Writing as a profession – the varied options you can choose from!

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Reading is no longer an in thing and if nobody would read, why bother writing? Well, the question seems justified; is there any point in writing anymore?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that the writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.

Creative writing as a learning & personal growth tool –

Stated more than aptly answers the question. Creative writing, for professional or personal reasons, offers innumerable benefits. Be it journaling or article writing or preparing notes for a fiction book, each and every word helps the writer enter a creative, intellectual territory. Furthermore, creative writing is an immensely important communication tool. Expressing oneself through words opens doors to imagination and wisdom. The art of writing builds discipline. Being able to pen leads to self-control and tutors kids about routine.

In addition to the mentioned, writing all thoughts in an organized manner helps find solutions. A well-articulated plan in writing has a much better chance of success. Furthermore, creative writing engages the brain most exhaustively. Together the analytical and creative sides of the brain work and help form ideas that creative writers deploy.

Words have the power to stay; they form memories.

Writing as a profession – it opens avenues!!

In addition to writing for personal development and creative expression, kids can also opt for the art of writing as a profession. Professionally, one can make quite a buck by writing in various capacities and across different industries.

  • Script writer – if you enjoy telling stories and enjoy the fascinating world of movies, script writing is the profession for you.
  • Book author – let your imagination run wild and let every thought find its way to the pages of a novel. As a book author you can experiment with various writing styles and pen numerous genres.
  • Ghostwriting – you write for others and make an honest penny. By helping others put their thoughts and experience in an interesting format, a creative writing career as a ghostwriter pays you well.
  • Journalist / News producer / Editor – add your own stylized masala to the world events and let the audience see from your scanner. As the creative writer behind a news channel you create and vet content before it reaches the outside world.
  • Website writer / Blog writer – this is yet another enchanting avenue a professional writer can explore. This creative writing career option offers abundant scope for flexibility and variety; collaborate for a blog as interesting as Conversation Club and each minute of your time is well utilized.
  • Proposal writer / corporate communications / marketing copy specialist – as a professional writer this is yet another avenue that can help you earn quite well. It is a well-paying position and top MNCs are always looking for new talent.

Stated are just the top few options. Writing is a field that brings with it immense possibilities. To add to that, this is one professional field where owing to the option of flexible hours, work life balance can be well achieved.  

Is your kid a gadget addict?

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Time to deal with your child’s screen time!

Kids, and to an extent us adults too, are becoming obsessively glued to our electronic gadgets. Be it the smartphone, smart watch or a tab or a laptop, unless we check the status or spend time scanning social media posts, the day seems incomplete. Smartphone screen in fact has now completely replaced the morning sun. Day starts by checking for new messages and we doze off to trending insta reels. Even mothers of 6 month old babies have their favorite lullaby song lists.

And the obsession is not all fun. Owing to this excessive, uncontrolled exposure to content, youngsters are falling victim to physical & mental torture. Their intellectual growth is being hampered and continual dependence on smartphones is discouraging creativity & initiative. In fact some online games have been banned for their addiction forming capabilities & associated side effects.

This has led to a serious situation and the concern is legitimate. Children are spending way too much time with their gadgets and this behavior ought to be curbed. But how … how do we prevent our kids from smartphones and other gadgets? How do we plan kid’s screen time? How do we manage the ever increasing obsession for gadgets?  

Gadget cleansing plan:

Merely fixing a schedule for permitted screen time is not the solution to the problem. Schedules are forgotten & ignored; what you need is a creative fix.

  • Begin by identifying an offline activity that your kid is interested in. For instance, there are special classes for kids where trainers indulge in activities like yoga / dance / pilates and more. Enrolling in such sessions offline, for even an hour, will keep your kid occupied for at least 2 hours a day (including time to dress up for the class & travel); not to forget the subsequent exhaustion, which will also help maintain the sleep schedule. Such classes, when attended under the guidance of a physical trainer, will keep them in shape and ensure complete supervision.  
  • Try the reverse psychology – Instead of blaming the gadgets and urging kids to stay away from them, encourage reading. Take your child to one of the fancy bookstores in a mall and let them feel glossy covers and shiny storybooks. Let them explore and pick as per their area of interest. Such a purchase will prompt deviation and shall boost creativity in kids.
  • Go old school – Encourage play dates, get together with other parents and organize group time. In such plans, make sure there are enough board games, playing cards, carom, crafty items and such playing equipment scattered in the room. Instead of lecturing the kids to stay away from their mobile screens, leave enough distractions around them. Rather than elaborating on the problems, keep alternate solutions handy.
  • Last but not least – set an example – set out an hour a day to bond with your kid, without gadgets. Strictly no phone and no TV; this will help with the detox process and also strengthen your bond with the kid. Communication is the key!

How to push an unmotivated child?

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Is there a simple solution to the complex puzzle??

Part I

65 marks aren’t bad mom … I’ll cleanup when I feel like and this is my room, let me be … Career? Sure I’ll do something, don’t nag me about it just yet! …I’ve been studying for half an hour already; what more do you want? … I am not fat, don’t body shame me mom. I’ll work out when I feel like and now is not the time.

If as a parent, you are able to relate with any of the mentioned remarks, then you are certainly dealing with a laidback kid. Younger ones can still be managed, but teenagers are an even tougher challenge. So how do we deal with the situation? How do we motivate children? What all practices or tools could encourage positive action and effort?

The science of motivation – it all starts at the beginning!!

Psychological research suggests that parents, guardians and mentors can motivate and promote learning. There is this whole science behind motivation that can be applied. Apparently, there are intrinsic and extrinsic drivers that enable the cause. As per research (citation source: working paper 14 Developing Child / Harvard), approach & avoidance motivation decide the response. In case of the former i.e. approach motivation, we are tempted to undertake a task if we feel that we will enjoy doing so. As for avoidance motivation, as the name suggests, we feel that it is an unwanted situation & thus react with a flight or fight response.

Sounds intelligent however what are the practical implications of these fancy terms? Is there a simpler way in which we can perhaps breakdown this scientific jargon and filter through it to an understandable solution? Let’s try and see how far we can go…

In layman’s terms!

Imagine you are 14 years old…

You have been invited to a Diwali bash at a friend’s place; your whole gang is going to be there and gossip about the fancy party is already buzzing on your phone. On the same fateful day however, an uncle too has planned a family dinner. This uncle is a really close relative and the older members of the clan really bit too well. He has kids your age and your parents seem awfully excited about the plan. Again imagine yourself in this hypothetical situation. For a few moments, do not think like a parent. Let the teenager in you overpower and analyze the factors that would decide the succeeding course of action.

If we breakdown the situation and attempt a correlation with approach & avoidance motivational drivers, quite naturally the kid would be tempted to make as many excuses to avoid the family get together. Conversations and behaviors over the next few days would be driven by excuses to drop out of the tasks related to the family event. As a parent, with limited knowledge of the upcoming Diwali bash at friend’s place, it all will appear as an attitude problem. But the underlying cause here is the overpowering avoidance mechanism, which is inciting the flight response.

To be continued…  

Are we allowed to be selfish … Is guilt part of parenting?

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Balancing our lives – individual vs. parent

What was your last vacation like? Did you dare to order yourself a couple of cocktails and thought of granting the parent in you a little bit of rest?

Or as a parent, do you compulsively feel obligated to be always there for the child and even a minute of me time seems like a punishable offense?

What is the definition of an ideal parent?

An ideal parent is one who is always available for the child. This ideal – godlike figure lends an ear when needed, physically offers all the support, is a highly understanding and rational human being who knows the child in and out and is always ready for emotional support and love. The definition doesn’t really end here … there’s more!

This perfect parent is also a super human, who while being available at all times, is able to work in a highly competitive world and is capable of managing all other relationship responsibilities. This parent is the financial provider and emotional support system for the rest of the family.

Quite pertinently, while managing all of the above, a modern day parent must also meet the societal tag of a ‘cool parent’!!!

The guilt trap

Parents are a kid’s role model and therefore they are obligated to comply with the strict parent code. However, this parent code or the model that defines the best parent, in itself seems like a guilt trap.

Take a typical mother for instance. If the woman decided to work, she’d be held liable for ignoring her child – who cares if she ever was ambitious and had aspirations of her own. On the contrary, if this woman decided to become a stay at home mom and be there, she’ll be held liable for not providing the much needed financial support – who cares if she will tirelessly work to save every penny for her child’s future.

Even for dads, the roles are no longer defined. Unlike ancient times, when their job was to get the bread on the table, they are now expected to play a highly evolved role. No wonder concepts like paternity break are under continuous scrutiny. Should dads be allowed a 6 month paternity leave? Shouldn’t they be allowed to spend time with the young ones? Isn’t a father’s bond as crucial as a mother’s responsibility towards their child?

Where does it end??

We’ll the grave encapsulation of the story is that it doesn’t really end. Parenting is a task, a responsibility that the parents always carry and irrespective of their decisions and preferences, the criticisms never end. Raising a kid used to take a village and with the new modern age family nuances, this village barely comprises 2 – 4 people.

Thus, remember that people will always judge and the parent inside you will never let you win. In this endless tussle, allow yourself a little break and let the individual live. That will not only help you emotionally elevate, but it shall also bestow the needed courage to be a loving parent.

Increasing gaps … broken bonds

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The need to connect || to converse || to express

A great Greek Philosopher Aristotle said that man by nature is a social animal. Other great minds added that without society man is nothing but an animal. And we all agreed until Covid brought with it the notion of ‘social distancing’.

This pandemic destabilized the entire equation. Functional relationships, as we knew them, were brutally butchered. Human beings or as Aristotle said, ‘the social animals’ were confined to four walls. But why are we talking about it now? Isn’t this a thing of the past?? Aren’t we back to normal?

Perhaps we are back to normal and life has resumed, but is it the same life as we’ve known? Are we the same people, surrounded by those whom we loved and trusted? Be it personal or professional associations, are we as connected as used to be? Well certainly not … the times have taken a toll; the distance that was imposed has pushed us apart.

Invisible Barricades

Gap, which medically induced isolation brought with it, left us weaker. It is beyond human endurance to deal with solitude and this pain that was inflicted years ago, is still ripe in us. We were forced to operate in isolation, be it weddings or mournful events, we were compelled to deal in segregated groups. This compulsive segregation broke us. And now when we are allowed to function as normal social animals, the impact of induced segregation is still inside.

Emotional Hiccups and Financial Burdens

What life witnessed in those times created self-centered attitudes. In those difficult times, isolation and the need to survive, coupled with loss all around led to loneliness and fear. Many of us lost those we loved and gaps further widened on account of job instability and economic pressures. The new work from home schema further aggravated the distance. The connections we had nurtured over years were suddenly burdened by the imposition of financial survival.  

End result – a heartbroken society!!!

The need to connect … to communicate …. to improve

Communication in any form is an assurance of a richer life. We need to be able to connect and establish relationships on both personal and professional fronts. We aspire to be able to associate with like-minded humans. Expression is an integral part of life. Opinions might differ, but the need to share them is universal.

Conversation Club celebrates the art of communication. We are a platform that cultivates the richness of expression. We encourage you to bond over interesting subjects. We invite discussions and inspire you to effectively share your viewpoints. We get together and bond over healthy discussions. The social need to express is nurtured here at CC.

Improve while you connect

As we engage in discussions around stimulating subjects, we also aspire to improve. Communication skills play a pertinent role in overall growth. Especially given the imposed breaks, sharpening your English language skills with a platform like Conversation Club can certainly provide the required boost. To be able to communicate effectively can change the dynamics of living and this is where conversation sessions at Conversation Club step in!

The growing silent generation!!! Why the kids no longer talk???

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In this era of DMs and snap chats, getting more than a ‘ya’ or ‘I don’t know’ or ‘whatever’ from a kid has become a gruesome task for parents. We’ve entered into a complicated schema of communication, where a child barely uses a legitimate structured sentence to express feelings or even answer a simple question like ‘why won’t you eat dinner with everybody at the dining table?’

Parents are simply getting frustrated over slangs and broken sentences. Children are no longer used to the idea of making a proper sentence, which answers the question. Try asking a 13 year old about her friends at school. One of the following responses is to be expected:

  • Complete silence coupled with a condescending look
  • Confused stare and few garbled vowels
  • Absolute ignorance
  • Intense look into the screen of the nearest available gadget
  • Exit from the interrogation room

What happened to the power of actual words?

Gone are the days when children used to go out and play with neighborhood friends. The times of endless discussions are a bygone era. In the current reality, hashtags and trending memes rule the communication pattern. In fact, friends and classmates are no longer a safe zone. Say something out of the ordinary and you are given a tag. From ‘nerdy’ to ‘weirdo’, all kinds of labels hover around and disrupt all communication channels.

Reasons why kids don’t interact:

  • The broken bond with words – Owing to the inability to communicate, kids are not able to express themselves. This inability to properly put their feelings into words leads to complete seclusion.
  • The growing competition & academic demands – Thanks to the ever increasing need to be better, we are nurturing book worms and cramming experts. The art of verbal communication and practical approach to living is dying in the process.
  • Defective communication channels – Children have been away from heartfelt discussions and easy conversations for so long that they no longer know how to express.
  • Veiled embarrassment & the fear of making mistakes – Children struggle, however they are too embarrassed to ask for help. It is fear of getting exposed as a loser that prompts isolation.
  • Scared of the reaction – Another communication challenge is the fear of possible response. It is anticipation of intense criticism that forces these young ones to go in their shells.

Provide a channel that promotes communication!

Communication cannot be forced. In fact, if we as parents / guardians / mentors ask too many questions, complete shutdown is the counter weapon. What is needed in this case is availability of a safe space to express and connect. Children are struggling with their inability to perform, to make friends, to overcome hurdles. If we in such cases force rules, that’ll only increase the gap. It is only through patience and persistence that we can encourage them to open up. At Conversation Club, we offer a warm and encouraging channel to learn and express. We welcome them to a space where they interact, open up and learn.   

Conversation partners – we elevate together!

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Learning with a friend, who understands … challenges … motivates … helps … shares, is the definite path to excellence. Especially when it comes to communication skills training, if we have someone to work with, the sharing of ideas and constant deliberations help excel.

Teamwork has proven to be a tool that leads to innovative ideas and effectively solve problems. When it comes to learning in the domain of communication skills, working with a study partner has similar benefits. Study partners ensure that the process of learning is stimulated in a happy zone. It lowers the risk of burnout and through the helpful clubbed sessions, students tend to observe from varied perspectives and thus learn effectively.

Furthermore, knowledge when shared with a study partner, significantly enhances in terms of value. Combined efforts act a fuel and provide the desired momentum. Academic excellence is guaranteed if there is the option of working with an ideal learning mate.

Why work with a study mate?

One cannot improve upon his / her ability to communicate in isolation. Communication skills training is a domain that relies heavily upon an environment to connect & express. In fact learning can only prosper in an environment, which provides ample opportunities to freely open up. It is only when we speak that we are able to identify our mistakes and thus correct them. Connecting with a suitable learning partner or a study group has numerous addition benefits; few of them are as below:

  • The content is better understood post discussions with other learners. Analyzing a content from various viewpoints enables better assimilation.
  • When clubbed with a study group / mate, one is motivated to keep up with the learning schedule and thus there’s less inclination to delay.
  • Learning partners motivate each other by identifying frequent mistakes and learning barriers. They help correct each other and thus achieve the desired goals.
  • Working with a conversation partner, as part of communication skills training, makes sure that the process does not become monotonous.
  • Peer review and the option to improve reduces anxiety and thus encourages learning.
  • Social interaction is an integral component of the communication skills training program. The conversation partner program encourages interactions and thus stimulates growth. 

Conversation partner @ conversation club!

Verbal expression is a pertinent ingredient of the communication skills course. While communication course mentors can impart the required tools and guidance to comprehend the language basics and associated formats, practicing in a challenging environment is of integral relevance. The notion behind encouraging 1:1 discussions and communicating with conversation partners is to duplicate the nuances of practical environment. A close to realistic communication driven scenario is encouraged at Conversation Club, which extensively promotes learning.

Conversation partners are carefully matched up to ensure optimum results. Age, background (education & profession) and language proficiency levels are considered critical influencers. Communication skills training at Conversation Club is not merely about brushing up the grammar concepts or learning new words. The sessions are designed around the objective of expression, sentence articulation and language usage & clarity. These communication skills objective are met through conversations.

Story threads to weave the mind and enable learning!

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Be it words or pictures, there lies a story, waiting to be told. Communication skills sessions and learning plan at Conversation Club revolves around the intuitive art of visualizing scenarios and weaving them into interesting narrations. Each of these narrations is an experience that the learner undergoes to explore possibilities, to ask questions, to absorb new words, to imagine distinct scenarios and to allow escape, thereby fostering creativity & learning.

If lessons were weaved as stories, they would never be forgotten.

How do stories aid learning in kids?

  1. Knitting together boosts imagination – Working with a story mate, building upon those abstract phrases and pictures together, fosters creativity and learning in kids. Young, unrestricted minds, when given the opportunity to engage and converse freely, open up towards new intellectual avenues and together explore the widened creative horizons. Learning becomes a collaborative mission and it is on this path that the adolescent mind blossoms.
  2. From theoretical to practical visualizations – Education shouldn’t have to revolve around tedious facts and formulas. True learning only happens when the mind and heart are intertwined and receptive to information. Stories help engage young audiences and build the apt communication skills training grounds. The flow of thoughts, linked narratives and the ability to venture in multiple directions, opens up new thinking avenues.
  3. Exploring the indefinite possibilities – Exploring abstract avenues and learning in an environment that fosters the idea of freely venturing into all avenues, nurtures creative minds. A close interaction with the fictional scenarios and mysterious characters prompts experimentation, which is turn educates kids and helps with personality development & enrichment.   
  4. Stories boost memory and cultivate retention – The exercise opens up new worlds and conversations. It stimulates thinking and enables comprehension of details, which would otherwise be difficult to retain. Through colorful depictions and word play, stories leave an imprint, thereby boosting the memory. Asking relevant questions, explaining new concepts through stories and engaging in rich discussions together stimulate retention.
  5. Nurtures social skills and empathy – The colorful world of pictures and braided words are an interesting way to introduce new emotions and social scenarios. Outside world is complex and while we dream to preserve and shield the young ones forever, it is only a matter of time that they’ll have to deal with the unknown intricacies. Stories act as windows to such alien scenarios. They help visualize situations and arouse feelings for characters, thereby promoting empathy in readers.
  6. Word play enhances vocabulary – There is a direct correlation between the world of stories and vocabulary. Learning new words through various story activities ensures understanding and retention. Story creators are able to effectively grasp the meanings of new words. The understanding helps them apply the learned knowledge. Enriched vocabulary play an imminent role in both professional and personal domains and the world of stories helps attain the objective.

Stories have a reach, they sink in. Articulate sentences and pictures get embedded in the mind. These captivating narrations are an effective learning tool and can be suitably harnessed to improve communication skills, educate kids and ensure personality development and overall learning.

Learning enablers @ Conversation Club!

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Words and our ability to verbally communicate is one of the most crucial tool available to humankind. While on personal front, we yearn to express and connect with like-minded people; on professional front, ability to get across a message, holds significant value. Be it seamless work execution or conflict resolution or performance measurement parameters, communication skills are a pertinent measurement criterion. We humans deploy words to enable, to heal and to emote.

However, it is not just any random combination of words that leads to communication. Effective communication skills rely upon the basic rule of coherent composition of the message and absolute transmission to the desired receiver, in a desired format. This is where the need for communication skills training arises. Communication is a skill which needs to be regularly sharpened and one where there’s always room for improvement. Communication skills training enables clarity of expression, imparts the eloquent style and lends a hand with empathetic articulation, which are all together critical at any given instance in life.

The relevance of communication skills training is underlined, but how can the objectives be achieved? Platforms like Conversation Club provide the solution.

Conversation Club is a platform that enables the opportunity to practice and improve. Communication skills learning & growth happens here through the loop of practice – feedback – correction – practice! 

Student teacher rapport

Trainers at Conversation Club are skilled at the art of communication and teaching. Backed by years of practical experience in communication domains, mentors and curriculum designers categorically focus upon establishing a rapport. Effective learning in communication skills or any domain can only happen if the trainer is equipped to understand and modulate the program as per learner’s intake. While one ought to be slow enough to ensure assimilation of information & interest, the momentum portion of the classes too needs to be cautiously managed. Trainers at Conversation Club encourage thinking and application, provide regular feedbacks, correct and thus ensure improvement in communication skills.

Assessment of the gaps and steps towards fulfillment lead towards improvement of communication skills!!!

Effective curriculum

We all have our own ecosystems. A student’s life has its own variables and these are quite different from the parameters of a working professional’s life. Depending upon our age, profession and interests, we all have different communication needs. If the needs are different, how can the solution possibly be generic?

At Conversation Club, the curriculum is designed to meet the specific requirements and is further customized to meet individual targets. Thus, there are individual sessions, where the trainer works with the student to fill in specific communication related gaps and clubbed sessions with other conversation partners, which provide the needed exposure.

Information Exchange or Communication??

There is a tricky difference between sharing information and actual communication. The former relies upon sending out the message to an individual or a group of people. Latter is about actually reaching out and getting through to the desired audience by way of effective communication. Communication skills training @ Conversation Club helps bridge this gap from information relay to actual communication.

Let the light of knowledge illuminate this Diwali

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Enter the world of learning with Conversation Club!

A Chinese proverb encapsulates the complexities of a curious mind in quite simple terms – A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life.

Knowledge in any format, if consumed and applied, paves way to a meaningful life. One who is not just willing to learn but is also receptive to the idea of unlearning, is on the path towards success. In fact any teacher, mentor or a guide can only help if the student’s mind is open to the process of accepting information and thus learning. The stated is true is any field, including the vast domain of communication skills.

To communicate … to share

Communication simply means exchange of ideas, transfer of information & sharing. It includes the phenomena of expressing emotions, transferring feelings and empathizing with the world where we exist. This could be online or offline. It also means to learn and grow on both personal and professional fronts. The widely accepted effective form of communication is one that essentially helps achieve this imperative objective of growth.

Especially in professional world, the art of communication is acquiring a seat of extreme importance. Relevance of proficiency in the domain of verbal skills and the ability of configure the message in a desired manner is elevating. Certainty of achieving one’s goals is directly proportional to the ability of expression.     

A path towards meaningful exchange

Communication is not just about learning the intricacies of a language. It is a much more complex schema of interlinked concepts, critically revolving around intelligent exchange. A decent conversation must have a reasonable message and intent to convey the message. Depending upon the participants in the dialogue, it could be informal in approach or set in a formal apparatus with a professional objective. Either ways, the intention of a well drafted communique is to reach out to the audience and enable successful transmission. Only through continuous meaningful conversations can one truly achieve the objective of effective communication. Communication skills can be honed by assuming the roles of sender and receiver and exchanging information.

Expanding the knowledge base

At Conversation Club, emphasis upon communication skills training is through knowledge based discussions. Subjects from various fields are discussed and the cumulative knowledge of conversation partners drives the learning process. Learners from diverse backgrounds express and learn on this platform. The connect is cautiously harnessed to enable communication skills training.  

This investment in communication skills training thus helps streamline the grasp of the language and further boosts the know how in multiple domains. Ability to express and connect fosters a culture of mutual respect and admiration. In professional terms, overall productivity escalates and both internal and external relationships witness a boost.

The potent mix of knowledge, information and communication skills training tools at Conversation Club helps synthesize pertinent ideas and diverse information.

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today―Malcolm X