Freedom For The Children, Their #WingsToDreams...

Wings To Dreams. 

Indeed. 

Each of our dreams possesses unseen wings. 

Wings which enable them to soar higher than the pinnacle in the clear blue, infinitive hues of blue. 

~~~ 

It is these dreams which enable me to visualize a better 'Me', progressing as the wheel of time does. 

 It is these wings which inspire me to pursue the goal to materialize such a visualization. 

~~~

Life comes a full circle. 

Indeed, it does. 

Take a look at this. 

That's me and my elder brother, aged 1.5 and 6, respectively.

We've come a long way from the days of the monochrome. We've come a long way from the days of yore. Each passing year has added a new facet to the myriad and the entirety of life and its ways. 

Our dreams have grown. 

They've grown in their being. 

They've blossomed from their cocoons and transformed into picturesque butterflies. 

We've learned to dream big. 

With the passage of time, we've also matured to learn how to pursue those big dreams. 

~~~

I feel that this too, constitutes a chunk of the famed 'Generation Gap'.

The way reality is seen paving way for dreams. 

The way dreams are seen paving way for reality. 

~~~

I am sure it seemed a dream for the girls to pursue the armed forces or for the boys to pursue nursing. 

Now, it is not so. 

We've broadened our horizon to cater to the ideology of 'To Each, His (Her) Own'.

~~~

Rightfully so. 

In the present scenario, girls and boys are no longer bound by molds of following the family's lineage of professionals. 

Now, we don't get to hear this, do we?

राहुल चौधरी साहब का बेटा है ना? 

वह तो बड़ा होकर दुकान ही संभालेगा! 

Or this?

हम सभी ने, हमारे दादा - परदादा ने भी देश की सेवा में अपनी ज़िन्दगी दी है! 

यह अमित क्या हमसे अलग है? 

इसके मुँह से 'वन्दे मातरम' का स्वर कितना सुरीला होगा ना? 

~~~

Thankfully we don't. 

Today, Rahul has his say - whether he wants to carry on with the family business or pursue his career as an independent professional. 

Today, Amit has his say - whether he would feel comfortable reporting to the nation or reporting to the recording studio as a musician. 

~~~

Today's parents are progressing on the path of getting to know their kids better. After all, what makes each child special is the uniqueness in their skills and abilities. 

The secret to a content individual lies latent, in catching them young. 

Instead of imposing the cliched माता - पिता के अधूरे सपने on the children,  believe in honing their skills in an area of their interest. 

For us as parents, we need to realize that no profession is weighted heavily or lightly. 

As a teacher since the past three decades AND as a parent since the last two decades, I can reassure you that no field of interest is to be looked up to or to be frowned at. 

~~~

Parents must search for and observe their child's ability as early as possible so that their initial steps into their respective temples of learning, their education provides the right propulsion to concentrate their focus in one direction. 

That one direction, which must hone itself to become their primary direction. 

As I've said, today's kids are breaking the mold. 

As much as they've broken it, to not follow conventional careers or be bound solely by their elders' prestige, they've also broken it to extend their reach to not just one but multiple fields of interest. 

~~~

The said field of interest could be one of these...

Who knows if your child may become a prolific writer or an illustrious painter? 

Who knows if your kid may unleash a passionate traveler? 

Who can guess if your toddler has an edge for finer arts like photography or filmmaking? 

Who can bet their odds if your youngster has an eye for styling individuals to look and feel their best? 

~~~

Or these...

Who knows if your child may become an adept academician, to pursue teaching or research?

Who knows if your kid may unleash an expressive actor? 

Who can guess if your toddler has an edge for culinary arts, as a chef or a food critic?

Who can bet their odds if your youngster has an eye for adventures like mountaineering or hot-air ballooning?

Not necessarily overlooking the believably reputable professions of medicine, engineering, government services, et alia.

~~~

Speaking of my daughter, who chose to pursue engineering as opposed to our familial genes churning out teachers since the past two generations, her scientific bent of mind was discovered early on. 

Not only geeky science, but also a penchant for quality music and articulate oratory skills, governed her developing years at school. 

She is now pursuing her graduation in Computer Science in one of the premier government institutions in the country while this entire trophy display spanning a good 20 medals and trophies adorns our home. 

Proficient in picking up tunes from her favorite instrument, the synthesizer, she also has many hues of gold credited to her oratory, quizzing, dramatization and musical skills. 

Have a look at the dramatist's and the musician's hats which she has donned in the past. 

The Final Countdown
At The Annual Function, 2004

The Framed Judgement And The Sentence

At The Annual Function, 2010

~~~

It is also very important for us as parents to provide the necessary push or an optimistic outlook for the kids to believe in themselves, for that 'Can Do' attitude. 

The least we can do as parents is to focus our attention on securing their myriad educational endeavors. 

This is what my husband and I had done. 

We ensured the security of our budding Young Scholar by relying on the pioneer in this field, Aviva India so that our child became Aviva's Young Scholar Secure! 

It was her focus, confidence, determination, and dedication, which have aided her in achieving her ambitions, to date and are going strong, by Lord's grace.  

She has had the passion for fuelling her dreams and the potential for fuelling her realization of those dreams, all at the same time. 

We had raised her to the pedestals she desired, to the best of our abilities, after deriving the best out of our experiences as full grown individuals, who have seen life and its ways better than her. 

Apart from all our efforts and her ambitious outlook towards her attempts, the credit is partly borne by Aviva and their meticulous Young Scholar Secure Scheme. 

According to Aviva and us, there are three key milestones, listed below, in a child's educational sojourn, two of which our daughter has successfully crossed. They are:

Tuition Fee Support (TFS), under which we received guaranteed annual payouts starting at the end of our Premium Paying Term and thereafter every year up to the year when our daughter turned 17.

College Admission Fund (CAF), under which we received a lump sum amount that could be utilized at the time of college admission, when she turned 18. 

Higher Education Reserve (HER), under which we are to receive another lump sum which can help provide for her post-graduation expenses, when she turns 21.

Even though we are financially sound and stable to support our child's needs, what we are not prepared for is what is unseen. What is unseen is what lies in the grip of time and destiny.

It is better to be safe than sorry.

Precaution is better than cure.

These age - old adages ring true as far as the well - being of each of our family members is concerned! :) 

~~~

This has been one of our better decisions as far as her secure future is concerned.

For, she is our Scholar...

Our Young Scholar...

Sprouting Into A Confident Scholar Secure...
Etching, Therefore, The Foundation To Insure!
Channeling That Effort In A Right Direction...
Unveiling A Complete Personality, In Sections!
Renewing  A Belief In The Finer Individuality...
Enabling Her #WingsToDreams, Trace Reality!

~~~

This post has been written as a part of the #WingsToDreams Blogger's Contest organized by Aviva India. 

P.S.: The graphics have been drawn by me. The images and the graphics are the blog's sole copyright.