I watched as my child twirled in the golden light of the afternoon sun, giggling at nothing and everything all at once. There was a kind of magic in that moment, one of pure joy, wonder, and unfiltered self-expression. It made me pause and think:
🔹 When do we stop twirling?
🔹 When do we start worrying instead of wondering?
🔹 At what point do we trade curiosity for caution, imagination for logic, and confidence for self-doubt?
Children are born with an innate essence, a spark that makes them uniquely themselves. It’s in the way they ask a hundred questions before breakfast, in their boundless energy to explore, in the way they trust so freely and love so completely. Their essence is unfiltered joy, limitless curiosity, and a deep belief in possibility. And yet, as they grow, this essence is often chipped away by fear, societal expectations, and self-doubt.
The Fragility of a Child’s Essence
A child enters the world believing they are enough. They dance without waiting for permission, they sing without worrying if they hit the right notes, they make friends without hesitation. But somewhere along the way, life introduces them to fear of failure, comparison, and the weight of “shoulds.”
🔹 “Be quieter.”
🔹 “Try harder.”
🔹 “That’s not how you do it.”
🔹 “You’re too sensitive.”
🔹 “That’s silly.”
Little by little, these messages reshape the way a child sees themselves. The self-doubt creeps in. The fear of being “not good enough” takes hold. And that once-bright essence, so full of confidence, creativity, and self-trust, begins to dim.
But here’s the truth: That essence never truly disappears. It waits. It lingers in the background, hoping for a space where it can be nurtured, celebrated, and protected.
The Role of Life Skills in Preserving a Child’s Essence
Life skills aren’t just tools to help children succeed in the world, they are the keys to keeping their essence alive. When children are taught to believe in themselves, navigate emotions, and trust their voice, they learn to hold on to their uniqueness instead of conforming to expectations.
🔹Self-Awareness helps children recognise who they are at their core, what excites them, what makes them feel alive, and what truly matters to them.
🔹Resilience teaches them that mistakes don’t define them. That they can fall, dust themselves off, and still be brilliant, worthy, and enough.
🔹Communication Skills help them express their thoughts, set boundaries, and hold onto their sense of self even when the world tries to change them.
🔹Emotional Intelligence gives them the ability to understand their feelings, process challenges, and respond with confidence rather than self-doubt.
🔹Creativity & Curiosity remind them that the world is theirs to explore, that they can dream big, and that their ideas, no matter how wild or different, deserve to be seen.
🔹Confidence & Self-Love ensure that no voice, no rejection, no setback ever makes them forget their worth.
This is why life skills matter. Because they don’t just teach children how to navigate the world, they teach them how to stay true to themselves while doing it.
Protecting Their Magic
If we want children to grow into strong, self-assured, and emotionally intelligent individuals, we must protect what already exists within them. We must honour their essence, nurture it, and remind them that they never need to shrink to fit into the world.
🔹Let them be loud.
🔹Let them ask questions.
🔹Let them dream big.
🔹Let them express their emotions freely.
🔹Let them believe in their magic.
Because the moment we start protecting their essence, we give them the greatest gift of all, the permission to be fully, unapologetically themselves.
And maybe, just maybe, they’ll never stop twirling in the sunlight.
"A child’s essence is like a flame, bright, wild, and full of possibility. Our job is not to tame it, but to protect it, nurture it, and let it shine."
