​The world changes….people do - perceptions do.
Children brought up to think that there is absolutely no difference between boys and girls think so differently – it is hilarious.
So – some days ago my daughter was studying about the purdah system.
She read that when women wanted to speak to men they stood behind a wall with holes. From there they could see the men while they spoke to them – without being seen themselves.
How fair is that? She asked indignantly.
If the men can’t see the women – the women should not be allowed to see the men either!
We are all human beings – and everyone is equal and has equal rights – we have always taught her – with hilarious results.

The other day at a workshop a parent asked me – “How can I convince my child to practice?”
So of course – practice makes perfect – but practice is not easy.
If you want your child to start practicing –
1. Stop entertaining her/him. When children are bored they will start practicing something or the other and get used to practicing.
2. Stay involved. You cannot say “Practice” and walk away. You need to stick around until your child has gained some degree of mastery in whatever she/he is practicing.
3. Point out what needs to be improved so that your child can work on specific areas instead of practicing everything and getting tired without getting results.
4. Inspire your child to practice by constantly practicing something you are not good at until you improve.

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​If only problems could be solved by finding someone who can be blamed.
But, no. Blaming someone for a problem never helps.
In fact it shifts our focus away from the problem.
It consumes our energy and leaves us with no stamina to implement a solution.
When our children are in school – we often make the mistake of wasting a lot of our time and energy in playing the blame game with the teacher.
We want to believe that our child is perfect and that it is the teacher who is causing all the problems.
If you are playing the blame game stop now.
The teacher will not be around for you to blame next year.
But if you don’t solve the problem that your child is facing in school – that problem will haunt you forever.

​A few days ago my household help pointed out that we had a lot of almond trees in our complex.

To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. I just didn't believe her.

So the next time we were walking downstairs together - she showed me the trees.

She then lamented that all the almonds were being eaten by boys who came to do odd jobs in the complex and not by the flat occupants themselves.

Here is what I had to say -

They have the knowledge - that they are standing next to an almond tree

They are alert enough to notice that the tree has fruits that are now ripe and ready to be plucked and eaten

They are hardworking enough to climb the tree and pluck the fruit

They are courageous enough to eat something that may or may not be an almond

And so they deserve the fruit.

The fruits of the world are all there for everyone to have.

But only the knowledgeable, the alert, the hardworking and the courageous will gain from them.

We must remember to instill these qualities in our children if we want to nurture winners.