Will You Allow Your Child to become a Fashion Designer?

Don’t Be like Alia’s Parents!!!

I remember one of my students whose story I would like to share with you.

One day in my grade 11 physics class, I asked the students what they would like to become in the future. As expected, most of them responded with fancy professions such as medicine, engineering, or pilot, etc. (most of which they will never pursue, at least based on my experience).

However, one girl stood out. Let’s call her Alia. Alia said she would like to become a fashion designer. I was fascinated. Though I am a science and mathematics teacher, I was mesmerized by her confidence to stand out.

In my mind, I felt this could work if she were given a chance. Unfortunately, this is where the school is grossly limited — there are no resources to accommodate and nurture this uniqueness.

Anyway, I probed further and discovered that this girl, despite struggling with physics, excelled at drawing and painting. Now, I see a connection between her current skills, talent, and her aspiration. It clicked. It made sense, but no one would allow that to flourish, not even her parents.

She told me the problem was that her parents didn’t want her to be a fashion designer (a course she could study to a degree level at universities around her).

I was pained, and I felt like talking to the parents. Once again, the school limited our options. Who would listen to this radical teacher advocating that a girl should become a fashionista when she could be a lawyer?

Alia persisted until grade 12, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.

The school had brainwashed the parents into believing that only medical doctors, lawyers, engineers, and a few others could be considered successful, and anything else was a waste of time.

Who will save Alia from this catastrophe? Will you?

If you can’t, why not save your own child?