Failures are lessons in life.

Children today face so much stress as a result of parents and teachers who insist on the type of success they demand.
"You have to get all 'As'. You must be at the top of the class. 100 marks and no less!" And the demands go on and on. To please them, the child works at it. So does so many other children.

The teachers and parents are happy with the child when the child is able to achieve their hopes. However, when something happens and interrupts or disrupts the child's study, and the child slacks a little, giving the parents not the usual good results, the parents get worried. Why should the parents worry?

For example, if a child happens to live in a flooded area and this interrupts the child's studies; it is certain that the child will have no choice but to think of immediate flood problems first. Of course, if at that time, the child sits for an examination, marks most probably will tumble. It's expected. So, there is no worry. It is a temporary setback. Let the child and the parents learn from this.

Furthermore, in life, if we live long enough and do many things in life, we are bound to make some mistakes and fail somewhere. The only people who do not fail are those who stick to just one thing where they know they are safe; walk the same safe path and so commit no wrongs or failures. Do we want our children to be like that?

Certainly not. We want our children to see good opportunities as they appear, jump into the opportunity vehicle and see where it may lead to. If the ride becomes too rough and we have not the strength nor the capability to rough it out, we learn something from it. We discover ourselves. We know such a ride is not for us. We know our limits. As I have said in an earlier posting, everyone have limits. So, we must be realistic. Some are good at academics, others are good at physical things. Once we know where our capabilities and strengths lie, we know which opportunities to grab.

If a child were to slack due to some unforseen circumstances, it is a time for the child to learn that nobody is so good that he/she stays at the top all the time. He/She learns that it takes time and effort to stay at the top. He/She realises that others are just as good or can even be better. The child understands that even when he/she is not always at the very top, he/she is just as good. He/She may also realise that priorities are important and right choices have to be made. That is a lot of self understanding. Self understanding is important in decision making later in life.

Therefore, accept the fact that failures can happen. However, we must learn from our failures. Know what caused them. Understand that the best laid plan can go astray and when that happens the experience can stengthen us for future incidents. We can become stronger individuals. Understanding our failure can help prevent other failures and strengthen us for whatever other challenges that life throws at us. Wisdom comes through knowledge and experiences. And unless we experience failure we may not know the right thing to do under the circumstances.

Life is learning and that is what makes it adventurous and worth the living.