The May national elections are mere weeks away. They have been a source of conversation not just among colleagues and friends but also at the family table. Because of the vast amount of information available about this online, my children also became interested with our views on certain candidates and the effects of the elections now and to their future.
“Listen and watch, and then make a good choice. This is why voting is important—it gives you a voice. Use your voting voice, and do so loudly. Use your voting voice and do so proudly.” These are two paragraphs taken from a book my sister, Joan, recently gave me, which I found very useful and timely in teaching the concept of “voting” to my children.
As taken from the book, author Maita Pelea graduated magna cum laude from the University of Asia and the Pacific with a degree in child development and education. She believes books are a great way to develop not only academic competence but also character in young children. It is great how she is able to combine her love for books and her love for country. The illustrator, Mikee Miranda, holds a degree in early child development, also at the same university.
I like how it starts by explaining the power of “choice” in a child’s everyday life. From which dessert to bake or which animal to get as a class pet, I like the embedded concept that a child must learn to choose wisely. This seems simple enough but in my encounters with various children of different ages, choosing is a task that many youth find hardest because of the plethora of choices, and because at times adults seem to always do the choosing for them.
The book also made me remember the multiple articles I wrote in 2017 about the importance of our kids’ “voice building” and our role of parents in it. One of my perennial quests as a parent is to help my kids find their “voice.” I believe the situations they face and will be facing in the future are more complicated than what we confronted in our youth. Peer pressure, social-media influences and the like affect many of our children’s decisions. I wish to develop their core. At the same time, I also wish for them to be “positive builders” of our society.
I remember in 2017, when she was chosen by her school to join a letter-writing contest, my daughter chose to submit a letter addressed to the newly elected Secretary-General of the United Nations, regarding her views on how to improve employment with education. At 11, she had clarity in her choice and in her voice. My son has been playing the violin since he was 4. After 8 years, he approached last January to tell me he would like to stop for a while and focus on his basketball. Choosing involves honing the ability of critical thinking and decision-making, as well as following through and being accountable for that choice because the child/teen has developed ample confidence to do so. These three skills are part of the 21st century learner skills that I truly find important to develop as early as toddler years.
Below are my 4C’s in building my children’s “voice.”
1. CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT: My husband and I communicate on many topics from our work, family and social issues, especially during meal times. Our children would usually have a lot of “whys” in these conversations.
2. CHALLENGE TO CHOOSE: I like asking their views on random topics—song, places, personalities, etc. I asked Marcus his choices in food and toys at around 6. At 8, he liked Skylanders. We would discuss why he liked this character over the other. When Meagan was younger, she was into music and fashion. I asked her what she liked about Ariana Grande and she would end up asking me what I liked about Madonna.
3. CARE TO LISTEN: I have been having one-on-one time with my kids once a weeknight since they were 4. I allow them to lead the conversation. I let them talk things out. then reserve my views only 10 percent of the time. When they are with me at work, I encourage them to suggest their ideas. A photo in the collage shows Meagan in the Bestway Inflatables showroom drawing out her suggested tagline and visuals.
4. COLLABORATE ON CONFIDENCE-BUILDING ACTIVITIES: After my daughter moved to a new school on her third grade, she wanted to run for class president the following year. Although I was not a 100 percent sure, I supported her by helping her craft her election poster. She lost but still had the resolve to run the following semester. She simplified her tag line to “Vote for Meagan Co Say Coz I Care.” She actually won this time around.
Our child’s “voice” is important. We as parents have an essential role in building this. Each of our kids’ voices is small today but it is a work in progress to be a great voice someday, so let’s all put more effort today in building toward that end. n