As parents, we all want our children to be successful, but there is no guarantee. However, we can make it more likely by taking specific steps from when our children are young to help guide them in that direction. Here are some ideas as to how.
Do you want your child to live their best life? As parents, the answer is almost always a resounding yes! While you're busy working hard in your day-to-day life, you know in the back of your head that all that you do is for your child's success in the years to come.
There are many ways you as a parent can help your child reach success. The environment they grow up in besides their own home, like in daycare facilities like Raising Stars, also plays a big role in shaping how they grow up.
Here are some things you can do today to set the foundation for your toddler's happy and successful future.
Praise their accomplishments
As adults, we're told that it's important to set goals and work hard for what you want. Kids need a lot of the same encouragement as well. When your youngster does something good—whether they've completed their chores or picked up after themselves without being asked—be sure to praise them!
If you frequently acknowledge their strengths, they'll start to believe it themselves and internalize a positive self-image. This is essential as it'll help them become more confident and assured about themselves, even in the face of uncertainty.
Be a role model and lead by action
Kids are like sponges. They absorb everything around them, from mannerisms, phrases, and all the trivial stuff we as parents tend to overlook. If you want your child to be respectful and polite when they talk to others, then you should mirror that and act that way in front of them too.
Negative behaviour, on the other hand, is contagious. Kids pick up on your habits, so if you're doing something that's not good for them—like being rude to waiters or nurses at the hospital, gossiping, or lashing out—then they'd think that it's normal for them to do it too.
By modelling good behaviour, you teach them the best parts of yourself that they'll be able to carry throughout their lifetime.
Teach them the importance of hard work
There are a lot of skills that kids can pick up on their own, but there's really only one thing they can do without any instruction. That is to work hard.
When you take the time to teach them about the importance of putting in the effort, they'll be able to foster a habit that strives to get things done. No one wants a lazy leech, so encourage them to work hard and they'll be bound to be a successful person in the future.
Be kind, but firm
Kids can't live without boundaries. They need you as their parent to set limits for what's acceptable behaviour, both inside and outside of your home. This is just as important now—at age two or three years old—as it will be when they're a teenager.
Kindness doesn't mean being a pushover. Spoiling them with everything they want will lead to a child that's unappreciative and selfish. Also, instead of yelling, try speaking in a soft voice so that you stay calm while being firm with your message.
Tell them about their future
Talk to your toddler about what they want to be when they grow up. What are their interests? Their hobbies?
Talking with them will give you insight into how they think and help them develop passions that'll shape the person they become.
You'll also be able to find out what their strengths are. This can allow you to help them develop those skills while their perception of the world is still budding. But of course, be flexible and not too demanding too. They may have interests in things you don't understand, but that doesn't mean they're not gifted at it or excited about it!
Reframe their failure as learning opportunities
It's important to teach your child that they can't always be right. They do need to learn from their mistakes and failures and the best way for them is through you, as their parent.
When a mistake has been made or an action isn't what it should've been, don't yell at them or get angry with them. Instead, sit down with them and help them figure out what the problem was.
This instils a growth mindset for your child that'll allow them to become much more resilient. With this mindset, they won't put their head in the sand when they know there's something wrong. Instead, they'll take on whatever mistakes come their way.
Read books to them frequently
Reading books to your child helps them develop skills that they'll carry throughout adulthood. Allowing them to read books develops their cognitive processes, concentration, communication skills, and can even develop early literacy skills. These benefits can help them better socialize and learn in school or at the daycare facility. It'll also be something they'll remember for the rest of their life.
Promote healthy living
At toddler ages, it's easy to give them a Kid's Meal and call it a day. But eating fries and drinking cola frequently is absolutely detrimental to their health and wellbeing and can promote unhealthy behaviours with food. It can also promote tooth decay, weight gain, and make them feel sluggish over time.
It's important not to let the habits of unhealthy living slip with your child. We all know that kids eat a bunch and often because they're still learning about what their body needs to stay healthy, but it's important to remain steadfast and instil proper diet practices for their welfare.