On January 21st, 2018, Mrs. Hoang Anh, the COO of CFC, hosted a talkshow on how to nuture the future leaders at Panasonic Risupia Center.
This is the opening program of the series “Parenting Project 4.0,” a joint effort between Panasonic Risupia and CFC Vietnam during 2018.
You might be familiar with the topic of children’s nagging, eating habits, or physical exercises. Together with the parents, CFC and Panasonic wish Vietnamese children can go further to become the leaders of the future.
When thinking of a “leader,” one might relate it to bossy behaviors, like giving people orders and doing things in one’s own ways. But, in fact, leadership among children is the ability to lead a group to achieve a common goal.
Hoang Anh shared, in her son’s class, there was a “big kid” who liked to bully and snatch others’ toys. Some kids cried, some told the teacher, but her son gathered a group of 3 to 4 kids to make the big one and return the toys. And that was a seed of leadership.
Leadership is not innate. It requires the nurture of different qualities to become an outstanding leader.
So, what qualities can parents nurture for their children?
What parents can do at home:
- Honesty:
do the right things even when they are
not being watched.
- Parents should set an example for their children: Parents themselves adhere to principles and discipline.
- Tell educational stories
- Teach children to be responsible for their actions.
- Gain people’s trust plays an important part in becoming a leader.
- When your kid share with you his dream, however vain it is, do not laugh but encourage him to do it.
- Ask him how can he achieve it?
- When he shows courage or confidence, praise him and talk more about it.
Some ways to encourage your child:
“You are awesome,” “I’m proud of you,” “I believe in you,” “You make me happy,” “Remember, I’m always by your side,” …
Make a plan with them:
- Breaking big goals into
smaller ones.
- Discipline your child: sleep on time, get up on time, …
- Patience: when children ask for something do not accept right away Parents need to set themselves as an example for their children. Be patient and willing to answer their question.
For example: if tomorrow your kid goes to Panasonic, sit with them, and come up with a plan today. Will we come there by motorbike or bus?
Is it a building or an apartment? Who will we go with? A plan doesn’t have to be such complicated,
it can be about very simple things, such as what time your kid wakes up tomorrow, or does he need to prepare anything for school. (Sneakers for fieldtrip, swimsuit for swimming classes, etc.)
And that’s how you can make a plan with your child.
Regarding decision-making ability, Ms. Hoang Anh shared some tips on how parents can help their children:
- Let him make his own decision. Let him learn from his own failure.
- Allow him to join teamwork
activities.
- Teach him about hardwork, determination
- and the values of labor. Teach him how
- to not only take but give, to know how to think of others.
- Whether you are a leader or a follower, you will always have your own responsibility and have to work to achieve the common goal.
Along with the sharing session, Hoang Anh introduced CFC’s “Children help children read” project, a very useful group for young people to develop leadership, confidence and a sense of community.
More information about the project can be found at:
https://cfcvietnam.org/tre-em-giup-tre-em-doc-sach/
At the end, a leader is also a servant. They lead, because they truly care.
