When my wife and I had our first child, we were anxious about how to raise a healthy and successful kid. The first thing we did was look for books on parenting that would help us navigate through the early years of childhood. One book in particular stood out: Dr. Carol Dweck’s Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (Harper Collins). We read it over and over again, because it was filled with practical insight into how people learn – especially children – and how parents can help them succeed.
Try not to fix every problem for your kids.
In the same way that you don’t want your kids to grow up to be dependent on you, try not to solve every problem for them. Encourage your children to think for themselves, and learn how to take care of themselves independently. Teach them how to make their own decisions, even if those decisions aren’t always the most logical or practical ones. As long as they’re learning something from the experience (and not just showing off), don’t get in their way!
You can also show your children how much easier life is when we don’t have expectations of others’ behavior by letting them make mistakes while they’re young enough so that they won’t feel defeated later on when things don’t go their way again later in life. If they’ve learned how not everything goes according with our wishes then maybe they will know how better deal with it when it happens again later down in life when there isn’t any escape route anymore…
Help them understand how to make things “right”, instead.
You might be thinking: “That’s great, but I’m not a teacher. I’m just a parent trying to help my child have fun and learn something new.”
But there are ways you can do this at home. When your kids ask you for help with homework or when they’re doing their chores, explain the difference between right and wrong in terms of process rather than outcome. For example, if they need help with math, instead of saying that 7+5=12 is always right (because it is), say that 7+5=9 is also right—if one person was writing down their own answers on paper while the other person was looking over his shoulder—because he helped him figure out whether his answer made sense!
Don’t let them learn from their mistakes, teach them about their mistakes.
Don’t let them learn from their mistakes, teach them about their mistakes.
It is important to let your children make mistakes. We all make mistakes. The more you tell your child they can do whatever they want, the more likely they are to think that they can get away with things without consequences. You need to let them know that what they are doing has an impact on others and that their actions have consequences for others as well as themselves. If you find yourself giving in too often when your child wants something or doing something for him/her because he/she has been having a hard time learning how to do it on his/her own, then this could be an indicator of over-parenting or lack of discipline issues at home (e.g., parents who argue or fight). These types of problems need attention before there is any hope for real change in behavior patterns!
Don’t let them think that mistakes aren’t important! Mistakes are very important because it lets us know where we need improvement so we don’t keep making the same mistake over again – like going down stairs by myself without holding onto anything (I fell down once). So now I always hold onto railings when walking downstairs so I won’t fall again 🙂
Give them age-appropriate tasks.
- Give them age-appropriate tasks.
- Teach them to do things that are age-appropriate.
- Don’t set the bar too low or too high.
- Enroll them in popular after school programs.
Reward their accomplishments.
- Make sure they know they’re valued. Your child’s sense of accomplishment is crucial to their development, so you should take time to praise your kids when they do well. However, it’s important not to overdo it. If you shower them with rewards for every little thing they do, then their achievements lose all meaning and won’t motivate them anymore.
- Rewards should be meaningful and tailored toward your child’s interests and talents. Your kids will be more motivated if the reward matches their interests and skills—for example, if an artist makes something special for an artist who loves art! Or if a singer sings a song for someone who loves music! This way both sides are happy: The kid gets motivation because he/she knows what he/she loves best (the topic), while the parent feels good about being able to give back in some way (through giving out rewards).
Use the carrot, not the stick.
Parents, you can use the carrot, not the stick.
You’ve probably heard this advice before, but it’s especially true when it comes to teaching kids responsibility and creativity. When a child is being creative—whether they’re writing stories or designing a science project—parents shouldn’t be criticizing them for what they do wrong; instead, they should reward good behavior and encourage children to keep up their hard work. It’s important to show them that their work is worth something by rewarding their efforts with praise and positive feedback so that they continue to strive toward more creative endeavors.
Frame challenges as learning opportunities for growth and improvement; not opportunities for failure and disappointment.
- Frame challenges as learning opportunities for growth and improvement; not opportunities for failure and disappointment.
- Don’t let your kids give up when they fail.
- Don’t let them think they are failures.
- Don’t let them think they are not good enough.
- Don’t let them think they are the only ones who fail.
- Don’t let them think they are the only ones who succeed (good luck with that!).
Create a structured routine at home, so they learn the importance of structure.
It’s important for kids to learn the importance of structure and routine. A structured home environment helps them become more productive, independent, and self-disciplined.
- Routines help kids learn how to manage their time. If they know what should happen at certain times of the day, it’s easier for them to get things done on time and make better choices about what they do with their free time.
- Routines help kids learn how to get things done in a timely manner, which helps them develop good work habits that will last into adulthood.
- Routines help kids prioritize tasks based on importance or urgency rather than just doing whatever pops into their heads first (or worse—needing help from Mommy!). This increases the chances that they’ll accomplish important tasks like homework before doing something less important like watching TV or playing video games instead of reading a book or playing outside with friends!
It’s important to get good habits in place early in order to impact a kid’s life positively long-term.
There are many skills and habits that can be learned at a young age to help kids develop into productive adults. These include:
- How to save money
- How to keep a budget
- How to manage their time effectively, such as by using a calendar or scheduling activities ahead of time
- The importance of sleep and exercise in order to be healthy…
Conclusion
The most important thing you can do for your kids is to help them develop good habits early on. This can be especially hard when we’re faced with an overwhelming array of options, but it’s well worth the effort—and not just for their present lives but also for their futures.