If you are reading this, chances are you are either a parent or a teacher and are concerned about the holistic development of your ward. You believe that having a healthy curiosity is integral to the all-round development of children. You are absolutely right!
While not exclusive to humans, curiosity is one of the fundamental characteristics of our cognition. It is the quality that has led our species to ask: Who? What? When? Where? How? Children are naturally curious. They start exploring their environments the moment they are born. For centuries, learning has been codified for the sake of convenience, efficiency, and uniformity. The result is that much before adulthood, children learn to curb creativity and exploration.
What can you as a guardian do to help a child retain her nature-endowed spirit of inquiry? Here are some pointers.
Respect Your Child’s Inquisitiveness
As a guardian, you must respect the fact that inquisitiveness is one of the most critical mental faculties of children. It is this trait that leads them to draw meaning in their world—what it means to be good or bad, to succeed or fail, to create or destroy. Try not to suppress your child’s curiosity by ignoring or admonishing them. If you do that, they will learn that inquisitiveness is a negative trait and quash it.
Be a Role Model for Your Child
Understand that guardians are the most important behavioural templates that children have. Simply put, they copy their parents, elders, and teachers. So, as someone who is a role model for their child, you must display the characteristics that you want your child to imbibe. If you yourself are devoid of all curiosity, if you yourself are risk-averse and regimented, chances are your child will learn and retain that behaviour.
Pick up a hobby, travel, be excited about things, reach deep int