The beginning of the school year has parents focused on how they can best support their children’s success in school. But what exactly are the skills parents can help their children acquire that will help them grow into independent, capable and kind individuals?
Strong reading and comprehension skills are certainly essential but so is the emotional support parents can give to help their children grow into mature and self reliant adults, ready to go off into the world to leave their mark.
There is a barrage of advice not to treat children as hothouse tomatoes who must be shielded from anything unpleasant, upsetting, disappointing et al. It is hard to let your child fail but how else does one learn to be resilient and tenacious? In reality, kids need failure to become strong, healthy and capable adults.
The emphasis on developing a child’s self esteem was the mantra for so long and it did not serve parents or children well. It created a generation of entitled children who were emotionally fragile, dependent on constant praise and affirmation.
It only takes one good question to begin a conversation. I would bet the conversation would be lively and thought provoking to ask, what personality traits do you most admire? For starters, I would say, independence, capable of being vulnerable, willing to be wrong, open minded, tenacious and kind. What would you say?
