Below: Image of branded audio DVD label bearing 2 photos of Chika, my 3rd child, playing the Recorder and Harmonica respectively: gifts he got from me, when he clocked 12 years old, 4 days ago, on Monday 13th July 2015.
He’s the one I’ve written about as being gifted at fiddling with – and often – fixing electrical devices, and even building useful contraptions from junk parts (click to read an example).
A week earlier, when I’d asked him what he wanted for his birthday…
He’d requested that I buy him a brand new replacement for his Recorder. He also asked me to buy him a Harmonica (aka Mouth Organ).
Now, I had no idea he could play the latter, but I granted him both requests without hesitating.
It took me till Monday evening (on his birthday) to find a music shop with the Harmonica on sale. But I persisted till I did – following directions through Ikeja all the way to Music instrument shops at Oshodi, where I finally got it.
…and I am so glad I did, because it’s been such a delightful experience hearing him play familiar tunes (including the signature tune for a popular local TV comedy show) often spontaneously and fluently!
You see, I went to all that trouble because I’d seen/heard him play different tunes by ear on his old Recorder countless times, with no help from anyone since he learnt to play it at school.
His 2 older brothers also took classes but have never demonstrated any serious interest or proficiency close to his.
If he hears a song on radio for instance, he can, within a matter of minutes practice and begin playing it on his Recorder. For this purpose, he even keeps a notebook of song lyrics, notes/compositions, which he refers to as he practises (usually whenever he’s not making/fixing things).
[NB: The above gave me an idea…and I’ve acted on it (see FREE MP3 Downloads – below]
The point I’m making here, is that Chika never needs to be chased around to do these things. They come naturally to him!
This young man is so intensely driven to self directed learning (which I’ve ALWAYS challenged them to do), that coaching him to explore and develop his talents has been a unique privilege for me as a parent!
All I have to do is simply make subtle suggestions to point him in the right direction to improve himself, and he’s off. Then when next he sees me, he’ll often have something to show, or tell me, along the lines of improvement he’s made.
The results he’s getting convince me he’s building a powerful foundation to achieve sustainable life long success by developing his natural talents and abilities in a way that enables him/her achieve self actualization and fulfillment.
When this happens, a person can become literally unstoppable.
I believe that’s the best gift a parent can give a child.
Suggestion to parents:
You are best positioned to educate and empower your child to achieve self discovery that equips her to achieve sustainable success in adult life
Today, now more than ever, you simply cannot leave that role to outsiders. What I do with my kids takes a few minutes daily of conversing and guiding.
Every now and then we have 30 minute to 1 hour sessions.
No matter how busy you are, you can create time to do same for your kids, if you want to give them the best stab at life long success and fulfillment.
Watch for those times when your child gets so engrossed in an activity, that she ignores all else around her till she’s done.
That will often be a sign of where your child’s vocational passions lie.
Use that to guide the coaching conversations you have with her, and watch her genius emerge!
FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS…
To illustrate the points I’ve made above, I share below, 2 of 10 MP3 audio recordings I did of him playing each of his new instruments, a day after I presented them to him on his birthday.
On No. 2, you’ll hear the – slightly timid – background vocal support provided by his 10 year old sister :-))
1. http://tayosolagbade.com/uploads/ckika-on-Harmonica-with-temi.mp3
2. http://tayosolagbade.com/uploads/ckika-on-Recorder-with-temi.mp3
NB: You can download and listen offline on your PC or mobile device.
I’ve now edited MP3 audio recordings of ALL 10 popular children tunes/songs I got him to select and play (fun renditions), and made them into a special compilation available in 2 formats:
1. As a downloadable zipped folder, containing the audio clips
2. As a DVD branded with a photos of him, containing the audio clips.
Click here to request details of how to get the FULL compilation either via website download or on DVD.
I practise what I preach, so I’m doing this to show him how to monetize the skill he is developing.
Not surprisingly, he’s gotten all pumped and has been practicing more songs – especially from his little Songs Of Praise book.
This is a passion of mine: That’s why I often say I LIVE for my kids, literally speaking.
And my ultimate purpose is to use everything I know, and that I can learn, to prepare them to succeed to their fullest potentials in life. By way of interest, I will be teaching Chika to create these recordings, and package them for monetization purposes by himself.
It will NOT matter if s/he makes sales or not at this stage.
What matters is giving him the EXPERIENCE via the simulation of what I do in real life (selling my own monetized audios), so as to inspire him to invest more time and effort to create products that will eventually command the attention and interest of persons willing to pay to get them.
[NB: Click here to watch a video of Chika Mixing Butter, Sugar & Eggs for Our Trademark “No Oven” Charcoal Stove Baked Cakes. You can also read about how I taught him and his siblings “Practical Problem Solving” Through a Cake Baking Mishap!]
It’s instructive to note that the reason I share my stories on this theme is NOT to brag about my kids.
Instead, my purpose is to challenge – and if possible inspire – other parents to do what I’m doing for my kids, for THEIR own kids as well.
If you need help, I offer a Personal Achievement Coaching for Kids (PACK) program. Click here to request details.
Final Words: An Interview – and LIVE Challenge – With Chika (MP3 Audio Recording)
This morning (Friday 17th July 2015), before coming online at the Cafe, I did an audio interview with Chika, in which I deliberately challenged him to play – without previous warning – any of the songs in his notebook that I picked.
He struggled, as I expected, especially initially – but after the first song, he was soon in his elements and playing away.
I did that in the interview to TEST him, for the benefit of whoever will listen to the audio clip, so they see how REAL his abilities are. In other words, this was not some sort of arranged talent display. Another thing I did in the interview was to ask him how he learnt to play the Recorder as well as the Harmonica. He claimed he did it all by himself.
However, further discussions with his brothers have revealed that he got exposed to the basics in school, during a few music classes he attended. And he also learnt via notes he copied from his brothers and classmates, who shared with him.
On that front I had to impress upon him the need to acknowledge the IMPACT made by others on his learning process, even though there was no doubt he had done a wonderful job developing himself well above that initial level.
I did that to encourage him to give credit to others, who may have contributed, sometimes in subtle but significant ways to his growth. It’s important to be able to do that if one wishes to achieve long term success and self-actualization.
If you’d like to get a copy of/listen to the interview clip, click here to send me a request.
RELATED ARTICLES/FURTHER READING
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