Becoming a SoulKids Mentor was life changing

Becoming a SoulKids Mentor was life changing 

By Sally Forrest
Managing Director of SoulCentre, www.soulcentre.org

30th April 2018

Sally recently interviewed Swapna Menon to find out about her journey to become a SoulKids Mentor.

What made you decide to become SK Mentor?

I happened to glance at a SoulKids programme brochure in school and I was completely wowed by the benefits it talked about.

I decided to take the course thinking that how beautiful it would be to transform myself and others and to see children “blossom" from buds into beautiful flowers

Personally I think that the most beautiful thing one can give back to the world is to “create a difference in the lives to others”.

Did You enjoy the SoulKids Mentor training program?

Yes! Without a doubt, it was amazing.
I particularly liked the transformation I saw in myself and then in the people I interacted with.

I loved the tools and teaching techniques used and in particular the stories!
As individuals, all of us connect to stories. Our eyes and ears are totally focussed and engrossed when we listen to a great story.
The stories shared at the SoulKids Mentor training are simple, unique and life changing.

The learning is so profound.

I could grasp and connect to it really easily and it also helped to change my perspective and my attitude.

It made me realise that I am in charge of my life!
Every thought I have and every action I take brings change to me and to my life.

The most beautiful part of the programme was to watch Vikas in action as he taught the program. He has such authenticity and passion, moving from one story to another with high energy. He never tired and I was totally focussed and concentrating all the time. It was enjoyable and the time just flew by. I was mesmerised.

SoulKids Mentor training is a programme that transformed me as an individual.

Have you incorporated the teachings into your life? 

Yes, I immediately incorporated the teachings.
First I changed my thoughts as I realised that as individuals we have numerous thoughts coming to us every day.
Some thoughts can be positive while some can be negative.
Of course the positive thoughts are great, however one negative thought is enough to influence our entire day and can spoil the moment.

Of course it can be a challenge to always have positive thoughts, however now I have this new awareness I am making a daily effort to keep the negative thoughts at bay.

How have you used SK with your family? 

Yes, I use it with my family.

I have all the SoulKids books and I read the stories to my daughter.
She loved the stories so much that she asked to attend a SoulKids program.

Every day when the opportunity arises I reiterate the learning from the stories.

There are situations when she may be impatient or may not be happy with her results.
I take situations like this as an opportunity to help her learn key life lessons from SoulKids like to “be patient” and “to not give up”
The stories of the patient spider and Bruce Lee help her to realise everyone in life goes through challenges and it enables her to focus and to be eager to change.

Every story that SoulKids teaches has invaluable life lessons that really benefit children (and adults).

Have you been involved in teaching a SoulKids program?

Yes I have and I loved every minute of it.

It is so rewarding to make a difference in the lives of others.

I am a very energetic person and I bring lots of enthusiasm and drama while narrating stories. 

The children definitely enjoyed the program and certainly left happy and smiling.

Many thanks Swapna for this enlightening interview.

We wish you continued happiness and we know that each child who comes into contact with you will most certainly benefit.

For more details on SoulKids please do connect with us on soulkids@soulcentre.org

How to be more Confident - It all begins with Me

5^th September 2016

Imagine the joy of seeing your child walk confidently through life being able to handle any situation that life offers to them.

Parents and teachers are the main source of a child's self worth, and their first teachers.

Confidence skills can be taught from a young age and will remain with the child for life.

Here are a few tips on how to encourage your child to become more confident:

1) Encourage them to see their inner and outer strengths.

a) Outer strengths: For example praise them for dressing well, grooming well, showing a happy face etc. …

Use words and phrases that show the child that you appreciate what they have done.
For example:
"Mary I like the way you have co-ordinated your outfit today – all the colours match well"
"When you style your hair like that it really suits you and looks chic"

b) Inner strengths: name them and also reward good behaviour.

"Mary I love it when you share with others as it shows that you care"
"I love to hear the positive thoughts that you bring to the conversation"
"I admire the fact you are determined, focussed and take responsibility"

2) Ensure a child feels loved.
Hug them, hold their hand, write them notes and most importantly let them know they are loved.
It is wonderful to hear the words "I love you".
Include their name so that they know the love is for them.
For example;
"Ria, I love you."

3) Make their environment positive.
Each child should have a space of their own on which you can build a wall of appreciation for them. Include positive pictures, certificates, awards, and any good comments that you have received about the child. Use hand written comments and post them on the wall to keep it alive and exciting. If space is limited and your children all share one bedroom, then allocate a small space on the wall for each child. With the right mind-set and some creativity, any space can become magical for the child.

3 top tips that are easy to apply.

Knowing them is not enough – we must apply and take action.

Do let me know how your child feels once you have tried these out for 7 days …. Miracles will result.

Why are life-skills needed?

‘SoulKids teaches children how to create and enjoy a good life, not just earn a good living.’ – Vikas

www.soulkids.org

The imperative things to learn in life, are how to manage ourselves, work with others and maximize our inner potential for the benefit of others.

Sadly, these essential skills are often overlooked as a child grows into an adult.

While academic learning and external skills sets may be enough to get us a good job, they do not ensure that we will have happy relationships, actualize our inner potential, work efficiently with others in teams, or even enjoy a lasting sense of happiness and purpose in life.

And this is where SoulKids really shines! SoulKids works with children to equip them with the complete set of life skills that a child will need to create a happy and successful life as they become adults.

Skills that teach us about the power of our thoughts, the strength of our emotions and the effects of our actions.

Inner skills such as resilience, teamwork, positive thinking, creative problem solving and discipline, which are needed to create both success and happiness in one’s life.

Children enhance their level of self-confidence, think positively, develop determination, focus, vision, persistence, passion and creative problem solving, and have greater emotional intelligence and resilience after attending SoulKids. They can apply what they learn at SoulKids in their personal, family and social life.

Life-skills create strong self-esteem and empower us to overcome day-to- day challenges, stress and tension.

Life-skills are necessary in today’s world, because academic education is simply not enough for us to create and enjoy a good life!

SoulKids is an award winning training program that provides the complete menu of life-skills that your child will require to create a life of happiness and success.

So if your child has not benefited from the magic of SoulKids yet, now is the time for you to connect with us.

Parenting tips for stress free travel

The holidays are finally here!

Summer vacations, trips back home, family time, and travel to exotic locations. While all of the above sounds exciting and fun, if you are not well prepared, they can prove to be stressful as well.

So here are our top tips to enjoy stress-free holiday with your family:

1. Plan in advance.

Children need something to do, something that stimulates them and excites them. Just sightseeing or tagging along for a shopping trip sounds extremely boring to them. Instead make a fun experience out of the same outing. Let them lead the way for you or talk to you about where you're headed. Get them to do some research in advance and take on the role of a guide or explorer. By giving them this responsibility, you are just turning a potentially boring trip for them into a fun learning experience.

2. Set some goals

A fun way to engage the children is to sit together as a family and set some holiday goals for each of you. Make sure the goals are achievable, realistic and measurable. Set goals for yourself too and work on them everyday. When the children see you working on your goals, it inspires them to work on theirs too.

3. Encourage the children to read.

Holidays and travel are a great time to read. SoulKids books provide a wealth of wonderful stories, which not just intrigue their interest but also serve as a wonderful conversation starter. The stories in SoulKids books help you to coach and mentor your children even whilst on holiday.

The SoulKids® books support the children to earn essential life skills such as self-confidence, self-esteem, teamwork, leadership and resilience.

You will be able to relate to the stories as you travel and explain the lessons with real life situations.

For example one story teaches about seeing the good in every situation – this could apply to many situations whilst travelling.

4. Start each holiday morning on a positive note.

Switch your thinking from 'what can go wrong' to 'what an exciting new experience, I’ll make the most of it'.

This way you transmit your positivity to your children and create for them the opportunities to see positive thinking in action.

5. Remember holidays are meant for rest and rejuvenation, whilst having fun.

It is a well-deserved time-off not just for you but for the children as well. Make it your goal to create happy memories.

After all " the quality of what you do is more important than how much you do."

The Power of Positive Thoughts

"If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely"

- Roald Dahl 

What is the best gift we can give to a child?

It is simply to be the best example that we can be.

We can only give to a child what we have inside, so if we feel loved then we can give love, if we feel happy and content, then we can give happiness.

So reflect for a moment, How happy are you? How positive are your thoughts?

Children learn by watching as well as listening, and what they see on a day to day basis becomes their reality.

So exercise your happy muscles today.

Have positive thoughts. 

In ANY situation we can always look to see a positive aspect….

It's as simple as remembering we have enough food to eat, clean water to drink, that our bodies are healthy, that we live in a safe environment….

The list is endless….

So on a daily basis - look for the things that make you smile, develop your positive thoughts and radiate like a sunbeam.

Your children will love you for being a happy you - and change will result.

Try it and see.