Most of us when young had weird emotions when an unfamiliar event occurred especially when it involves empathy. At such a tender age, we wouldn’t know how to control or even understand such a strong emotion till our parents came along and guide us of course! So, now it would be your turn to educate [...]
Self-expression is important in helping to build confidence in your children through letting them express their own ideas using their own creativity. Parents play an important role to aid in promoting self- expression among your children as this will eventually help to shape them to be who they are in the future. To kick start, [...]
Wondering what is emotionally intelligent? It is where an individual has the abilities of persisting in facing difficulties while being able to monitor and read other’s feelings. This gives them the advantages of getting along with others very well and is able to resist temptation to aim for a higher goal. They are also considerate [...]
Most children don’t fancy anything healthy as it doesn’t taste nice which makes it difficult to get them to eat. However, healthy food has all the nutrients and supplements that are essentially needed by their young and tender body to grow. Fret no more as there are always ways in making healthy eating a fun [...]
Parenting isn’t a one sided issue. It takes both parents to cooperate with each other in the upbringing of your children and both parenting styles may differ which would result in complimenting each other when educating your children. Wondering which parenting style you are? There are four different categories consisting of four elements which are [...]
To every parent, you would definitely hope to have healthy children. It would be best if you could spare some time to do some research on possibilities of disorders and sickness that your children could get to save you from any further complications. Prevention is better than cure indeed! However, you would know that not [...]
Living skills are essential for everyone to learn in order to survive in this world. There’s no doubt this has to be instilled into our young ones at an early age. There are many simple ways in teaching your kids living skills from the range of daily life to emergencies. The easiest place to get [...]
The person we are today normally is the result of our past experiences. Most of us are shaped through our values learnt and characters built by our parents when we were young. As children can easily pick up things when they are young, it is important for parents to build your children’s character during this [...]
Leaders are not born but are trained to be one. This is especially true if they are developed with the correct leadership qualities since young. Parents play an important role in this task. In fact, being a good leader is not tough. To start, cultivate reading habits in them. Reading not only helps in improving [...]
They say a person’s childhood will hold a huge impact on to their future and it’s a fact. There are plenty of influences from everywhere and parents should be quick in getting your children picking up the good habits.
Responsibility is the most basic habit that a child should be instilled with from the beginning. This would be able to teach your child that everything they do, there are consequences to it and they should learn from the mistakes to be a better person. How do you even get them to be responsible in anyway if you wonder? Let them start off by making small decisions and as parents, you should be there for them when they are in need of help and guidance.
You may move on to instill in them respect and understanding where both are complimentary of each other. With the understanding of others needs and knowing the importance of being polite and watching manners while respecting others at anywhere, you gain/earn respects from others. Your children should be taught that they should show respect regardless of who the person is or their appearance are like or their status held which are the basics of respecting. In order to help your kids to achieve another level of understanding how to respect others, they would need to earn it by being a good person with integrity.
Teach them to be open to options and be adventurous. This will benefit them a worthwhile later as besides gaining more knowledge and experiences, they would be expose to more cultures and environments which indirectly would mature them. Often than not, arguments would be lesser and so are unhappy events as your kids can learn to adapt to any sudden change in any situations easily. Your kids would also be not easily offended neither would they take small matters seriously which turn them to be a very outgoing person instead whom could socialize easily too!
It’s also important to teach them the habit of being thrifty with money. Giving gifts as a reward or on special occasions are fine but not all the time. It will not be special to them anymore and this would spoil them as they wouldn’t learn the meaning of moderation or being patient. They wouldn’t know the value of money either thinking it isn’t anything serious which could get them into worse situations when they grow older especially being in debts and overspend!
Another habit is to practice with them being punctual! It’s very hard to keep punctuality nowadays but with effective time arrangements and sufficient time allocated for backups, being punctual for your kids will be an easy task. This would help them to give good impression while earning others’ respects while disciplining themselves. By being discipline, they make life easier for everybody including you parents as they could sort their things themselves without having you to worry about them!
Good habits are definitely tough to instill but it isn’t impossible neither is it an overnight issue. Be patient and be willing to help and guide them so that they would know they have a family to fall back when they are in trouble.
Every child shines through their own potential and each of them are special in their own ways. As parents don’t rush or stress yourself about your child’s development as you would only detain them. Instead, let your children lead the way by following their interests and help them only when they desire.
How do you nurture your child’s potential? Simple, by casually leaving your child around things for them to pick up or discard according to their own preferences and this includes everything in your child’s life that could spark his interests. Its fine to pinpoint items that you think is worthwhile but don’t force your idea on them. Keep an eye on things that comes naturally to them and listen to them when they talk as potential can also be discovered through other people who influence your children’s life other than you.
Try not to focus so much on linguistic and mathematical intelligence only as art and crafts or music are also great ways in nurturing your children. Not to forget games and toys too! You should opt to invest on a wide variety of paints or coloring material and anything to do with arts and crafts or musical instruments and lessons instead! Picking the right toys and games for your children to play can be fun when you join in once a while. Correct, fun should always be in your kids’ dictionary as it’s an important factor that helps your kids to achieve their goals. If they aren’t enjoying themselves, then they wouldn’t be able benefit from the experience instead.
Don’t be afraid to tag them along in any trips to travel! This can be the chance for you to expose your children to other cultures and lifestyles which they have not seen before and could let them explore for themselves. There are a lot of things to be learned and experience from traveling which would definitely leave your children touched from the excitement of new environments and people! Books are of good use too but they shouldn’t be the primary source but secondary instead. It’s best to experience it for themselves the real things rather than from another person’s perspective. Books can still be of good help in getting your children’s creative juices squeezing for ideas and flowing to imagine fiction situations instead!
The computer and internet are also coming in handy as this can help in building a variety of skills in your young ones. With the social networks as recreational and research tools, you can choose to expose them to appropriate websites but with your supervision most of the time. Sometimes, you may choose not to be present when they go online simply to show your trust towards them.
A child’s potential is also indirectly influenced by people surrounding them and sometimes they could have role model to help them better. Parents, like it or not are always their role model and if a parent is being an open and interested in the world person, they would most likely to raise an interested child in the future!
To discover your child’s strength, it has to be a process of self-reflection on their own. As parents, you are there as their guidance in developing their positive and creative thoughts. This will help your children to decide on their true passions in life later.
There are things that you should do and shouldn’t do too. The most important one is to treat every child of yours as a unique individual different from their other siblings and appreciate them for who they are and want to be. Never try to compare them to any other kids or even their own siblings as this would only lower down their confidence level and thinking that they would need to compete with other kids all the time but instead compliment them and the more you do this at the beginning of their childhood, the better.
Don’t evaluate everything and overstate your expectations neither should you be setting strict rules for them to follow but encourage them to give their best to avoid them being lazy and taking things for granted. Explain to them that this would also avoid them from regretting not doing their best when the results are out. Give them a goal to achieve and evaluate their performance from time to time but don’t force them as your goal is to be their guidance in achieving their success.
Meanwhile, give them as many options to choose from as this gives them the chance to explore while gaining more experiences and knowledge. Encourage them to be open to new options and being adventurous to try new things as this would open more doors for them to explore other than their own strengths, their interests and weaknesses as well. They would eventually learn to adapt fast to rapid changing environment especially in today’s society.
Keep an eye on their interests and activities daily as this would help you to pick up the right options for your kids to try out. You may keep a journal on their strengths by jotting down your kid’s behaviors or things they do that strikes you. Playing would help to develop cognitive thinking and also emotional growth which would help your children to express them freely. During play time, insert some imaginative playing with them like role plays and watch them play with other kids too as you get to learn their preference and socializing skills.
Children would have more strengths than interest naturally. Do help them to discover both as with interests there are strengths. As the saying goes; you can pull the horse to the water but you can force it to drink the water. You can share your experiences and encourage them in doing as many of activities as possible but in the end, let your child be the one who decides on what they choose to pick up on. Only by this way would they learn to discover their own strengths and also their weaknesses instead of needing to forgo their own desires just to please you.
Conflicts can be simple or complicated and they are always around in our daily life. Teaching your kids how to resolve conflicts should be part and parcel of your upbringing in your children.
It’s important for your kids to know that everyone is different from each other and they each have their own preference which are the differences that builds the conflict. You should let your kids know that they don’t have to be worry but instead they should be appreciating their uniqueness as well as other’s too.
Explain to them that when they are resolving conflicts, they should ensure the importance of their own safety and of other’s as well. You would need to stress that they shouldn’t get physical or uses violence when resolving conflicts but instead uses an alternative like exercise that could help to release their anger a little.
When your child comes up to you for a solution, listen to them first to get to know what had happened. Keep your focus on their feelings and the conflict at hand instead of dragging in the past. Help your children set their goals and come up with solutions. Give them as many solutions/choices/alternatives as possible because this will help them to sort which one suits them and which doesn’t. In a long run, they will eventually know how to pick the suitable ones with their creative mind to solve their conflicts.
If your child makes a mistake, it’s important for them to realize their mistakes and admit it as this will be a stepping stone to self improvement and growth. Besides, they will become more responsible and is willing to apologize sincerely in an instant. Explain to your child that yelling or being loud with the person they are angry with isn’t appropriate at all as this will not solve any conflicts but worsen it. You may practice with them by giving them examples of lines to use or possible situations that they could be in and ways to handle them. Let your child know that being in control is always more effective than loosing it as this makes them stronger and mature.
Not to forget, always remember to praise your child for their skills and efforts in solving their conflicts. Simple gestures of hugs, pats or even a smile would brighten their days and gives them more confidence in doing more in the future. Children love attention but are also naïve and needs guidance. As parents, it’s essential for you to always be there for them at anytime.
Most parents usually focus on the bad times and paying attention to their kids doing the wrong things most of the time which isn’t healthy. Its time to keep the balance and start catching your child being good as well!
Kids love attention and are always needing the assurance that they are being loved and appreciated by their parents as well as friends. That’s why no matter how busy you may be, take some time off and acknowledge your child especially when they are behaving well. It doesn’t have to be of any fancy rewards but simple gestures like hugs, smiles and pats or even a tickle is more than enough to please your children. Short compliments like “I’m proud of you” or “You did a great job!” are a few great encouragement statements.
Learn to change a negative situation to positive. Kids do the nuisance things of all and your child might break your favorite vase. Instead of getting mad and start scolding/punishing your kid first, list out some options for him/her to fix the situation like cleaning the mess up first is already enough to keep them occupied. Later, when the cleaning up is done, praise them but give them a firm, anger-free reminder to be more careful the next round.
Sometimes, in certain situations, your kids might show signs of being defiance. You can turn the situation around using distraction or even humor and reverse psychology. A little joke or compliments that you like them when they are doing certain activity would somehow encourage them do more instead of continue rebelling. Children are very easy to be amused and with your creative ideas, your children might just give in without feeling defeated. Don’t forget to thank them for their cooperation later!
Rewards are definitely the best solution for this situation. However, it doesn’t have to be fancy, expensive gifts either as a dessert after they finish their meal works out very well! Not to forget, you can take them on trips or a place they have been longing to visit or do an activity they long for are excellent ways to praise your children for their good behaviors. However, use such rewards moderately as you would not want to spoilt them after all but help them to earn the rewards instead.
Children when young are free to be shaped by parents into individuals whom you which they would become. However, they do deserve to be acknowledged for their good and bad while being rewarded or taught the right values when doing wrong. After all, that’s why parents are there as your children’s refuge when they are in need.
