Raising Champion Children: An Essential Guide to Helping Children Thrive in the 21st Century

Being a 21st-century parent comes with its ups and downs but when armed with the right resources, one can put their children on the right path to becoming outstanding and excelling adults. The journey to make this happen starts with understanding the key challenges you will encounter and how to deal with them with purpose and grace. Raising Champion Children: An Essential Guide to Helping Children Thrive in the 21st Century is an essential tool for every 21st-century parent.

PROLOGUE
Every parent wants to raise champion children. However, we all face obstacles on this path while each has their own peculiar challenges and experiences. Alongside the challenges I have faced, I have been inspired by my parents and motivated by my children to write this book.
It should be used as an essential guide to helping a child (or children) thrive in the 21st Century and help as you navigate life raising your child. I have shared my ideas and the practices that worked for me. A core principle is to determine your current parenting style and seek to improve at it. This book also provides a resource guide, which includes questionnaires and templates for you to become a champion parent!
“Every Child is a Champion—all you need to do is release the unharnessed potential.”
My main challenge started when I got married and moved to London to join my husband in 1989. I had grown up in Ile-Ife, Nigeria in a sheltered and loving family and all had gone smoothly from childhood through graduation at the University of Ife.
I experienced culture shock and downturn after having my children, without the familiar (Nigerian) extended family support. I worked as an administrator in the Council before training as a primary school teacher in 1995 and then found that the learning environment did not hold teachers in esteem when compared to Nigeria, regardless of the good financial compensation. Children are not motivated to learn which affects their achievements especially in underprivileged boroughs (Newham- East London).
The upside for me was when my husband went into full-time Ministry as a Reverend at Custom House Baptist Church London (CHBC). Since 1999 I have worked (voluntarily) as the Church Coordinator responsible for the children’s ministry and educational functions at CHBC comprising (1) Family Central Unit which provides parenting, children and teenagers activities; (2) The Mentoring scheme targeted at children and teenagers 9-19 years old and; (3) The Girls’ Brigade England & Wales–Newham Chapter, setup in 2013.
My personal testimony is that I have raised my daughters in one of the most deprived boroughs in London, where they attended state schools during their adolescent years, which had challenges and setbacks. An important step I took was the extra-academic support I made available through private lessons in Math, English, Science & extra-curricular courses. I still have memories of waiting in my car (during winter) outside the lesson centre, for the children to finish.
I also had to step away from taking up Senior Management roles during my career and went part-time teaching while they attended University, so that I had the time and benefit to give them guidance and tutelage, building relationships and tapping into their talents to help them thrive globally. Now that they are firmly established in their careers, I am enjoying the benefit of ‘delayed gratification.’
I recently lost both my parents (aged over eighty), who died six months apart, and I have had to pause for reflection but with thanksgiving for the upbringing and support they gave. This book is dedicated to their memory.
Enjoy reading and see how you can unlock your child’s potential.