As life rumbles on and experience teaches us this and that along the way, it’s easy to forget that children, for all their excited babble, really know very little when it comes to the ways of the world.
Sometimes it takes thirty years to figure out something that could have been very useful in primary school. Wouldn’t it have been nice if someone had filled you in back then?
You can’t be with them 24-hours a day, so help make their journey a little easier by setting your kids up for success with a few hard-earned pointers.
Here are five of our favourites:
1. The best way to make a friend is to be a friend
New situations can be challenging for a kid, especially when others in the same situation are nervous too. When your little one is starting a new class or joining a new group, encourage them to introduce themselves to others. Asking questions and giving (honest) compliments can be a good way to break the ice. Ask them to think about what they would like someone to say to them, then try it out on a potential new pal!
2. Be a little weird
Instead of always trying to fit in, teach kids that it’s fun to celebrate what makes us all different. The more comfortable children are with what makes them unique, the less time they’ll waste trying to hide it and conform later on. They’ll still go through the teenage lemming stage, but being confident in your own individuality is key to being happy on the inside.
3. Everyone has their own strengths
Research shows that teaching children about their own individual character strengths boosts their wellbeing, increases their self-esteem and helps them use those strengths to overcome problems (e.g. bullying). Use the school drop-off as an opportunity to remind your child of a time when they used their strengths (patience, kindness, tact, wit, independence, problem-solving etc.) to great effect.
4. Go your own way, at your own pace, but keep going
Everyone learns and grows at a different pace. Remind your child that creating and achieving your own goals is more important than always keeping up with the pack… but you MUST chase those self-set goals with everything you’ve got. When it comes to achieving things that are difficult, persistence is key.
5. Adopt an attitude of gratitude
Whether it’s crunchy autumn leaves underfoot or a hug from dad on the way out the door, teaching kids to appreciate the little things helps them remember what’s important. This is a skill that will be just as useful when they are 35 as it is now, an important internal tool that can be relied upon again and again when things get tricky.
Print: Moss & Twig
This article was brought to you by Dairygold, celebrating 30 years with new promotional packs offering the fantastic Magimix prize giveaway.
