The Hindu : Kerala News : ‘Emotions, the key to human behaviour’

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Sunday, Apr 06, 2008
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‘Emotions, the key to human behaviour’

“We often underestimate children and their thinking processes.”

Education consultants Vani Sukumar and Aparna Sukumar

Education consultants Vani Sukumar and Aparna Sukumar tell Girish Menon that the key to success in life is emotional development.

Emotional development and stability are major components of success. Emotions are key to understanding human behaviour and this area of work does not get due importance in day-to-day life, the mother-daughter duo of Vani Sukumar and Aparna Sukumar, Chennai-based education consultants, says.

“We often underestimate children and their thinking processes, which are based on sensory inputs. They make associations and understand patterns of behaviour much faster than we adults do, sometimes. The key to success in life, thus, is emotional development,” says Vani, who has 25 years of experience working with people of all ages – from toddlers to those opting for voluntary retirement. She is a consultant in 40 schools in Chennai and has trained people in 23 corporate companies, besides working with parents, teachers and individuals in schools and colleges, the primary focus being self-development.

Aparna Sukumar, who has done Master’s in counselling and guidance, gave up a lucrative job in an information technology company to join her mother. The duo is associated with non-governmental organisations and works not only with normal children, but also those with special needs.

Vani says that while parenting came naturally to people earlier, things are quite different these days. Parents want to avoid problem-solving and take the easy way out. It is possible to solve problems faced by children through appropriate and professional intervention.

“Our programmes revolve around the concept ‘integrate body & mind; discover the bliss behind.’ “Happiness is within you; you have to choose to find it. Our programmes lay emphasis on this,” Aparna says. “It is person’s privilege to be independent, but it is also his duty to be inter-dependent,” Vani says.

The two are in the State capital as camp directors of Rhythm, a 21-day camp beginning at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan on Monday. “The camp will be totally activity-based and challenge the child’s creative instincts. Incidental learning in the camp will be of a very high order,” Vani says.

Besides team-building and leadership, children will learn to express their thoughts in creative ways. The focus will be on enhancing communication with parents and teachers and providing experiential learning for the child. A teachers’ workshop will also be held.

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