Modelling values…

Typically, when we receive a behaviour or value centric treatment which we like, we tend to want to adopt that behaviour. Well, typically, I say and that depends on the ‘we’.

Those who are raised on the importance of values will do that. However an entire generation or 2 have lost the identification with values. It is a means to an end. It is not as important as the gratification of getting something. There is a big cohort of young people who expects to be treated in the same way they were treated as indulgent children.

A small detour to illustrate the point:

I was at the ladies at the airport in Bangalore and there was a screaming boy. When i got to see the mother and son, i realised the boy was just screaming like a tyrant for nothing and his Mom did nothing at all [yes, she completely tuned it out]. I was thinking, oh no please not on the same flight. Ha ha, they were 2 rows in front of me. The same boy was screaming his lungs whenever he did not get what he wanted; and when he was belted for safety. All his mom did was the occasional ‘shhhh’. The rest of the world has to endure because the mother did not see her responsibility [no consideration for others] to teach the child to communicate without screaming and to let him know he is not king.

So the concept of modelling positive behaviours, setting examples showing others ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ just have no stickiness.

In some ways i am perturbed and discouraged…how then will there be excellent Learning Designers in the newer generations. Their focus is almost mercenary…largely centered on effects, sounds, animation movement, and personal [instant] gratification.

Finding that gem becomes even more difficult and challenging in the midst of shallow understanding of values, superficial reflection of oneself, and almost too prideful view of oneself at an early age.

Parents……if you really care about your children’s holistic growth and their future potential, look beyond just the IQ of the child.

EQ, in a sense, is present because of the indulgent parenting skills.

Include MQ [=maturity quotient]. Otherwise, your children would be entering the workforce knowing a lot of information, having saturated ‘me’ emotion, and having a maturity level stunted at 5 years.

Making decisions is a natural for them [since they decide on clothes and food at 2 years old], but they have no idea of the consequences they are creating because all too often they were never raised to experience the consequences of their own choices.