Raising a child who can successfully navigate their way in society is not always about good grades. Instead, it is about instilling children with self-confidence in who they are, which will help them find success in life and society. By instilling our children with high levels of emotional intelligence, personal accountability and strong character we are helping to ensure that they find success in life.
Here are 5 basic habits along with a few practical ideas for helping your children to develop them:
As we mentioned earlier, Empathy is what is often referred to as the “social glue” that holds our relationships together and allows our children to literally walk in other people’s shoes.
How to develop it.
Name the Feeling: Pointing Out a Character’s Feelings when they are Clearly Displayed If you see someone who is clearly displaying an unhappy expression in your community or in a storybook, ask your child how the person appears to be feeling.
A fun way to develop the virtue of Service Projects is to get them involved in some kind of small charity or act of helping a neighbor. It begins to shift their perspective from a selfish focus on “me” to a selfless focus on “us.”
2. The Habit of Responsibility (Ownership)
Key Citizen Skills: A responsible citizen is accountable. An accountable citizen realises that they are in charge of themselves, their actions and their surroundings. The accountable citizen does not make excuses and point fingers.
How to develop it.
There are plenty of tasks young children can accomplish on their own. One easy one is to pick up and put away their toys. This is a way for them to feel a part of the team of people living together in a family.
This strategy involves allowing children to experience the outcome of their choices or actions.
If they forget their coat, they might get cold. We usually leave children’s choices alone as long as there isn’t a risk of harm. Typically we wouldn’t provide coats if they have been forgotten, allowing the child to experience the cold for having forgotten it.
3. The Habit of Resilience (Growth Mindset)
The world needs to be surrounded by people that can handle failure and not give up. Being Resilient helps us to turn each obstacle into an opportunity to learn.
How to develop it.
Praise Effort, Not Talent. Instead of saying "You're so smart," say "I'm proud of how hard you worked on that puzzle."
When you make a mistake, talk about it openly. " I burnt the toast, but it's okay, I'll just try again with a lower setting."
4. The Habit of Effective Communication.
Clear communication is vital in all areas of life, professional and personal. This includes being able to communicate one’s own needs, as well as being able to truly listen to others.
How to develop it.
The “No-Device” Dinner Engage your family in some good old-fashioned conversation. Ask a question like What was the most interesting thing that happened to you today?
When a fight breaks out between your siblings or your friends it can be very difficult to figure out who was in the wrong and who was right. When a fight breaks out between your siblings or your friends it can be very difficult to figure out who was in the wrong and who was right. Explain the concept of Conflict Resolution to them and ask them to express how they feel using "I" statements such as "I feel sad when you take my toy because I wasn't finished with it."
Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. It is the foundation upon which all trust in society is built.
How to develop it.
Value the honesty rather than the misdeed. “Your honesty is something to be proud of. Now, let’s figure out how you can fix this.”
Children are mirrors. If they see you being honest and keeping your promises, they will naturally adopt those values.
Building these characteristics and habits will take both time and consistent effort but the end result will be a young person who achieves success for their own reasons, and benefits the community as a whole.
#mentalhealthawareness #mindfulness #wellbeing #selfcare #positivevibes #loveyourself #educationforall
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