by C.J. Simister, Future-Smart     Is your child ‘future-smart™’?  It’s one of those lurking, back-of-the-mind issues that most parents will have felt at least a little uneasy about at some point or other: How can we be sure that when the time comes our children are going to be ready not only to face but also to flourish in the big, bad (but tremendously exciting) world?

And this is particularly the case given that things are so very different now to when we grew up.  The world our kids will enter when they leave school is likely to be beyond anything we can even imagine.  

The pace of social, economic and technological change is such that knowledge – regurgitated facts, figures and exams – will not be all that counts.  There are other ingredients that are needed if a child is truly to flourish, to shine and to become all that he or she can be.  The problem is these hidden secrets of success may not always be given sufficient emphasis in schools, where passing exams and getting the grades are too frequently such a pressing agenda.

The foundations laid during early childhood make a tremendous difference to a child’s future.  Those personal qualities and thinking habits that our children form now when they’re young will be the ones that last.  So, what are these magic ingredients?   Let’s play fairy godmother for a moment – what should be on our wish list?

The hidden secrets of success 

1. Perseverance - wouldn’t it be great if our kids grew up with the sort of confident and proactive outlook that would enable them to meet each obstacle that arises by going over it, under it, round it, whatever it takes, but without being overly daunted? 

2.  Curiosity and creativity - the ingredients needed to find new solutions, come up with inventive ideas and solve unforeseen problems. 

3.  Resilience – because, after all, everyone fails at some point and what really makes a person stand out from the crowd is whether they’ve the courage required to get back up, dust themselves down and have another go.  

4.  The confidence to take a considered risk when the moment is right - absolutely essential if our children are to make the most of opportunity and discover truly what they’re capable of. 

5.  An ability to sort sense from nonsense – the ‘critical thinking’ shield to hold up to this Wikipedia world. 

6.  Initiative and an independent approach – add this to the mixture and we could really sit back, content to watch our children tackle whatever life throws at them!

That’s what it means to be future-smart.  These are the Sleeping Beauty gifts for the modern world.  

This is an introduction to a series of three articles offering parents practical advice and ideas.  There’s so much that you can do to make a real difference to your child’s future.  We now know a great deal about how children’s minds develop and grow, about the sort of responses and activities that will help to develop a confident, innovative and resilient mindset. 

Simply by being more aware of the value of these ‘hidden secrets of success’, you’ve taken a big step forward.  And by making small changes to the way you speak and react to your children, by introducing occasional games and activities here and there – over tea, in the car, even in the queue at the supermarket – you’ll be helping to spread a little of that fairy dust yourself. 

It’s fun - you’ll have a lovely time!  And your children won’t even know what you’re up to…

Other articles in this series:

Part 1: Helping Your Child to Think Independently

Part 2: Teaching Your Kids To Take the Right Risks

Part 3: Helping Your Child to Think Creatively

About the author

C.J. Simister is the Director of the innovative ‘Cognitive Development Programme’ at Northwood College, UK, Jane’s driving passion is to help children of all ages become more independent, more critical and more creative in their thinking.   

The author of two books, ‘How to teach thinking and learning skills: A practical programme for the whole school’ (SAGE: 2007) and ‘The Bright Stuff: Playful ways to nurture your child’s extraordinary mind’ (Pearson: 2009), Jane works with schools and parents in the UK and internationally, offering practical support and advice in raising children who are active, resourceful thinkers, equipped with the skills and intellectual qualities necessary to allow them to make the most of their potential and to face and flourish in an exciting, but increasingly competitive world.

This series of articles remains under copyright of C.J. Simister.  Link: Future-Smart

About the book

Click here to read more or to order. 

Praise for ‘The Bright Stuff’:

“A really excellent resource for parents looking for imaginative ways to illuminate young minds.  I will be using it with my own children” - Dr Stephen Law, author and Editor of the journal of the Royal Institute of Philosophy

“If my parents had had this goldmine of a book, I’d be a brighter and happier person.  Buy it, read it and sprinkle your child’s life with its wisdom” - Professor Guy Claxton, author and Co-Director of the Centre of Real-World Learning, University of Winchester

“This is a super book - no sweeping generalisations, easy assumptions or join-the-dot prescriptions,  just damn good advice and ideas” - Dr Barry Hymer, author and educationalist

“This is a practical handbook for parents about encouraging their children to be original and daring - when it makes sense.  Many of those I most admire have few formal qualifications, but do exhibit all the qualities that are the focus of C. J. Simister’s book.  As a parent and a risk-taker, I applaud her work” - Luke Johnson, entrepreneur and Financial Times columnist, Chairman of Channel 4 & the RSA   

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