A Monthly Inspirational Viewpoint of Life’s Journeys with Sonia Wignall.
Episode Thirty Two
Preparing the next generations of market Leaders
Psalms 139, has beautiful verses about God’s knowledge and love for us, one that is often quoted is verse 14, “I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
This particular verse speaks volume about us, and our children. Our children should be seen as God created them, fearfully and wonderfully made gifts to us.
We are given stewardship over them, with the responsibility to unconditionally love, nurture, comfort, guide, counsel, serve, pray, and help them identify their gifts and purpose, and walk in it.
Dropping them off at school, picking them up later, eating, sleeping and repeating model of parenting is yielding young adults that are untrained and unprepared for competitive global market leadership.
It takes consistent parental involvement, along with a village of stakeholders, (grandparents, relatives, teachers, counselors, faith leaders and for some prayer circles), to get our children from where they are to where God has called and desire for them to be.
In other words our committed involvement as parents plays a major role in our children’s holistic development.
The school drop is only a small process in the development, training and preparation process towards market leadership. Our influence in their lives is powerful, and so are our prayers for them. Their future and contribution to humanity will depend on how we see, help, counsel and love them through the foundational years and beyond.
Although a mom, dad, two kids and dog, is touted as an ideal family, there are many variations of healthy families with love and boundaries that can be the foundation for our children to have a very fruitful, purpose filled and accomplished life.
We as parents, (single, married, guardian status etc), can and will make “the” difference in our children’s journey. Our children watch us, learn from us then practice and apply the behaviors they have learned. Over the years in my circle of friends, homeschool and non-homeschoolers, I have noticed the impact when parents are deeply involved and committed to their children’s educational journey. Although in many families, the budget was limited, the love, creativity and support of the parents and family made a wonderful impact in their children’s lives.
The 2020 Pandemic shed a bright light on the lack of commitment, and or understanding of the educational process that many parents were in regarding the academic and social needs of their children.
That unexpected period of time when the children were home was difficult and painful for some parents. Some were literally caught off guard. They felt lost, frustrated and afraid to be their children’s academic guide, and support.
They did not have a training system or action plan in place to guide the development of the children. The other families that were already intentional and active in the educational journey, never skipped a beat. They just kept on going.
Since we have the power and the God given authority, we have to make a choice. Get involved and journey alongside them, or hang back, drop them at school, sleep and repeat.
The influence of a single parent.
Barack Obama – Former President of the US
Dr. Ben Carson – Separated conjoined twins
Billy Graham – World renown Evangelist
Coached by a Parent.
Venus and Serena Williams – Tennis Champions
We desire to bequest two things to our children – the first one is roots; the other is wings.
- Sudanese Proverb
Sonia M. Wignall
Sonia M. Wignall is Co-Founder & Board Chair, Diaspora Global Foundation. www.leanintostem.org. She is also a Cultural and Lifestyle Writer. Her articles and monthly column “Perspective” can be found on Diaspora Digital News.