At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Vineeta Chandak for an exclusive interview with us. Vineeta is an Entrepreneur, Leader, Coach, Mentor, Consultant, Influencer and Change Enabler. She is the Founder of KiddyDoo. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Vineeta:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I come from a simple family where I was nurtured with love and care. I pursued my studies with the constant support of my parents and siblings.
As a child, I could take great care of other children. That’s when I realized I get my “kick” from children and I want to be in and around them. I opted for a Montessori course right after my graduation.”
And there was no looking back…Life situations opened up avenues to new cities. The new place and the different work culture were extremely challenging for me to adapt to, but patience and perseverance took me a long way.
I had my calling from Mumbai and life turned 360 degrees. My passion got a new high. I was doing what I loved the most. Happy and content I was to the core within.
The year 2024 is my 15th year of mentoring children, and I have loved every bit of it. Motherhood added an iota of extra passion, compassion, and dedication to it.
How did you discover your passion as a ‘Teacher/ Educator/Coach’?
God has planned a purpose for each of his creations and mine was outstanding. I was born for two purposes.
One: to be a teacher.
Two: To be a mother. Teaching came naturally to me…. Exploring it with peers and siblings.
As a student, I felt there have to be very many ways to teach/understand a concept, as I struggled with numbers a lot and always felt a vacuum for not being able to understand the so-called simple mathematical concepts…. But the problem was the method …one formula cannot be applied to solve every equation, similarly, there has to be various ways to teach the same concept. That got on my nerves and the passion for teaching ignited.
I quote Ignacio Estrada “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.” This quote has stayed with me ever since I started my professional journey.
I was born with the mothering intuitive instinct and would organically connect with children. But I didn’t know how to explore that part of me until I became a mum myself for the first time and more deeply the second time.
I strongly believe that a child is never wrong in the first place, there has to be a trigger for the same. I was back then too young to understand the actual essence of “Compassion and empathy for children/ peers/ siblings”, but I could feel the same for sure.
Being a Montessorian and coming from an educational psychology background I had a fair share of theoretical knowledge along with a few practical highlights from personal experiences. One night my son was inconsolable and extremely uneasy. The following morning people around said that the child troubled Vineeta all night.
I was taken aback to hear this. My take on the situation was, that my child was troubled and couldn’t express himself, he didn’t trouble me. As a parent, it was my calling to become a Parenting Coach and help the parents around. I’m glad and proud of myself for learning the art of parenting and practicing the same in my parenting journey. You evolve manifold as an individual.”
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
The amalgamation of love for my children, dedication to education, and the fulfilment derived from supporting other parents propels me forward, even in the face of adversity.
Embracing a flexible approach to time management allows me to balance work commitments, teaching responsibilities, and quality moments with my children. The interconnectedness of these roles forms a motivating synergy, creating a sense of purpose that transcends individual challenges.
Celebrating small victories, whether in the classroom or at home, reinforces the idea that progress, no matter how incremental, is cause for celebration.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
I think motivation has to come first from within and then the outside force takes it further. In my multifaceted role as an educator, parent, and parenting coach, my children (family and friends) stand out as the single most significant source of motivation in my daily life.
The profound love and sense of responsibility I feel for my children serve as an unwavering driving force that propels me to overcome the challenges that come with juggling these roles.
Witnessing my children’s growth, both academically and personally, provides a constant reminder of the impact a supportive and engaged parent and educator can have on a young life.”
The desire to create a positive and nurturing environment for my children’s development fuels my commitment to continuous learning and improvement in both my teaching practices and parenting strategies. In essence, my children’s well-being and the shared journey of learning and growth with them form the cornerstone of my motivation in daily life.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
Let me keep it short:)
Self-Love. Love yourself to love others.
Unlearning is vital. Re-learning. New Learning makes life easy.
Zero guilt trips
Take it easy. Seek help when the need be. You don’t have to prove to yourself or the world that you can do it all alone. SEEK HELP. I take pride in saying that I DO!
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
First and foremost, it is for you to measure your success, not others. In my opinion, one success mantra cannot fit for all. For me, it is the PASSION with which I look at my work.
The Patience and Perseverance I DEDICATE to my work will be my definition of success. Most important: Do what you love and Love what you do.
What advice would you give to our readers?
You have one life, live it to the fullest. Fill your cup of love first.
When your cup is full you will give it happily to others.
Make choices, own them.
You have it in you, say no to validation when it comes to your potential. You know yourself the best!
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
When I come back from work my children run to hug me. That’s satisfying. I have someone waiting for me at the end of the day that’s satisfying.
When I receive messages like, ma’am we are missing classes, that’s satisfying. When parents share their happiness, that’s satisfying.
(PS: When I get an hour of ME TIME, that’s satisfying).
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
