Help children’s big dreams come true
The Scottish Government is launching a new campaign as part of Read, Write, Count encouraging families across Scotland to share their children’s dreams for the future.
Future Me aims to support families to start a conversation with their children about their hopes and aspirations, which will ultimately help to improve their lives in the future.
It asks families to share those dreams, either as a picture, letter or film on the Future Me wall at www. futureme.scot.
Below is a case study from father of two, John Stollery, 43, who explains why he feels it’s important to talk about your children’s dreams for the future.
John Stollery, 43, lives in Dalgety Bay, Fife, is a father of two girls, Emma, 7 and Jessica, 2. He currently works for an engineering firm. Some of John and his family’s favourite activities include swimming, cycling, drawing and reading. Spending time talking with his eldest daughter, Emma about her dream to become a gymnast is also an important part of their day-to- day lives.
John said,“Emma’s favourite hobby is gymnastics and I know one day she would love to become an Olympic gymnast.
“We talk about gymnastics a lot with Emma, particularly about why she loves it and where she’d like to go with it in the future. She has three sessions a week, that’s nine hours of gymnastics, which is a lot for a seven year old, but she loves it.
“When she gets home from her session I always make the effort to ask how it was and what she learnt.
“I also try to advise where I can and make Emma aware of the hard work involved in becoming a professional gymnast, but we also try not to pressure her.
“Above all, we want to make sure Emma enjoys what she does.
“I feel that our guidance and support, and the benefit of my own experience in sport, will help her on the way to achieving her own dreams.
“My dream was to be a champion cyclist and with my parents’support, I did this.”