Holistic development in kids

I was never a topper in school.

But it is safe to say I am a grown adult who understands how the world works and how to survive in it. Yes, school, academics, and examinations give us knowledge, and teach us about age appropriate skills and information that we need, and about competition with our peers. But are we shaped today by just our academics? Nope! For me, I learned so much from meeting new people, learning new things, life experiences as I grew up, and learning that I had to put myself in situations outside my comfort zone in order to grow. These were the aspects that helped me grow like every other person. And this is what your child needs. Excelling in school makes one intelligent but not necessarily smart. And, our kids need both. Intelligence and smartness.

Every child is unique. Their aura and uniqueness in the world are defined by their personality traits or outstanding talents. It’s also critical that your child’s interests, abilities, strengths, and limitations are aligned with the type of training they receive for positive and holistic personality development. This will not happen if you’re solely relying on your child’s educational curriculum for results.

The development of a child’s intellectual, mental, physical, emotional, and social abilities so that he or she can meet the demands and obstacles of everyday life is referred to as holistic development. These skills are vital for personal as well as professional success.

Focusing on all-round development will help you child in : 

1. Cognitive thinking

Cognitive development refers to the growth and development of the brain, as well as the intelligence Children starting preschool are already nearing full development in terms of cranial capacity since the typical brain grows up to 90% of its potential by the age of five.

It is a well-known truth that young minds acquire knowledge and notice things more quickly, as well as adopt certain actions and behaviors that become part of their subconscious programming. With the right supervision, these young minds can do a lot more. One of the most important aspects of holistic development is cognitive development, which includes thinking, problem-solving, and conceptual comprehension. It is a critical component of a child’s overall development.

You can establish a dynamic atmosphere for your child by allowing them to play outdoors, having them participate in extracurricular activities, engage in some physical sport, play with puzzles, and have lots of opinion based conversations.  These develop the perception, comprehension, reasoning and logic areas of their brain function. 

2. Social Abilities

Helping a child engage with other children helps improve their social skills. This aids in the development of early relationships and the ability to empathize with others. Great social skills have various advantages, including the potential for better relationships, negotiation skills, getting along with others, teamwork, and a high level of confidence while interacting with others. This develops listening skills as well as the ability to collaborate, contribute, and participate with others.

3. Linguistic skills

For children to establish a step-by-step communication system, language abilities are critical. As your child imitates you, and is most comfortable with the language you choose at this point, it’s a natural part of upbringing. You may help your child develop language skills by using music, story-telling, reading, and reacting to their social cues. Children under the age of five acquire linguistic talents quickly and develop well. Because the brain develops at a quick rate, it is vital to activate visual, auditory, and linguistic patterns. Remember, a toddler can pick up and master three languages simultaneously. So, in a typical Indian household, parents should never feel the need to limit the use of their native tongue in order for the child to pick up English. 

Keep in mind that you don’t have to force your child to improve his or her linguistic skills. Instead, start with tiny words and build up to full phrases as you get to know and engage with your little one.

4. Emotional Intelligence

The ability to perceive, manage, and regulate emotions is measured by emotional intelligence. It’s the capacity to read other people’s emotions and respond appropriately. Your little one begins to express emotions very early without understanding their true significance. From a young age, role model empathy, working together to solve something, sharing with others, caring about another’s feelings. Comfort them when they are upset. Encourage them to comfort others and show high levels of caring towards another’s emotions. These are leadership and basic human qualities which when developed early will stand your child in good stead in the future.   

5. Physical Strength

Physical and motor skill development are critical for your child’s overall brain development. Children are well-known for being little balls of unrestrained energy. They gain regular bursts of energy as they get older, which they can use to their advantage. This energy is required for the formation of the necessary brain connections for comprehensive growth. As a result, every type of exercise or movement increases blood flow in the body.

The child’s ability to learn new information and concepts improves as blood flow to the brain increases. A child’s ability to be healthy and fit is dependent on the development of gross and fine motor abilities. Youngsters who learn to be more aware of their sensory perceptions and identify the significance of these perceptions will be able to harness them more effectively as they grow up.  

Physical strength is built by encouraging your child to move about and play, climb, hop, swim, and swing. Clap with your child, play block games, do puzzles, open and seal containers, and make them arrange little objects or put together a lego puzzle. All these activities, ranging from kicking and crawling, to football and basketballs, will assist your growing child to develop muscles, follow rules, and stimulate their sensory faculties.

In Conclusion

Today’s students require more than simply academic lessons at school. True education is a schooling system that helps a youngster comprehend himself, his emotions, and mental stress while also teaching him or her how to develop healthy and productive relationships, as well as develop resilience and team spirit.

Such a system would raise the student’s morale. While becoming upstanding citizens, advance in their careers and professions and also become contributors  to their country’s growth and development.

“The emphasis on holistic development will not only make learning more a joyful process, it will nurture innate talent & develop skills in youth – an invaluable asset for a developing Nation” – Sadhguru

Deepma Jadeja

Deepma is a co-founder and trainer at The Confident Communicator, and is having the time of her life empowering children, teenagers, women, corporate executives, friends and family live their best life. She helps people become effective in the art and science of communication, build their self esteem, and conquer their deepest fears. She conducts training programs in Communication Skills, Leadership and Assertiveness for young adults and corporates, and has co-developed several products in line with the Company’s mission of Empowerment. "Our kids are grappling with the pressures of social media, stalking and seeking instant gratification, and it is our duty to help them rise above these influences and empower them to build positive self worth, and resilience."