Do You Want Your Children to Be Like the Boatman or the Professor?

 

 Do You Want Your Children to Be Like the Boatman or the Professor?

As parents, we all want our children to do well in life — not just in the classroom, but outside it too. Many years ago, when we started our programmes for children, we focused on helping them build essential study skills such as:

✅ Speed reading
✅ Memory techniques
✅ Effective note-making
✅ Smart revision strategies
✅ Exam-taking skills

These skills are undoubtedly important — they help children excel academically. But here’s the real question: Are study skills enough to succeed in life?

We all know the answer: No.

Academic excellence alone does not guarantee lifelong success or happiness. The real winners are those who master both study skills and life skills — children who are prepared not just for exams, but for life’s challenges too.

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 A Story to Remember: The Boatman and the Professor

Let’s understand this through a story we often share with parents at Viby International School:

Once upon a time, a learned professor needed to cross a river. He hired a boatman to row him across. As they journeyed, the professor picked up a leaf floating on the water and asked:

“Boatman, do you know what Botany is?”
The boatman replied, “Botany? No, I don’t.”
The professor said, “You don’t know Botany? A quarter of your life is gone!”

A little later, the professor picked up a stone and asked,

“Boatman, do you know what Geology is?”
The boatman again said, “No, professor.”
The professor scoffed, “Half your life is gone!”

Moments later, the boat hit a rock and started to sink. The boatman turned to the professor and asked:

“Professor, do you know how to swim?”
The professor stammered, “No!”
The boatman smiled sadly and said, “Then your whole life is gone — because our boat is sinking!”

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 What This Means for Today’s Children

I’ve shared this story with thousands of parents. Whenever I ask, “Do you want your child to be like the boatman or the professor?” — the answer is always the same: Both!

Why? Because life demands both:

• Knowledge and academic skills to succeed in education and work.

• Practical life skills to adapt, survive, and thrive in real-world situations.

At Viby International School, we believe that teaching children how to learn and how to live is equally important.

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 Every Child Is Unique — And Deserves Both

Your child is a unique individual — not to be compared with others. They have special strengths, dreams, and talents. As parents and educators, our role is to equip them with the right tools so they can fulfil their true potential.

This means helping them develop:

• Study skills to handle academic and professional challenges.

• Life skills to face the practical problems life brings.

Together, these skills create confident, well-rounded achievers — children ready to script their own success stories.

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 Let’s Raise Balanced Achievers Together!

At Viby International School, our learning programmes blend strong academics with real-life skills — so your child can swim through life’s challenges, not just sail through exams.

👉 Contact us today to learn more about our holistic approach and open admissions. Let’s build bright, balanced futures together!