Does your child have ideas that seem out of this world? Are your little ones the curious type? Do you have a budding scientist at home? If your answer to these questions is "yes," then they're on the path to success.
Now on its third year, the nationwide Search for Wyeth Nutrition Kid Innovators awarded smart Kid Innovators ages 5 to 14 years old for their creativity and social awareness in coming up with projects that address a specific need in their community. Recognizing that parents play a key role in nurturing children’s potential to be great, we went around the event and asked the Kid Innovators' parents to share their secrets on how to raise your child to become a smart Kid Innovator. Here's what we found out:
Invest in quality time.
One of the best things you can give your child is your time. Studies show that kids benefit from undivided attention—their cognitive and social skills noticeably improve.
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Winners like Thadea Tamanio of Inocencio School Montessori, with her work "My Dragon Fruit, Color is Seen," and Keysha Vince Quirit of Baguio City Science Foundation, who set to combat a way to kill cockroaches using pine needles, benefited from getting enough quality time.
Their parents share a helpful piece of advice: Parents need to invest quality time to support their child's needs.
Listen to your child.
Winners like Thadea Tamanio of Inocencio School Montessori, with her work "My Dragon Fruit, Color is Seen," and Keysha Vince Quirit of Baguio City Science Foundation, who set to combat a way to kill cockroaches using pine needles, benefited from getting enough quality time.
Their parents share a helpful piece of advice: Parents need to invest quality time to support their child's needs.
Listen to your child.
All of the smart Kid Innovators focused on innovative and simple ways to solve problems around them. One common advice from their parents is this: Listen to your child, wild ideas and all, because you create an environment for conversation and openness.
The only solo finalist in the Kid Innovators category, John Ronan Reyes of Tabaco National High School studied the absorption potential of tibig. He wanted to utilize the humble tibig fruit in battling copper-contaminated water. If not for John's wild ideas and his parents' encouragement, he wouldn't have made it to the top of the Kid Innovators list.
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The Search for Wyeth Nutrition Kid Innovators Season 3 also saw the inclusion of Upcoming Kid Innovators in the 5-8 age group as explained by Anne Michelle Pador, Head of Communications at Wyeth Nutrition. She says, "The amazing projects of these kids began because they were curious about something. They wanted to learn more about the world around them and in doing so, they enrich our world with their discoveries and innovations."
Ask the right questions.
Keeping your kids curious is a great way to help them become smart Kid Innovators. Pador adds that at Wyeth Nutrition, "Having been advancing nutrition science for over 100 years now, innovation is in our DNA. That is why the Search for Wyeth Nutrition Kid Innovators gives children the platform to explore, to learn more about the wonders of science, to create, innovate, and more importantly, to believe in themselves. With support from their parents, they can turn their dreams into reality."
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"Let us encourage curiosity in children so they ask more and more questions. Let us continue to inspire them to challenge the status quo. There is always room for change."
She also says that we have to keep curiosity in our children alive, "and the flames for passion for innovation constantly burning, as we want our children to fulfill their potential for greatness."
Pador concludes, "Let us encourage curiosity in children so they ask more and more questions. To the parents of our Kid Innovators, let’s make smart choices for our kids—because the foundation we set for them today will determine what they will be tomorrow. Together, let us raise greatness so our kids become the best that they can be."
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Whether your child has a crazy idea or question, discovers something by accident, just keep being present, answering their questions, and guiding them.
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