Your child’s attitude, outlook, and actions are all influenced by their mood and habits. Their experiences today can drastically affect how they grow up through the years. A healthy childhood can set them up for a successful life and long-term satisfaction.
As parents, there is nothing we want more than to see our children live a long, fulfilling, and happy life. Here’s how you can raise your kids in line with that goal.
Respect Them
Respect is given to every individual, regardless of their age. Teach them about their inherent dignity as soon as they gain the capacity to understand the concept. Never demean, ridicule, or say destructive criticism. Speak constructively whenever you are trying to correct their mistakes.
Provide Safety and Security
It is the parents’ number one duty to create a home where children feel they are loved, safe, and secure. Encourage open communication and avoid unnecessary criticism. Always lead a healthy discussion that assesses the consequences of certain actions instead of directly shaming their behavior.
Avoid Overprotecting
Being concerned over the general well-being of your child is a natural instinct. However, constant supervision and control of their social situations cause them to become more dependent and unable to cope in negative or unforeseen situations. Simply put, sheltered children are set up to fail, as they are missing out on learning valuable lessons that only come from independence and failure.
Avoid micromanaging their every move and let them take risks suitable to their maturity level. For instance, adolescents should be encouraged to make friends, engage in school activities, and sign up for sports competitions.
Assign Appropriate Chores
Give your children chores they can do around the house, whether that’s cleaning up after playtime or watering the plants. This opens up more opportunities for growth, as it fosters a sense of responsibility. Assign different chores throughout the years to continue the development of their life skills. When done right, this helps them become more independent.
Let Them Play Outdoors
Divide your property by having a brick paving installation and a separate area with grass. Let your kids play outdoors to their hearts’ content. Being exposed to nature boosts their mood and opens the possibility of them developing better social skills and healthier relationships. This also increases their self-control, empathy, and overall engagement.
Foster the Growth Mindset
Teach them the value of hard work and dedication early on. Instead of attributing success to pure talent, encourage your children to develop a growth mindset.
Praise the effort they put in behind every accomplishment. Over time, they will begin to understand that intelligence, creativity, and generally being good at something are learned and not inherent. This empowers them early on to take responsibility for their actions. In turn, this positively influences their confidence to pursue their interests.
Depending on your children’s age groups and current capabilities, they may find certain skills more difficult to learn than others. The next time you hear them say they can’t do something, redirect the narrative and add “not yet” to the statement. In doing so, you will reinforce that skills are practiced until they are mastered.
Practice Emotional Regulation Together
Tricky situations and repeated failure to perform a certain task can make anyone frustrated. Learning how to regulate their emotions properly can help your children stay calm when they would have otherwise been overwhelmed. Choose from a variety of breathing techniques and practice them side by side with your child when you notice that they need to regain their composure.
Focus on Gratitude
Dedicate time in your family’s schedule to talk about what each member is grateful for. You can easily incorporate it into your nighttime routine before going to bed or at the start of the day when you all gather for breakfast. Don’t hesitate to take it a step further. Craft and send personalized thank you cards for friends and loved ones, too.
Volunteer Together
Altruism is linked to happiness. Helping the community and giving back to others can foster joy in your children. Begin by teaching your child about different causes, and let them pick charities or non-profit organizations where they can donate. Alternatively, you can volunteer a few hours as a family on the weekends.
Set yourself as an example and teach your kids to be happy by embodying happiness yourself. Keep in mind that the feeling is contagious, and having a positive outlook can influence the general atmosphere of your home. With a strong foundation and the right guidance, your children can grow up healthy and happy.
