Archive for shyness – Page 2

Questions that shape your child’s future

“How do I make my child future-ready?” This is an oft repeated question. Being future-ready is not an all-in-one package deal. Being future-ready in today’s climate is the ability to unlearn and learn. In this article I would like to talk about one of the important aspects of unlearning and learning – asking questions.

What is the best thing you could do with a question? Of course, it is to ask. Asking questions helps children to learn and have come to their own conclusions. However, many children refrain from asking questions. Have you ever wondered how you could help your child with it? To cultivate effective inquiry skills in your child, it is important to create a question-asking environment at home. Questions are the secret bullet that make your child future-ready. It is this environment that they are going to wear and carry around when they go out into the world.

A recent survey by World Economic Forum lists Critical Thinking as one of the top two skills required to thrive in the new world order. Experts are of the opinion that asking questions is what sparks curiosity and critical thinking in children. Questions drive thinking, enquiry and action. The strategies below will help you to create an inquiry-confident mindset for your child.

1. Ask your child about their questioning ventures of the day

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According to Nobel laureate physicist Isidor I. Rabi, it is one question that shaped his life. He credits his curiosity to his mother’s question, “What did you ask in the class today?”

What do you ask your child when they come back from school? Do you ask them “How was your day?” or “What did you learn?” If you change your question a little bit to enquire about what did they ask, you will gradually observe a different effect in them. This will help them to understand we are all enquirers first and then learners. Isn’t that an effective step to be future-ready?

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2. Help to manage the anxiety of looking stupid in front of others

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Is your child scared that their questions would not make sense? Does your child feel that their peers or teachers would ridicule them for asking? It is time to inject some confidence into your child. While you are doing that, take time for some introspection as well. Are you being kind when you answer to your child’s questions? When your child asks a seemingly stupid question, take time to discuss that topic and help your child to frame a better question. The future is for people who can do out of the box thinking. Out of the box thinking comes from asking such questions. Tell your child that being future-ready means developing the courage to ask such questions.

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3. Promote communication skills in your child

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Many children (and adults) refrain from asking questions, not because they don’t have anything to ask or they are shy. It is because they are not sure how to frame their questions so that it will sound valid. Helping your child to practice good communication skills will help tremendously in this area.

When you ask questions to your child, be sure to ask ‘Why’ or ‘How’ questions instead of a question that gives you an ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer. Be flexible to listen and respond to contradicting ideas.

One thing that is certain is that the future of mankind is only going to be more confusing. Knowing how to question the right way is their passport to take on the challenges of the uncertain world ahead of them. Equip your child with the necessary question-asking skills to be future-ready.

You may find our workshops on thinking skills and creative confidence here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

The One Thing That Provides A Brighter Future For Your Child

What do employers look for when they select people into their teams? In the 1960’s NASA was in the midst of finding the best people for various teams. The director of NASA wanted to find a way to assign the best people in his teams. He was looking for a way to find people with the best creative ideas for teams that handle difficult problems. He approached George Land, the expert researcher in creative performance, for a solution. George Land formed a test to measure the creativity of NASA engineers and scientists.

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The test worked impressively well at NASA. The test takers were supposed to derive new, diverse and innovative ideas to solve a given problem. George Land realised that it was a test that could be solved by anyone. So, he decided to give it to children. In 1968, he tried out the same test with 1,600 five year old children. He re-tested the same children when they reached the age of 10 years and later at 15 years. He tried out the same test with over one million adults as a follow up.

The percentage of people who scored at genius level differed among different age groups. 98% of those 5 year olds scored at genius level. However, as they grew older, their creativity and hence their score dropped rapidly at unimaginable levels.

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What makes the thinking skills of children drop as they grow older?

The main reason for this rapid drop in imagination is the way we train our minds. There are two types of thinking: Convergent thinking and Divergent thinking.

  • Divergent thinking focuses on coming up with new ideas without limiting the scope of the thinking horizon, without being judged .
  • Convergent thinking limits the scope of thinking and often looks out for the well defined perfect answer for a problem.

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At our schools, children are taught to produce the perfect answer for a problem. This limits their divergent thinking and problem solving skills.

But does it help? As per the IBM 2012 CEO study, which is based on inputs from 1700 CEOs from 64 countries, creativity is among the three traits that are critical for an employee’s success. As per a NACE survey among 160 employers, problem solving is among the top 4 skills employers are seek on a candidate.

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These results bring up the key question: What is more important to you as a parent?– to bring up a child who scores well in their exams or to bring up a child who is capable enough to handle and solve problems in their professional and personal lives. Apparently it is the second type of children that future workforce would prefer to hold closer.

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How you can help your child to maximise their thinking potential?

Allow opportunities for your child to grow their creative potential. If you want to be a parent of a child who retain their ability to be creative, encourage them to come up with ideas, allow them to express those ideas without judgment and provide them with opportunities to try out their ideas. This will not only ensure them a brighter future, they will also learn to be self-assured people.

You  can find practical tips on how to encourage your child’s creative potential at

3 Tips to Boost Your Childs Creative Problem Solving Skills

The one thing must do to cultivate Critical Thinking in your child

Engage the Curious Minds

Please visit our workshops on thinking skills here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

How Learning Programming Boosts Your Child’s Critical Thinking Skills

These days, programming forms an integral part of all aspects of our lives, from education to social media, banking and information. As Singapore works towards becoming a “smart nation”, the Ministry of Communications and Information has announced that an additional 30,000 ICT jobs need to be filled by 2020. While not every child wants a career as a programmer, learning programming is a valuable life skill for everyone. We have the experts Mr Deddy Setiadi and Mr Himmy Cheng, the co-founders of Tink Tank, talking to us about the benefits of learning programming. Tink tank is a local coding institution that aims to equip every child with programming knowledge and the power to create change. So, why should you get your kids started on their coding journeys now?

1. Programming build up problem solving and computational thinking skills

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Coding is very sequential – you need to know what to write and why one code comes after another. Students will be able to make logical connections that can help them learn to analyse different situations and look at the big picture before drilling down to the smaller steps to reach the goal.  Whenever they do hands on coding activities and face errors, students will learn to identify the problem and debug the programme. Mr Deddy says, “When children learn to code, they are also learning to think. These days, Facebook, handphones and programmable toys are embedded in children’s lives. They should also learn to understand the logic behind these technologies and move beyond being passive consumers to creators of technology.”

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“I found the workshop very educational and interesting as it taught us about technology, computer programming and how to use our ideas in building up our own games!” – 10-year-old Saamiya Khan, who has benefitted from Tink Tank‘s workshop and regular classes.

2. Programming empowers children with confidence and creativity 

Learning programming workshop Singapore

Learning with the right tools is essential to creating a strong programming foundation. There are many excellent tools available in the market, such as Scratch, which is developed by MIT and can be used to create computer games and animated stories, to robotics tools like Dot & Dash and mBot. Mr. Himmy lights up when he recalls how his students felt so accomplished when they were able to see the games that they had brainstormed and planned on paper materialised as online games with the instructors’ guidance using Scratch. Mr. Himmy says, “That is why the students are constantly encouraged to express their creativity and challenge boundaries at Tink Tank,” For instance, a perennial kids favourite is the fruit piano segment where they code a virtual piano and play on the fruits by connecting it to Makey Makey, a tool that allows for indirect control of the keyboard. Now, who says a piano must be black and white?

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“If your child has even a slight interest in computer, gaming, technology – Tink Tank’s program will open up a fun new world of coding through a series of games and using kid-friendly coding platform, like Scratch. The small class size is a plus, and compared to workshops my 8-year-old had done in the past, the instructors are stellar. My son is already looking forward to the next Tink Tank class!” – Parent of 8-year-old Cai Penn

3. Programming is fun and it develops important life skills

Learning programming workshop Singapore

Though coding may seem very technical and possibly daunting, it is a myth that the skills gained are confined to the realms of the computer lab. Participants of Tink Tank’s programs are also developing important life skills, such as presentation skills, as they are encouraged to actively ask and answer questions in class, and will get the opportunity to present their final creations to their parents. Also, students are put through collaborative exercises that gives them the opportunity to work together, solve problems and learn from each other. To Mr Deddy and Mr Himmy, the growth of the students is more important than school size itself. They promise a 1:4 teacher-student ratio to ensure an intimate, hands-on learning experience, compared to the 1:8 ratio in the market currently. “We get really excited when we see our students grow, and we regularly communicate the student’s individual progress to parents. We want to go the extra mile for our students, “they concluded.

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“The Tink Tank workshop has been an extremely engaging program for my daughter. The staff have made the “lesson” super interesting and more importantly, making learning fun! Kudos to the team!” – Parent of 12 year old Ivory.

Just as how Maths and Science shape our world now, our children’s world will be shaped by computers and connected devices. Computer programming has been increasingly incorporated into the Singapore education system, with a new O-level subject called computing introduced this year. As kids have an easier time picking up skills than adults, it’s important to get them started on their coding journey early. If your children have not learnt how to program, now’s the time to start.

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Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

5 Questions to Boost Problem Solving Skills in Your Child

Your child is doing the school homework and tells you, “I don’t understand this.” How do you respond to this? Your response has far reaching effects on the problem solving skills and learning attitude of your child.

What do you do when your child says “I don’t understand this”? Do you immediately help your child? Do you feel it is your responsibility to teach your child with all the details? It may help your child’s curiosity short-term or save your time short-term. However, you are wasting a golden opportunity to enrich your child with critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Next time when your child says “I don’t understand this”, resist your urge to give the details and guide your child to solve the problem. Asking the right questions will help your child to build their curiosity and critical thinking skills. When they solve the problem by themselves following your careful guidance, they feel more confident. They will be more open to trying out more challenging problems in the future. These are some questions you can ask your child for a guided problem solving process:

Question #1: “What problem are you trying to solve?”

Problem solving skills in children

Image courtesy of potowizard at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

May be your child has not understood the question well. It is the questions that lead to more questions, answers and knowledge. Help your child to understand the question. Albert Einstein once said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I would spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions.”

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Question #2: “What have you done so far to solve this?”

 

Problem solving skills in children

This is a great question to help your child evaluate what they have done so far about it. Taking stock of the situation helps in charting the next step. May be your child was not approaching the question the right way. Your question will help them to take the next small step in solving the problem.

Question #3: “Where exactly are you facing the problem?”

Problem solving skills in children

May be your child does not need the answer for the entire question. In reality, they might be stuck at a tiny portion of the big problem. This question will help your child to divide the problem into sub-problems and think through these sub-problems one at a time.

Question #4: “Have you taken any class notes on it?”

Problem solving skills in children

Recollection is a great technique that helps us to remember something we have learned before. This question will help your child to go through their notes and recollect the discussion in the class.

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Question #5: “Did you talk to your friends about it?”

Problem solving skills in children

Your child’s classmates would be able to remind them of how the topic was tackled in the class. This is a great way for your child to understand the significance of collaboration and brainstorming in learning.

Is your child still struggling to solve the problem? Tell them not to panic. Give them the assurance that you are with them in their effort to solve the problem. Ask them more questions with hidden clues to lead them to think in the right direction.

Do not forget to congratulate your child for the efforts they made. Let them know the specific problem solving skills they used well so that they will feel empowered to use those skills to solve other issues as well. “Your perseverance helped you reach this far”, “It is your ability to divide the problems into sub-problems that helped to solve the problem”, “It is your ability to collaborate with others that helped you here”, “You are developing your problem solving skills well”, are some of the congratulatory phrases you can use to encourage and empower your child. After all, learning is all about acquiring new skills to solve problems.

Please visit Growth Mindset CampThinkers Unlimited Design Thinking CampThinkers Unlimited Workshop and Creative Problem Solving Workshop for our workshops on thinking skills and design thinking.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

The Mathematically Challenged Child

“That is enough of fooling around, Nicole. You are doing finger counting. It is straight forward and there is no confusion. You are trying to make it sound like you are mathematically challenged. Stop all those silly excuses, focus and finish your work in two minutes. ”

Helen was fed up of her otherwise angelic eight year old daughter Nicole’s excuses to avoid Mathematics. Nicole hated Maths and Helen wanted to change Nicole’s attitude towards Maths.

But, Nicole was facing a much more difficult situation than Helen. Nicole found it weird that she was not able to understand the mathematical concepts most of her friends seemed to pick up easily at school. She had difficulty in imagining a number line and she found it hard to count objects in groups, even when the group was as little as two to three objects.

At the age of ten, Nicole found it really annoying that her classmates said addition and subtraction were easy when she still had no clue about how it worked. Her inability to do Maths reflected not only in her low Maths grades but her self-esteem was also shattered. Nicole felt no one was able to understand her situation. So, she did not share her worries with anyone, not even with Helen. Nicole started spending her time inside the locked doors of her room after school. Helen was worried, she felt she did not understand her daughter at all.

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Nicole’s low confidence attracted bullies towards her. The next four years she suffered severe bullying, without the knowledge of her family. Panic attacks became part of her life.

Mathematically challenged child - dyscalculia

It was then that a new teacher joined the school. The teacher noticed Nicole’s behavior and her performance. She observed that Nicole was performing extremely well in writing and drawing. She advised Helen to test Nicole for dyscalculia.

The results came back positive for Nicole. She was diagnosed with dyscalculia at the age of fifteen. Nicole was mathematically challenged, but that was not a measure of her intelligence. Her test results came back with very high IQ scores. Her high IQ helped her breeze through all other subjects except Maths.

When Helen came to know about this relatively unknown learning difficulty, she felt guilty. She realized her child was not ‘acting’ mathematically challenged. She realized that it was not her child’s carelessness that resulted in her poor performance in Maths. She realized that she needed to help her child. Nicole was relieved, as she realised that she could stop blaming herself for not getting the results for all the hard work she has been putting in.

Helen was able to find help for Nicole and later she moved Nicole to a school where she could learn Mathematics up to her ability.

What is Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a brain disorder that causes severe difficulty in learning and comprehending arithmetic among the sufferers. It is also known as Mathematics Learning Disability and Math Dyslexia.

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What are the Symptoms of Dyscalculia

Have you ever felt that your child or a loved one is mathematically challenged? Do you think they could be suffering from Dyscalculia?

Helen gave me a list of symptoms she now thinks she had overlooked in the past. The list below also includes some pointers from AboutDyscalculia.org.

  • Difficulty in reading analog clocks

  • Difficulty in stating which of two numbers is larger (for example, is 6 larger or smaller than 4)

  • Particular difficulty with subtraction

  • Difficulty with multiplication tables

  • Difficulties with imagining a mental number line

  • Difficulties with finger counting

  • Many symptoms of dyslexia

  • Attention deficiency (not in all cases)

  • Anxiety towards maths

  • Difficulties with budgeting

You can find a comprehensive set of symptoms at AboutDyscalculia.org.

You may find these symptoms in many young children when they start to learn the concepts. So, instead of jumping into a panic mode, please take some time to assess whether your child’s confusion with numbers is age appropriate or it is something you need to really worry about. If you worry that your child could have this disability, please approach an expert for a diagnosis.

What is the Next Step if your Child gets diagnosed with Dyscalculia

Nicole got diagnosed at 15. So, the child who should have been diagnosed with dyscalculia and ADD when she was at least in primary school, did not receive the diagnosis and treatment until the age of 15. But, it still was not too late.

The parents got the counseling on how to deal with the situation. Helen and the whole family rallied behind Nicole to support her to regain her lost confidence. They moved Nicole to a school system that acknowledged and understood the condition. The new school supported her to pursue excellence in other areas of her life in spite of her disability. They got special permission from the examination board so that Nicole does not need to learn math as a subject. She still learned math, but that matched her ability to learn it.

Now, Nicole is a smart and confident 19 year old pursuing her undergraduate degree in Australia. She has proved herself to be a good writer and a stage artist. She is not learning math, but that is neither dampening her future nor her enthusiasm for learning.

The world is slowly coming to acknowledge Mathematics Learning Disability. Every year the Dyscalculia Day is held on the third day of March to spread the awareness about dyscalculia.

In Asian culture, Maths is given a lot of importance. There are a lot of gadgets and Apps in today’s world to support us with our day to day Mathematical needs. If a child is mathematically challenged, it does not stop them from achieving greatness and enjoying a  normal life.

If your child or a loved one gets diagnosed with dyscalculia, the best thing you can do is to accept and understand the situation. Once you become aware and understanding, it will be easier for you to find ways to support them. You can find a lot more information on dyscalculia at http://www.aboutdyscalculia.org and http://www.dyscalculia.org.

Please visit ACE Minds^ Workshop for our workshop on study skills and Growth Mindset Camp for mindset cultivating right mindset for academic and personal success.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

This is How Bullying Could Affect Your Child’s Self-esteem

I was hurt, I was in pain, I was shattered.

What I had endured from the age of 10 to 14 years old had left deep emotional wounds that would not heal. It was easier to numb the pain by suppressing it and seeking other unhealthy ways of coping. The subconscious mind is a powerful thing. It controls our thoughts, feelings, and resulting behaviors. As much as I try to hide, ignore, or deny the pain of bullying, it is always there stored away in the subconscious part of my mind.

When it started I didn’t realize it really started.

bullying affect self-esteem

As a young child, I remember desperately wanting to be liked and accepted by my peers. At 10, I was at an impressionable age trying to discover who I was and where I fit in. The bullying I experienced was what many refer to as friendship bullying. Every friend I thought I had, at some point turned on me in a very vicious way through verbal, physical, and social bullying. They were the popular girls, and had a lot of social influence and power. As a result, when the bullying started, I had no one. When they turned on me, the entire school either participated in the bullying or stood by and did nothing.

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During the 80’s bullying was not taken seriously and was not even recognized as an issue that needed attention. It was considered a rite of passage and so, I had no support from the school or the teachers. I was alone. It was the single most painful experience of my life. The shame left me feeling unworthy of love and acceptance

My Self-esteem. My Thoughts. My Feelings. My Actions.

When we are bullied and continually beaten down with fists, words or through social humiliation, there is a cause and effect reaction that occurs. Our experience will begin to change the thoughts we consciously have about ourselves. Those thoughts then create feelings that are stored within our subconscious and ultimately determine our actions and behaviors. I’ll use my own experience to illustrate how Self-Esteem (thoughts about ourselves) trigger our feelings or emotions, that then result in our actions or behaviours.

The physical, verbal, and social bullying that I was subjected to for a period of over three years led to the following thoughts, feelings and actions.

My Thoughts

“No one likes me or cares about me.”

“Nothing good will ever happen to me.” 

“There’s something wrong with me.” 

“I’m not good enough.”

“I wish I was someone else.”

My Feelings 

Loneliness, hopelessness, anger, fear, self-consciousness, insecurity, and paranoia.

My Actions / Behaviors

I would criticise and gossip negatively about others to feel better about myself. I became outwardly aggressive towards others to feel powerful. I sought any form of attention that made me feel loved and accepted. I avoided social situations or new experiences so I wouldn’t feel inadequate or scared. I married and stayed with an alcoholic because I believed I didn’t deserve any better. I became a perfectionist at work because it gave me a false sense of worth and value. I always anticipated and thought the worst of every situation to protect myself from feeling disappointed or hurt. 

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Public Speaking for children Singapore

The list goes on. Of course not everyone who is bullied will experience low self-esteem or have the same thoughts, feelings and behaviors. There are other factors that contribute to the severity of damage on ones sense of worth from bullying.  For example, support from schools and teachers, a child’s home environment, their resilience, and the duration of the abuse has a direct link to the severity of the effect.

In my case, I did not have the support of anyone and the duration was over a period of three years. My behaviours were clearly destructive and part of a cycle that created more feelings of guilt, resentment, fear, and sadness. In the process, I deprived myself of joy and happiness. I became someone I didn’t want to be, someone controlled by their emotions.

The longer we suffer from low self-esteem, the more habitual our thought patterns become and the more difficult it is to alter or change our behaviors. The good news is, we consciously choose our thoughts about ourselves. This is our “Self-Talk”.  We can choose to belittle and degrade ourselves, or we can be loving and accepting of who we are.

What can you do to help?

Do you know a child or an adult suffering from bullying? It is critical to understand a few factors if you want to help them.

1. Often it is the devastating shame they feel that keeps targets of bullying from talking about the emotional trauma.

2. Healing can only begin when we talk about the shame. To prevent possible long term mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, one must often relive the painful trauma and talk openly about how they are feeling. This should be done in a safe, trusting environment with a professional who understands the issue of bullying.

3. As parents and care givers we must have a heightened awareness of the bullying epidemic. Know the signs and if you suspect someone you care for is being bullied seek help.

4. We must never underestimate or minimize the profound effect bullying can have on one’s self-esteem and how that lack of self-esteem can drive unhealthy behaviours.

5. If you or someone you know is suffering from the residual effects of bullying please reach out for help.

Read 10 things every parent needs to know to protect their children from bullying to know more about how you can prevent, support and protect a child.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Angela Fryklund

Angela Fryklund is the founder of Beyond Bullying Recovery Services, Ontario, Canada. She works with people who want to recover from the emotional effects of bullying and to restore their self-worth. She is also a speaker and speaks to youth on the potential long-term mental health issues related to bullying by sharing her own personal story. Angela is a certified professional coach with the Certified Coaches Federation of Canada and also with the John Maxwell Team.

Public Speaking for Children: Top 9 Myths

Whether your child is in primary school or secondary school, whether in local school or international school, one thing is certain: they will be called upon to do presentations in front of others. In fact, effective public speaking for children is a topic being studied by many experts. Effective public speaking is a crucial skill that is often overlooked in the formative years of a child. However, there are many myths of public speaking that hinder the development of this skill in children.

Many parents are concerned that their children are losing out opportunities at school, in internships, university admission interviews, job interviews and many other important junctions in their lives because the kids are not able to convey the messages effectively. However, this is a skill that can influence the self-awareness of a child. So, parents are taking initiatives to impart this important skill to their children.

If you are interested in developing public speaking skill in your child, it is important for you to understand the myths around it. Knowing the right areas to focus on will help you in preparing your child to take on many challenges in their lives.

1. “That child is a good communicator because he/she talks a lot”.

Nothing can be farther from the truth. Talking a lot doesn’t mean effective communication.

Unlike popular belief, extroverts have no advantage over introverts when it comes to speaking. Like the way you learned to read and write, effective speaking means you acquire the skill set and practice it.

2. “My child is a horrible communicator. He/She doesn’t talk much”.

The first rule of public speaking is that ‘lot’ does not mean ‘effective’. In this knowledge economy, people do not have the time and patience to listen and understand. Our busy lives have significantly reduced our attention spans. As a whole, we listen less than we used to. So, if your child is able to speak effectively and concisely within a short time, he/she is a winner. The important words here are ‘effective’, ‘effective’ and ‘effective’.

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Public Speaking for children Singapore

3. “Let them focus on academics now, communication come later”.

It is true that your child can pick up communication skills at any stage in his/her life. Communication is a life skill that requires regular practice. However, when you procrastinate it, your child is losing out on many opportunities in life. Your child is losing the window of opportunity to make it a second nature. Lack of ability to communicate effectively invariably affects the confidence of the child. Imagine the boost in confidence and the increase in opportunities your child would get when he/she could convey their ideas better and persuade and inspire others.

What is the right time for your child to learn public speaking? This is what an expert has to say about this. 

 

4. “Public speaking is all about Speaking”.

There are many school and social situations where your child would need to present and speak. The audience response to a speech depends on many things other than the ‘actual speaking’. This includes delivery, body language, eye contact, the speech craft, engagement with the audience, confident demeanor and managing the fear among others.

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Public Speaking for children Singapore

5. “Public speaking is only for a few people who are gifted in it”.

Surveys show that public speaking is the No. 1 fear among a vast majority of people. The truth is, even the greatest orators became great only with practice. Give your child the opportunities to cultivate and practice the skill so that your child could also express his/her ideas to be successful in the field they choose to pursue.

6. “People will notice my child when he/she works hard”.

Competency is not to be underestimated and it can never be replaced. However, people do not have the time to go around and unearth talented people. Public speaking skills enable your child communicate the talents and ideas they have.

After 13 year old Evelyn (name changed for this article) got trained on public speaking skills, she changed from a timid, relatively unknown teenager to a confident student leader. Her teachers and peers started noticing her and hence she stumbled upon opportunities after opportunities. Her parents say her progress was something they could only dream about earlier. According to them, the boost in confidence she got  from her public speaking skills reflected in her academic skills as well. She got promoted from standard stream to express stream at school and got a scholarship.

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Public Speaking for children Singapore

7. “Public Speaking = Show n Tell”.

Many kids learn and do ‘Show n tell’. At a very young age, show n tell helps kids to build up the confidence to stand up and say a few sentences about a ‘prop’ in front of a small audience. However, public speaking skills go much beyond gathering that initial confidence. Public speaking involves many strategies and frameworks that will help your child to speak express themselves well without the help of a ‘prop’.

8. “My child does not want to be a public speaker. She/He has other plans about the future”.

The truth is, we all speak in public. Public speaking is much more standing in front of 200 people. Public speaking happens when you go to that shop and tries to struck up a conversation with the salesman. It happens when you speak to the officer at the airline terminal hoping for an upgrade. It happens when you speak about your ideas for the group project, a family vacation or when you go for an intern interview. Isn’t it useful if you know how to effectively handle these situations?

9. “My child is a great public speaker because he/she has already attended a public speaking class”.

Public speaking is a life skill. Like in the case of other life skills, the best way to master it is to practice. If your child has attended a public speaking class where they have picked up strategies and frameworks and they know how to use that, it is great. Find opportunities for them to practice the skills. It could be a family function, an opportunity at their school or a community event. Does your child’s coach provide ongoing practice opportunities that will enable your child to practice the skills until it become their second nature?

Would you like to improve your child’s public speaking skills? Read some tips on public speaking here. You can find more tips from experts here.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

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Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

Bullying: 10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child

“They dumped a can of insects on me… and I thought they were my friends”, 17 year old Tanya (name changed for this article) told me bravely while I shuddered on hearing that. She was a survivor of bullying. Today she is a confident teenager who is active in debating, theatre and writing. But, not many people know about the baggage she carries from the days she got badly bullied – the panic attacks. Surveys show 1 out of 3 children in the age group 7-14 get bullied and it can be very scary. Many parents wonder what can they do to protect their child from bullying.

Bullying could leave kids with short term and long term side effects. It could be physical or psychological. It could happen at any age from kindergarteners to adults. So, something has to be done about it! Here, there are 10 tips that you can utilize to protect and support your child in the fight against bullying.

1. Keep your communication channels open

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

Many studies have come up with the finding that more than anything else, kids are looking for someone to talk to when they get bullied. Signe Whitson, the author of the  8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents & Schools and Friendship & Other Weapons: Group Activities to Help Young Girls Ages 5-11 to Cope with Bullying says “Encourage your child to tell trustworthy adults about any instances of bully behavior, either in his own life or that he sees occurring with a peer.”

Does your child feel comfortable enough to share excerpts from their life with you? When your child is able to share their mistakes and shortcomings with you without being criticized, you are helping them to develop their trust in you. Develop this trust as early as you can so that they will let you be in their life when they most need you.

2. Involve your child in finding a solution to the situation

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

Even after suffering bullying for a few years, Tanya’s parents did not know what she was going through. “I have a very supportive family. I talked to them after getting bullied for the first time, they went to school and spoke with the teachers about it. This is what many parents do. But, in my case, it backfired. The bullies retaliated and took revenge on me. I was young and I was scared. To protect myself from further retaliation by the bullies, I hid every such incident from my family thereafter.”

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Your child is not always looking for your direct involvement in the event of bullying. Many a times, what they need is your tips and unconditional support in handling the situation. Discuss your plan with your child, incorporate their suggestions and tackle it together. Your support will give them the strength to handle the situation with confidence. This will develop their self-confidence to handle similar situations in the future.

3. Help your child feel proud of their strengths

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

I spoke to a group of 10-11 year old boys about their observations on bullying, during a workshop. They said they see bullying more on a verbal level than on a physical level when it starts. Usually it starts in the form of teasing. The topics of ridicule vary from appearance, learning difficulties, speaking styles, unique strengths and many more.

In Tanya’s case, the bullying had started when her friends came to know about her learning difficulty.

Diversity is becoming the way of life. People come from different backgrounds with various skills and abilities. Being able to understand and respect people different from themselves will pave your child’s way towards acceptance by others.

Rather than your child feeling embarrassed about their shortcomings and loosing confidence, focus on boosting your child’s confidence by giving opportunities to showcase and excel in their talents. With this you are not only protecting your child from bullying, you are also empowering them to protect themselves.

4. When friends become bullies, what can you do to protect your child from bullying?

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

Many a times, you will come across friends turning bullies. This is what happened to Jay (name changed for this article); even he didn’t realize he was getting bullied. It started with his friend Nate (name changed for this article) pushing him into a swimming pool one day. Jay insisted to his parents that his friend did it unintentionally. Over the years, many such incidents happened which, Jay convinced his parents, were not intentional bulling. Finally, one day when Nate teamed up with another bully and kicked Jay, Jay realized how his good heartedness was taken for granted.

Teach your child what real friendship is. If your child needs to make unreasonable sacrifices or suffer insensitive ridicules from their friends, perhaps it is not a friendship worth investing in.

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5. When the bullied becomes the bully

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

If your child is a survivor of bullying, there are two things that you need to check:

  1. Your child continues to remain safe and confident
  2. Your child is not bullying anyone.

Tanya told me she had developed a tendency to bully others once she learned how to stand up to the bullies. She said, “I am not sure why I started doing that. Perhaps I wanted to show my ex-bullies that I am strong and bold and they can’t touch me any more.” Luckily in her case, she realized her mistake at a very early stage and was able to nip it successfully.

In another bullying incident I witnessed, the mom of the bully could not believe her son had bullied. She said, “My son always used to be at the receiving end of bullying. I don’t believe he can bully others.”

When you instil confidence in your bullied child, ensure that they are developing confidence not arrogance. This is essential in protecting your child from bullying as well as protecting them from becoming bullies.

6. Does your child show bullying tendencies?

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

Many children may not understand some of their actions are bullying in nature. If your child is showing bullying tendencies, make them understand the effects of their behavior.

Bullying is all about power. Some kids turn to bullying or hang around with bullies to avoid being victims themselves. Bullies feel the world treat them unfairly. So they need help as well.

One mom told me it is better for her child to bully than be bullied. Bullying is not a childhood behavioural pattern that vanishes once the child gets into adulthood. If you do not nip bullying in the bud, it turns into other serious forms of aggression as the child grows up.

If you see your child speaking or behaving in a negative way, your child needs to explicitly hear from you it is unacceptable.

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7. Not all disagreements are bullying

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

Children are developing their social skills during their school years. Give them opportunities to express their viewpoints. Let them understand it is ok to have a opinion different from others. The difference between disagreements and disputes is in the way opinions are expressed.

Help your child to develop their communication skills. This will prepare them to express their viewpoints effectively and to respond to other people’s viewpoints in the right way. Teaching effective communication skills are a major part of protecting your child from bullying.

However, if you observe repeated harassment, physical or psychological in nature, it is bullying.

8. Help your child’s school address bullying effectively

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

Encourage your school to develop policies regarding bullying. Work with your child’s school to support your child with protection against retaliation.

9. Get professional help if needed

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying from bullying

Tanya’s parents came to know about her problems at a late stage. At that stage, they took her to a counselor and later relocated to another city. If you think your child is in a very difficult situation, get professional help.

10. Report to law enforcement officials, if you suspect something serious is going on

10 Things Every Parent Needs To Know To Protect Their Child from bullying

We have read and heard about many unfortunate incidents related to bullying. If you think the mental or physical harassment your child is facing is criminal in nature, do not hesitate to contact the law enforcement officials. After all, there is nothing worthier than your child’s life. So, protect your child from bullying.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

Be patient with the ‘Why’s and the ‘How’s coming out from curious minds

Creativity has been a buzzword for a decade. Before creativity was deemed as important, parents had no idea where to look for information. Today, there is so much information available that parents now have no idea where to begin to satisfy the young curious minds! As a primer to creativity, it is worth taking time to separate the wheat from the chaff – what is creativity and more importantly, what isn’t creativity.

Mention the words “Creative Genius” and most people would think of a lone mathematical genius toiling away at some mathematical proof, or a gifted writer who receives a spark of inspiration and proceeds to write the next New York Times bestseller. Neither of these misconceptions do justice to what creativity really is – a skill. More importantly, a skill that, given the right investment of time and effort, can be strengthened.

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Creative people are curious minds and do not develop their ideas in a vacuum

They pay attention to their surroundings and are intrigued by what they observe. George de Mestral, a Swiss electrical engineer by training, exemplifies this curiosity and attention to detail. After he had returned from a hunting trip with his dog, his curious mind became intrigued by the burrs that were stuck onto the dog’s coat. Examining them under the microscope, the engineer noted hundreds of “hooks” that caught on anything with a loop. This eventually gave him the idea for an invention that everyone is familiar with today – Velcro.

Children are naturally curious and this curiosity should be encouraged

However, the same child-like wonder that led to the invention of Velcro is also the bane of many parents. All too often, parents get irritated by their child’s incessant “whys” and their ire gradually tells children to stop asking so many questions. Next time, if you find yourself on the receiving end of your child’s curiosity, encourage him or her to find the answers. Better yet, make it a bonding activity where the both of you can try to find the answer together. You may not always get a totally satisfactory answer for the curious minds of your child or yours every time, nor would the answer definitely lead to a new innovation. However, the message that is sent to the child is very important: keep taking in the details around you, and never stop being curious.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About AMM Research

As Many Minds Research Team www.AsManyMinds.com

Shyness: 5 effective ways to help your child overcome shyness

Half of all adults think of themselves as shy, and many more say that they were shy as children. Shyness keeps children from learning social skills, trying new things, visiting new places or may prevent them from being a part of a group. Shyness also causes children to have a hard time relaxing and connecting with others. The good news is that it is possible to help your child overcome shyness.

Learning soft skills help child to be successful as an adult. They just need a little extra support and encouragement to boost their courage.

Here are some tips that will help kids in dealing with shyness:

1. Help them to be sociable

effective ways to help your child overcome shyness

Find ways to join group activities with other children and adults. Getting involved in group activities helps your child to be sociable with others.

2. Guide them to solve their own problems and make their own decisions

effective ways to help your child overcome shyness

Taking responsibility for solving problem increase their self-esteem and confidence. This will help your child tremendously when they deal with their shyness.

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3. Help them to find their strengths

effective ways to help your child overcome shyness

Being able to find their own strengths will boost your child’s natural self-esteem and ego. They will better identify with themselves. This will give your child the confidence to break self-imposed barriers of fear.

4. Face your fear in communication

Effective ways to help your child overcome shyness

If you have a fear in communicating with others, the natural tendency is to run away from the situation. Teach your child to curb that tendency, take a break and deal with situations where communication is needed. For example, help them to plan a short conversation piece and practice it to use in situations where they need to communicate with others.

5. Adult support is of paramount importance when helping kids to overcome their shyness. Understand their needs and support them throughout the process in trying out these tips. It may take time, but your effort and patience is worth the wait.

This article first appeared in The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Vinti Mittal

Vinti Mittal is a professional Counsellor with a Post Graduate Diploma and a Master's in Counselling from Monash University. For the past 6 years, Vinti has been providing counselling support to preschool children, pre-teens, teens and adults on various issues. She counsels on stress, anger, anxiety, confidence, self-esteem, body image, depression, social skills, grief and academics. She has also been helping parents deal with their own issues relating to martial conflicts, divorce, etc. She strongly believes in using the concept of Early Intervention when working with very young children. Early Intervention enhances the overall growth and development of the child, which in turn improves the functioning of the family. She has extensive experience in dealing with children coming from different environments as well as school systems. She has been living and working in Asia and the Middle East for the past 15 years. Singapore became her home for the last 10 years. She works with both Singaporeans and expatriates from all over the world. Vinti is well versed in English, Hindi and Bahasa Indonesia.