Teaching children to value experiences in a world that is turning increasingly materialistic is easier said than done. After all, it’s hard to resist yourself from giving into their repeated pleas of ‘please’ or their joyous ‘thank you’ whenever they receive any gift, be it sweet treats, books, or that shiny new toy. It makes the child happy instantly and even you feel happy to not have to deal with a sulking and brooding kid.
However, once you stop and think about things like the feeling of horseback riding on a mountain side, the glimpse of the shiny morning dew on the blades of a grass, or that exciting snorkeling adventure at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, you will realize that these are experiences and feelings that transcend words and definitions and stay etched in mind forever.
We, at Banyan Tree School, believe that these experiences can bring no less happiness to a child than that new toy you just got for him/her. Besides, we know that the new toy may also be found lying in that huge pile of other toys at the end of the week, but the memories created from experiences will be forever locked in their mind, and, this is exactly the idea that we want our children to understand. Let’s delve deeper into the reasons why we, at Banyan Tree School, believe that kids should be ideally taught to value experiences over possessions:
Developing an appreciation for the finer things in life
We believe that when you let children gain real-life experiences, it helps them develop an appreciation for the finer things in life. When they are able to look past the materialistic needs, they learn to recognize, value, and imbibe the qualities of benevolence, compassion, and empathy more clearly. The material possessions will fade away, but these qualities once inculcated, remain with them forever.
Helping them mature into considerate and kind individuals
We want our children to grow up into considerate and kind individuals, and offering them with positive experiences that shape their lives and minds is one of the best ways to do that. It goes without saying that a new video game will not let them grow their inner qualities as much as a visit to the Grand Canyon, or a trip down to the neighborhood park.
Enabling them to deal with challenges more effectively
Introducing the kids to various experiences in life helps to prepare them to deal with various challenges and hurdles more effectively. This is because the experiences that they have had and been through will offer them ideas about the right direction to take in case of any difficulty they meet within their path of life.
Aiding children in becoming self-reliant and independent
When we choose experiences over possessions as a way of teaching our children, we turn them into independent and self-reliant individuals, who can depend on their capacities to handle the situations they are met with. Though we are always there to lead and guide them, there is no denying the fact that it is really heartening to see our children take up the responsibility on their shoulders when the time comes.
We, at Banyan Tree School, one of the Top rated CBSE schools in Chandigarh, believe that teaching children to value experiences forms one of the crucial aspects of our mode of hands-on learning. When children are exposed to various positive experiences and practical scenarios, it helps them learn in a way that is deeply embedded in their young minds to guide and aid them in every step of the way. All our approaches and methodologies at Banyan Tree ensure that our children can avail a holistic learning experience that helps them grow as well-rounded individuals.
