Astronaut. Movie star. Future president. Your child has big dreams for the future, but are you giving them the skills they need to make them a reality?
Encouraging your child’s goals is important, but kids need more than encouragement if they’re going to achieve success. They need skills like resilience, discipline, and drive. In other words, they need to be a leader.
So how can parents give their children the skills to succeed? Our school shares what it takes to raise future leaders.
3 Leadership Lessons to Teach Kids
Now that you know what it means to lead, you need to impart that wisdom to your children. Here are three lessons in leadership, persuasion, and resilience that every child should learn.
● Speak with confidence: Is your child afraid to speak their mind or do they couch statements with softening language like “I think?” Teach your child the art of persuasion by encouraging them to stand by their opinions and speak confidently.
● Take pride in incremental change: Success isn’t built in a day. Whether your child is trying to persuade a classmate or master a new skill, emphasize the importance of finding little wins along the way.
● Focus on the positives: Does your child tend to focus on problems instead of possibilities? When your child is working towards something, encourage them to focus on positive outcomes instead of obstacles. Not only does this skill help your child maintain a positive outlook, it makes them a more persuasive leader too.
4 Tips for Raising Self-Sufficient Children
One of the biggest challenge’s parents face when raising young leaders is balancing independence and support. However, you don’t have to be a hands-off parent to raise a self-sufficient child. These are the keys to raising independent, capable kids.
● Respect their individuality: It’s your job as a parent to nurture your child’s gifts, not dictate them. Instead of pushing children down a predetermined path, support your child as they set and chase their own goals.
● Work together: Kids don’t learn independence by being shoved into the deep end. Instead, they gain the skills they need to solve their own problems by being included in family discussions, decisions, and projects from an early age.
● Teach them to trust themselves: Children who don’t trust themselves are afraid to take risks or speak their mind. Show your child they have what it takes to make smart choices by demonstrating confidence in the decisions you make every day as a parent.
● Model self-improvement: Strive to always be learning and improving in everything you do. Whether you learn a new hobby, get yourself in better shape, or obtain a master’s degree, you can teach your kids self-improvement.
Success starts at home. Instead of waiting until graduation day to think about your child’s future, start preparing them for the real world from an early age. By raising your child to be a confident and capable leader, you give them the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.
