Valuable life lessons from the Chandrayaan 2 mission for your child

Vandana, a pro-active mom shares some valuable life lessons from the Chandrayaan 2 mission that can be shared with your child to instill good values.

Every mistake gets us closer to success. As they say, "if you learn from your defeat, you haven't really lost". The Chandrayaan-2 mission has taught us innumerable life lessons that we can't miss sharing them with our children.  

Here are 8 reasons why you as a parent must tell the story of Chandrayaan 2 mission to your child: 

1.) Once upon a time, India used to carry its' satellite on a bullock cart. We didn't have a launcher back then but still tried our best to innovate and make new developments. Now, in 2019, India leveraged a decade of scientific research and development to aim for a mission (Chandrayaan 2 mission) to go where no country has ever gone before — the Moon's south polar region. Similarly, our life is not always a luxury. We have to identify new opportunities with given resources and strive hard to do our best, and to never give up. 

2.) Indian Space and Research Organisation (ISRO) dedicated 11 years and patiently waited for the year 2019 to launch Chandrayan 2. We should always be striving towards our goal and be patient until we achieve it. 

3.) Initially, the moon lander was to be made by Russia but they decided to take a step back. That's when India decided to go ahead on their own despite the overarching goal. Yes, it got delayed, but they have done it. The lesson to learn here is that we should not be scared of difficulties. Further, we should never be dependent on anyone for marching ahead towards our goal.   


4.) Have bigger goals! Chandrayaan 2 mission was to touch the south pole of the moon, which as a feat has never been achieved by any country ever. India aspired to do it and had almost done it. No matter how many people discourage you from your goal saying it is too big to achieve, always believe in your dreams and your goal. There is always a way to do it.     


5.) Humanity matters. Chandrayan had a mission - which was to identify the water resources available on the surface of the moon, so that humans can get access to the same in the future. It was for the sake of the entire country and progress of human beings. So, think about your country and society at large as well.  
 
6) What will people think of me if I fail? Chandrayan mission had received a lot of criticism from foreign media. Earlier, a cartoon was made which depicted an astronaut knocking the door of ISRO with a broken piece of Vikram Lander, depicting failure. Now, the same media is praising the mission and everyone wants to partner with ISRO. So, never take taunts and judgments passed by people too seriously. Keep an eye on your goal and stay focused. Remember, once you reach your goal, the same people will bow their heads in front of you.   

7) Slow and steady wins the race! Chandrayaan still hasn't achieved its goal despite working so hard over the last decade. They are yet to taste success. But, the scientists at ISRO still haven't lost hope and continue to work hard. The mission is still ON! So, do not lose your confidence and hope. In case success is delayed, try harder and do better.

8) Last but not least, cry if you need to. It's okay to get emotional at times and it's okay to cry your heart out...to hug someone when you fail...to lean your head on someone if you need to. We are humans and making mistakes is part of being human. The world has witnessed some of the greatest scientists in the country crying after the failure of Chandrayaan, so it's perfectly normal to cry in case of an emotional outburst. But, the very next day they were all back to work. So, be sure to remain confident throughout your journey. 

All the best to all the kids out there! Stay strong, Stay motivated!