Is there a way to slow down ageing?
Yes, many societies have an answer. Most evidence-based works of literature reported that interacting with young people will slow down the ageing process. That may be true. The easiest way for this is to engage in the education field. Teachers who enjoy their profession seem younger than their friends of the same age engaged in any other profession.
Again, it also says the age difference between us, and the interacting group also matters positively. The greater the difference in age gap can slow down the process of ageing. Engaging with children is the best option for slowdown the process of ageing. Specifically, one of the best approaches for engaging with children is that involved in early childhood education and care. Early childhood education and care is a profession. This career involves caring for and educating young children before their age of primary schooling. Our age increases every year. But the age of our interacting group remains constant. They always remain below eight. It means the difference in age between us and them increases every year. This results in our ageing process getting slower and slower each progressing year.
We can have a look at the enormous social impact of this profession.
Often mothers are looking after their young children till their schooling in the absence of a quality childcare facility. So, mothers are forced indirectly or directly to stay at home leading to losing their opportunity to go to work. This loss makes a huge impact on global GDP and the loss is estimated as 3 trillion dollars annually.
The period from birth to eight years old is one of the remarkable brain development stages for children and represents a crucial window of opportunity for education. Quality childcare facilities can improve children’s mathematical reasoning, cognitive skills, and psychosocial outcomes. It also ensures that children get balanced food with enough protein and vitamins which may improve their brain development, height, and weight.
‘Failure to provide quality early childhood education limits children’s futures by denying them opportunities to reach their full potential. It also limits the futures of countries, robbing them of the human capital needed to reduce inequalities and promote peaceful, prosperous societies’, says UNICEF.
UNESCO is organizing a World Conference during 14-16 November 2022 on Early Childhood Care and Education to reaffirm the right of the child to quality ECCE from birth.
‘UNESCO believes early childhood care and education (ECCE) that is truly inclusive is one of the best investments a country can make as it promotes holistic development, gender equality, and social cohesion.’
But the shocking fact is the shortage of childcare facilities and qualified child carers. To expand the childcare workforce to meet current needs, 9.3 million new qualified child carers are needed globally as per the UNICEF website.
So, choosing a career in child education and care is not just a job or livelihood. It is a brick to the future quality of human development.
Concurrent multiple careers are a growing trend. It means an individual accepts two careers for him. He will set aside some months, for example, ten months in a year for one career and the rest of the two months for the other.
When wearied of the present career, switch over to concurrent multiple careers. We need a ‘refresh’ mode in our life. Nothing is more soothing than the company of children. Get afresh and go back to the other career. For this, we should acquire a new skill in Early childhood education and care and get qualified. Join a childcare facility and engage with children for certain months every year. Thus, we are getting involved in the creation of an intellectually and physically better new generation.
It is a blessing to involve in something good for us is simultaneously good for human society also.
