'Parenting today is no child's play'. Do we all agree? So, is being a child in today's world, a child's play? Academics, Co Curricula, exams, competitions, international exposure, etc.... etc.. And finally, a time comes when the child is required to choose the stream that he/she would select in order to pursue his / her career.

So, how does one decide? Science? or Commerce? or Arts? or Dance? or Journalism? or Home Science? For a young mind, it is very confusing and a difficult task to make the appropriate choice. To add on to this mental mayhem, parents and family members have their own expectations from their child. Of course there are career guidance cells which guide the child and his/her parents. But how does one decide? Is there a secret formula which is 100% correct?

In my opinion, the answer is Yes. Simply put, there are 2 facets to consider while making the choice, ‘Potential’ and ‘Inclination’. Every child is unique with immense potential which results in a plethora of options that are available for him/her. The experiences that the child has while growing up, shapes his/her personality, likes and dislikes. While it is important that the child has the potential in the said field when deciding on a stream that he/she will pursue, it is even more crucial that he/she has a liking or inclination towards it. His/her interest in the subject will be the driving force and will motivate the child to excel and achieve more. I am sure that we all agree that 'Self motivation' alone can make one achieve more in life.

For example, your child may be scoring very well in Science till grade 10 and as parents it is but natural that you may want him/her to pursue it further. It is at this point that it is very crucial to analyse his/her likes and strengths.

To simplify it, you can do this exercise with your child. On a sheet of paper, ask him/her to make a note of the various subjects in which he/she scores really well. Next to it, ask him/her to pen down all the things that he/she loves to do. It could be a hobby, academic related activity, etc. Once the lists are ready, you need to relate at least one interest with its corresponding subject. There could be many more combinations that will surface. Based on it, your child can broadly decide the stream that he/she can take after his/her boards. As he/she progresses further, with age appropriate maturity he/she will have better clarity to decide on further course of action.

While concluding, I would like to mention that all of the above can be accomplished with open parent – child communication channel and unconditional love & trust which lays a robust foundation for the responsible future citizen of the world!