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IN our previous edition, we carried an article about a Grade Four pupil that was now making money and buying herself school provisions through her poetry. We believe the recently commemorated Heroes and Defence Forces days must have seen more added to her bank balance as she was booked to perform at the celebrations.
What the story demonstrated is the importance of nurturing young talent and being supportive as parents and the wider community.
Many children veer off course in their teens and lose focus due to a lack of encouragement from their parents and teachers. In fact, many artistes will tell you that they owe their success to their resilience as many parents are quick to embrace careers that are a result of academic study but frown upon careers that are more inclined to practical work that does not require one to earn a university degree.
It was heartening to note that in the case of the Gweru poet, even though her parents did not have the means, and her fees were in arrears, her teachers and lately the community, believed in her to a point of always encouraging her and the teachers providing the necessary guidance in her chosen path.
We have had many artistes earn a living through their craft and it is largely a mana��s world and a survival of the fittest out there. What is important, however, is to nudge our children in the right direction so that they choose careers that they are passionate about rather than careers that their parents prefer them to pursue.
Elsewhere in this edition we carry a story of another nine-year-old that has taken a keen interest in marathon running. At such a tender age, you would expect the child to be engrossed in making toy cars instead of subjecting themselves to the rigours of a marathon.
Again, the parents of the boy have thrown their weight behind him, saying he took after the father who was a marathon runner.
The question becomes at what point should we start guiding and nurturing our childrena��s talent, and how we identify that talent since children can be interested in so many different things at the same time. This calls for parents and guardians to take time to know their children so that they may be able to add value to their lives.
Since children spend most of their time with teachers, it is also a good starting point for parents to open communication lines with their childrena��s teachers so that they get to share and learn from each other on the childa��s needs and preferences.
They say practice makes perfect, hence we believe the earlier a child is introduced to something the better their chance of grasping the subject area. It is in this light that we commend parents that support their childrena��s chosen careers from an early age since such people go on to make a lasting impression in their chosen fields, largely due to many years of working to perfect their art.
Online Reporter