Side note - some deep and philosophical conversations on this thread... who would have thought petrolheads were also capable of that between 2 posts about cars, booze and (.)(.)
Funny you should mention booze and (.)(.) ........
As I was saying earlier. Personalities are largely determined, before kids set foot in a nursery school.
However, behaviours can of course be influenced and usually mostly by our parents.
As one of us said. We become our fathers. That ought to lend some credence to the theory of personality largely
being determined by our genetics.
Teachers have often told me, that without positive parental influences, there's a limit to what they can do.
Perhaps its not so much about being the best parent you can be and more about being the best man you can be.
Leading by example is a mantra in the forces. Why not in the home. (okay, that's a stretch, but fatigue is setting in)
I have no idea where the last fifty-three years have gone. Taking stock now, hammers home with the brutality of unvarnished
truth, that a happy life, well led is
the thing to aspire to. The best things that have happened to me, have happened because
I was in a place where I was open to opportunities and if an attractive one came along, I tended to grab it.
My life has been like a game of snakes and ladders. Its been hugely challenging in parts and many experiences I could've done
without. But, its never, ever been dull. In trying to be the best human being I can be. The
journey will never stop.
However, I do wish that I'd put more effort into being happy in the moment and a lot less into chasing material wealth.
I've headhunted and interviewed thousands and I will never, ever again ask the question. What's your five year plan?
Instead, my first question will usually be. Are you happy?
I believe, that by nurturing positive, confident, happy little humans, they will create their own luck and endless opportunities.
By being a positive role model, they will develop the wisdom to know which opportunities to grab and which to pass on.
In so doing, they might be more likely to discover their passion. As we all know by now, getting to spend your time doing what you're really passionate about, is a huge gift. And all other things usually work themselves out.
Coming back to schools.
I honestly don't believe that it much matters whether a school is fee paying or not. If all of its staff are committed to the growth of those for which they are in loco parentis, they will inspire and encourage their pupils to aspire. I do think that this is the difference between many state and private schools. In too many state schools, teaching has become more about riot control than learning.
This isn't about socialist or capitalist influenced systems of education. Its about where we choose to allocate very scarce resources as a nation. By being born in a western democratic country, today's school kids have already won life's golden ticket. Being born to care for a sick single parent on a sink estate may not feel like winning much of anything. The fact remains, that you can overcome the circumstances into which you are born,
if you choose to. The ability to choose which path to follow, is largely something that eludes most children in developing or failed countries.
And 'trust me on the sunscreen.'
