Now, self-help goes to school

Imagine living in the Stone Age. What would you find to eat?” Most of us would be found fumbling for long before giving an answer to this question. But not so with children. They, like for most things, will have ready responses — catch fish, pick mushrooms, eat fruits, etc.

It is fitting, then, that this question is part of an exercise in the book — On Track, A series on life skills and personal safety for class VII. On Track is one of a small but growing breed of motivational books for children, which aims to provide emotional and life skills to growing children.

“Research has shown that the brain of a child gets formed at the age of 10. This is the most impressionable age, when children have to be taught values,”  says Shiv Khera, motivational speaker. He recently launched a series of books titled Little Leaders/Young leaders, aimed at school children. “Confidence and strong self esteem are essential to build strong character,” adds Khera. His books have a series of group activities, games and lessons on life in the form of stories and dialogues.

Lakshmi Shankar, a mother of two, prefers reading out to her children about iconic personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Gautam Buddha and  Helen Keller. “Younger children need to be given role models from whose lives they can learn a lot,” says Shankar, whose debut book Under the Poetree consists of short poems for children.
The genre also includes seemingly-adult topics. Take I Can and I Will by Virender Kapoor, for instance, that deals with crisis management and emotional intelligence. The short, succint chapters talk about time and money management, handling peer pressure and adapting to circumstances using tales of Akbar and Birbal, mini-quizzes, and a personal diary. “Such books help open up the minds of children and give them a taste of what real life is all about,” says Brother VM Rao, principal of St John Bosco School, Badlapur.

A popular pick among teens and pre-teens is the classic Chicken Soup for the Soul series for its simple, real-life stories, each of which conveys a deeper message. Other titles parents might want on their child’s shelf include The Secret to Teen Power by Paul Harrington, Five Minute Tales of Wisdom by Kiran Aggarwal, The Ultimate Gift and The Ultimate Life by Jim Stovall. “Motivational books help children a lot, particularly those in class IX and X. The quotes, simple stories and exercises help them learn,” says Dr Madhura Phadke, principal of Pawar Public School, Bhandup.

And the proof of the learning will be manifest, says Khera. “Unless there are changes in the behaviour of children, learning has not taken place.”