Rearing a child is a responsibility shared not only by his family but also by the child’s community. Your child’s environment includes interactions with parents, family members, peers, and teachers, and the positive interactions among them greatly impact his growth and development.
If parents, teachers, and other members in your kids’ environment work together, this may help them reach their maximum potential—especially when they’re starting to display the hallmarks of a future innovator. Here are the signs your child could be one:
1. Your kid is makulit.
Perhaps you’ve heard it again and again as a kid yourself, or have said it to your own child: “Ang kulit mo!” Sometimes, your kid's kakulitan is just a manifestation of his desire to learn about the world around him. Encourage him to ask questions, and answer them honestly (and patiently!). Also, ask him questions about what’s happening around him to keep him curious and aware.
2. Your kid is fearless.
Your kid climbs up and jumps off the highest stairs and ladders without flinching. She does things her way even if you’ve taught her the safer way. You’ve seen her bravely try new and daring things even if it gives you mini heart attacks. According to Melissa Butler of the Children’s Innovation Project, kids become better problem-solvers when they experiment with different ways of looking at and solving things. She suggests praising your child’s efforts to encourage innovation. Parents should focus on commending the exact task or effort rather than glibly saying how brilliant their kids are in general.
3. Your kid is a multitasking champ.
If your kid can eat a sandwich, chat on an app, watch TV, and summarize a book he read—all at the same time, then your kid has an amazing Working Memory Capacity (WMC). WMC is an individual’s ability to handle different and several pieces of information all at once. According to a study on WMC, individuals with high WMC display higher capacity for innovation in spite of distractions. If your kid has a high WMC, he can manage to not only accomplish his main task (i.e., summarize a book), but also be brilliant at it.
4. Your kid has lots of hobbies.
We’re not talking about fleeting interests here. We’re talking about your kid’s absolute dedication to building that 5,195-piece ultimate collector’s edition Millennium Falcon set or his self-discipline in training for a marathon or swimming competition. The famous psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi found that individuals were at their happiest, most creative, and most optimal when they reached a state of flow.
In this state, your children are so absorbed in their hobbies because they’re intrinsically rewarding, and they make them happy. Let them choose their own hobbies so it’s naturally rewarding for them, and let them explore their interests to their heart’s content.
5. Your kid has grit.
Best-selling author and psychology professor Angela Lee Duckworth found that grit—not social intelligence, good looks, physical health, or IQ—is the one characteristic that “emerged as the significant predictor of success.” Grit is a person’s “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.” It’s “having stamina” to accomplish an objective even if it takes years to do—and no matter how many stumbling blocks the person encounters. It’s a good sign your child has grit if she sticks with her interests—like learning to play a musical instrument or mastering math concepts—for the long haul. Encouraging your kid to join programs and activities that have to do with her interests can help nurture her potential.
Programs like The Search for the Wyeth Nutrition Kid Innovators allow scientific-minded kids to showcase their science activities and projects. It aims to promote a love for science and passion for innovation among kids, while serving as a platform for kids to freely explore the wonders of the world around them and allowing them to showcase their science activities and projects.
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One of this year's winners is Kryz Jeus E. Santilices (age 8) of Baguio City Science Foundation, whose entry involved the Kankana-ey tribe of the Cordillera's use of the allutang (rice stalk) in their lifestyle and livelihood.
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Another winner is Schealana Aundee R. Villanueva (age 14) of Philippine Science High School, whose project aims to improve efficiency in agriculture through the use of robotics and automated systems.
Visit this link for more information about Wyeth Nutrition’s advocacy program.
