MODULE 3A
Parenting and Education
I have participated in several workshops and webinars discussing the high incidence of troubled marriages in society. During these events, people share their perspectives and offer reasons for this prevailing challenge.
In this module, I will share my perspective on marriage based on my experience as a Growth Mindset and integrative lifestyle specialist, hoping to add value by providing sustainable solutions to marital challenges.
When we enter relationships, we bring our diverse backgrounds, upbringings, parenting styles, and life experiences. This diversity can lead to interpersonal stress and conflicts within relationships.
While we may recognise our spouse’s external appearance, understanding their inner being is different. We often live in the same house with our spouses, yet we do not know who they truly are.
The question is, what calibre of human beings are you living with? What choices and decisions are you and your spouse making?
Human beings are not random creatures. Factors such as upbringing, education, religion, culture, society, and life experiences influence our beliefs, thoughts, and emotions.
The important thing to realise is that we are all blessed with innate resources to rewrite our stories by being intentional with our way of life to reach our God-ordained destinies. Our past does not determine our future.
No matter the hardships or challenges we have faced, there is always the possibility of charting a new course toward a brighter destination. The key lies in maintaining our sanity and tapping into our inner strength.
Instilling Early Values in Children
One key challenge in our society is the quality of parenting and educational curricula, which often emphasise formal education without teaching children essential life skills.
Many children are not taught how to adopt a growth mindset and integrative lifestyle, nor are they taught to take responsibility for their actions and make decisions that lead to better life outcomes.
The children we nurture today will become the future partners of others. Therefore, parents and teachers must help them understand the importance of spiritual and emotional development through prayers, inner contentment, harmony, and peace of mind.
Children learn the foundations of healthy relationships and emotional well-being by cultivating gratitude, compassion, humility, love, resilience, hard work, commitment, and determination.
Through intentional early training, we can shape the next generation into compassionate, empathetic, and self-aware individuals. By providing them with the necessary tools to navigate life’s challenges, we prepare them to become better marriage partners and future leaders.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” — Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)
Many parents are deeply focused on careers, wealth, and businesses, often neglecting the vital role of spending quality time teaching their children essential life lessons. Today, many children are raised by caregivers, limiting parental influence.
The greatest gift any parent can give their children is exposure to growth mindset and integrative lifestyle training, which nurtures their spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Navigating the Journey of Parenting
Parenting is challenging, but it requires intentional balance, commitment, and conscious effort. Parents must invest in their own growth to effectively nurture their children.
You cannot pour from an empty cup. Parents who undergo growth mindset and integrative lifestyle training gain valuable insights into child development, positive discipline, emotional intelligence, and holistic parenting.
When parents embrace integrative lifestyle principles and prioritise their well-being, they become powerful role models for their children.
I also believe there is a strong need for educational systems and political leaders to promote growth mindset and integrative lifestyle education. This approach supports healthier families, stronger marriages, and a more prosperous society.
Building healthy relationships and marriages requires skill. Teaching these skills early empowers our children to build families and homes worth living in.