The other weekend while having a beer with friends of a friend, one of them posed and asked what kind of role models do we expose our kids to? His view is that most parents like hanging around their "kind", which means that if you are a lawyer then all the successful adults that you expose your kids to apart from family members will be in the law and enforcement careers.
The twist was that in Kenya today only a small percentage of people are engaged in formal employment or in the the type of careers that every parent wishes their children to engage in. Invariably too many Kenyans are in "jua kali" or informal businesses. To make matters worse our type of businesses lack professionalism and you will therefore find a very successful real estate player raking in millions but plying their trade from a parking lot or a cybercafe!
Professionals are looked down upon and those in public service are demeaned. He went on to observe that in the olden days, civil servants were respected and it was an honour and privilege to serve the nation. Teachers were respected and emulated, doctors too.
Poor kids are therefore left no choice but to emulate the "wheeler dealer" uncles they are familiar with. With this comes the oft lauded cutting of corners that Kenyan business world is associated with. The hero and heroines of Kenyan business-lore are all strugglers who cut a corner here and suplied "air" there!
In such a world where every "uncle and aunty" is in business, are we not limiting the options left for career chioces to our kids. To make matters worse, TV has filled the vacuum with a very unrealistic reality of aliens and a Harry Porter-type world full of sorcery black magic.Will it be a wonder when your teenage daughter finds inspiration in Gothic culture and your son becomes a slave of hip-hop culture?
As we discussed the issue, it dawned on many that a "bling" and informal culture was seeping slowly into our society. The most respected in our midst are the tie-less "bling"-ardoned businessmen who drive a flashy and pimped car, keep irregular hours and remains vague about what they really do for a living.
The discussion got me thinking. How do I expose Natasha and Gregory to the right kind of people. Inspirational and not hyped types. What advice on careers do I give them? While I may not have a game plan to share now, the discussion was food for thought and I hope I will be conscious to what and who they learn from.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
What company do you keep?
The other weekend while having a beer with friends of a friend, one of them posed and asked what kind of role models do we expose our kids to? His view is that most parents like hanging around their "kind", which means that if you are a lawyer then all the successful adults that you expose your kids to apart from family members will be in the law and enforcement careers.
The twist was that in Kenya today only a small percentage of people are engaged in formal employment or in the the type of careers that every parent wishes their children to engage in. Invariably too many Kenyans are in "jua kali" or informal businesses. To make matters worse our type of businesses lack professionalism and you will therefore find a very successful real estate player raking in millions but plying their trade from a parking lot or a cybercafe!
Professionals are looked down upon and those in public service are demeaned. He went on to observe that in the olden days, civil servants were respected and it was an honour and privilege to serve the nation. Teachers were respected and emulated, doctors too.
Poor kids are therefore left no choice but to emulate the "wheeler dealer" uncles they are familiar with. With this comes the oft lauded cutting of corners that Kenyan business world is associated with. The hero and heroines of Kenyan business-lore are all strugglers who cut a corner here and suplied "air" there!
In such a world where every "uncle and aunty" is in business, are we not limiting the options left for career chioces to our kids. To make matters worse, TV has filled the vacuum with a very unrealistic reality of aliens and a Harry Porter-type world full of sorcery black magic.Will it be a wonder when your teenage daughter finds inspiration in Gothic culture and your son becomes a slave of hip-hop culture?
As we discussed the issue, it dawned on many that a "bling" and informal culture was seeping slowly into our society. The most respected in our midst are the tie-less "bling"-ardoned businessmen who drive a flashy and pimped car, keep irregular hours and remains vague about what they really do for a living.
The discussion got me thinking. How do I expose Natasha and Gregory to the right kind of people. Inspirational and not hyped types. What advice on careers do I give them? While I may not have a game plan to share now, the discussion was food for thought and I hope I will be conscious to what and who they learn from.
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