meaningful learning that helps you on the way to getting the career that you have always dreamed of.

However, suddenly leaving the comfort zone of college and being thrust into the big wide world brings something new for new graduates.

Though they may be equipped for certain niche careers, they also need to have learned and know how to apply some important practical life skills to be able to fully embrace and adjust to this new, fully adult life.

Academics have always been an essential part of human development. It prepares us to survive in the outside world and establish an identity of our own. It creates the basic foundation of the person. Students get aware of their surroundings by the kind of stuff they learn in school or college.

But, is an individual’s development restricted to merely academics? Do the stuff we learn in school and college is sufficient to step out in this competitive and practical world?

In India, from an early age, we have been taught that education is limited to the boundaries of academics only; the idea of getting out into the field, for gaining practical experience, is always considered a hoax.

Whenever a student tries to learn something or trying something different on their own, parents always interrupt them by saying- focus on your board exams, complete your studies first.

Do our school or college studies prepare us for the competitive world we are going to face after completing our graduation or post-graduation?

If yes, then:

Why students are committing suicides when they get a little bit less percentage. Is getting 99.9% is the only purpose of our education?
Why parents or even student compare them with someone else marks, packages, numbers of friends, likes on social media? Do we come on earth to compete with others or there is some specific purpose of our life?
Why students from the average college are not getting jobs with decent salaries at the initial stage of their job.
And most important, why so many people whether they are experienced or at an early stage of their career lost their jobs in COVID-19?

Don’t you think these signs are indicating something? Something is missing in our education system or we can say that we are forgetting the purpose of our life.

Here, the concept of Beyond Academics comes:

Beyond academics is a combination of life skills that focus on the 360-degree development of a student. It includes physical wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, intellectual wellbeing, environmental wellbeing, social wellbeing, occupational wellbeing, and spiritual wellbeing.

All the above skills come under the category of soft skills or social skills. If we ensure all these aspects of a person in his upbringing, then we can build a strong foundation for a student who is more confident to face any challenge in his life.

Life Start's- Beyond Academics

How To Pick The Right Career Path?

Here we have 7 steps of self-analysis assessment for choosing the right career path.

1. Self-Assessment (Understand yourself first)

2. Make a list of career options you want to explore

3. Find the basic requirements of your top 5 career options

4. Know the difference between hobby and passion

5. Identify how long you can pursue it

6. Future possibilities of that career

7. Take a final decision

Make Easy Money Online Myth vs Reality

Things you should keep in mind which choosing online earning options:

Why Personal Branding Matters? | Role of Social Media In Personal Branding

Why Personal Branding Is Important for Career Growth?

But what makes it best for personal banding?

How To Raise A Happy And Confident Child?

What activities parents should plan for a child?

2. Involve them in household chores.

3. The habit of Gratitude.

4. Have Reasonable Expectations.

5. Self-discipline is a must.

6. Expect Effort not Perfection.

Do you need a college degree to be successful?

“Kehte hain agar kisi cheez ko dil se chaho … to poori kainath use tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai”.

This happens when you tried your best with a never quitting attitude.Today, I am a blogger, associated with an Edu-tech startup and planning to start my consultancy project.

Importance Of Soft Skills In Personal Life

How Soft Skills Helps In Personal Life?

Improved Communication – In our life, sometimes we wonder why it is difficult to deal with people around us. Whether we are unable to express or they are unable to understand? We spend most of the life with our parents and siblings, still why we feel they can’t understand us well?

Better Decisions- Soft skills are not only about better communication, but it also includes your leadership and decision-making capabilities. Kids always learn from their parents or near surrounding whether it is directly or indirectly.

What are 21st Century Skills? | Introduction to 21st Century Skills

Introduction to 21st Century Skills

21st century skills enhance skills like:

Why they are known as 21st century skills?

Why we need 21st Century Skills?

What skills are included in 21st Century Skills? And Why?

The skills have been grouped into 3 main areas:

Good Parenting Tips | I Wish My Parents Could Understand

Why Everyone Is Trying To Sell Something? | It’s All About Selling

Why people buy any product or service?

How marketers use FOMO psychology?

Why do we experience FOMO?

Friends’ activities: FOMO is often related to our friends’ and acquaintances’ activities that we’re not involved in. This can lead to the fear that we’re being excluded and that we’re not liked by the people that are important to us.

Too many options: However, fear of missing out can also be triggered without our friends being involved, for example by the sheer amount of possibilities for our free time. Should I have gone to that other concert? Maybe the other job would have been better?

What are the 8 biggest career mistakes to avoid? | Career tips for freshers

Making decisions based on salary alone

20 – 25 Years Old

25 – 30 Years Old

Not knowing your worth

Expecting too much, too soon

Thinking linear for your career

Living in a deception that your qualifications are self-explanatory

Use of limited ways for job searching

Lack of preparation

Having a ‘know-it-all’ attitude

Essential 21st Century Skills- Prepare Yourself

How 21st Century skills are different from the current curriculum?

Who needs to learn these skills?

Soft Skills- Why Soft Skills Are Important For Everyone

What are Soft Skills?

Soft Skills vs. Hard Skills

When we should start learning Soft Skills?

Why we undervalue soft skills?

Parenting Styles- How parenting styles impact the development of a child?

Authoritative Parenting or Democratic Parenting Style

Permissive Parenting or Indulgent Parenting Style

Uninvolved Parenting or Neglectful Parenting Style

Parenting Tips | How Parent’s Play An Important Role In Child Overall Development?

Take Care of the Biological Needs of Children

Socio-Cultural Development

Mental Development

Discipline Gently

Support and Motivate the Child

Spiritual Development

Life Start’s-Beyond Academics | Do Our Educational Institutions Preparing Us For The Future?

This happens when you tried your best with a never quitting attitude.
Today, I am a blogger, associated with an Edu-tech startup and planning to start my consultancy project.

21^st century skills enhance skills like:

Why they are known as 21^st century skills?

Why we need 21^st Century Skills?

What skills are included in 21^st Century Skills? And Why?

How 21^st Century skills are different from the current curriculum?