It’s natural for parents to want their kids to be the best they can be and to succeed in everything they pursue. However, it’s not the parents’ job to hand success to their children on a platter.
What parents can and should do is provide their children with the tools they need to build their own path. A crucial part of that is academic success, which impacts children’s opportunities after graduation, including further schooling and, eventually, employment. But, reaching full potential doesn’t solely include college and a job – it also means finding themselves in a career and being self-confident.
Here are some ways to help your children reach their full potential, whatever that means for them.
Set Health as the Top Priority
Of course, as parents, you will do your best to take care of your kids in the best way possible. We just want to emphasize how important health is for every form of success. Kids who eat a balanced diet, sleep well, and are physically active tend to be better focused at school, more successful at sports and other activities, and generally happier. These are the foundations for every achievement in the future.
Teach Them to Value Hard Work
Some kids find studying easy, while others take more time and effort. Teach them that grades are not the most important, but rather the hard work invested into achieving their best. The process of learning and practicing can be more rewarding than an easy trophy. Instead of complimenting them on their grades, compliment the hard work they’ve put into doing their assignments.
Test Their Knowledge
Practice makes perfect, but how will you know that if you haven’t tested their knowledge? Practice tests, or so-called pretests, can improve exam performance and make students more confident when faced with a stressful event such as an exam.
If they’ve had a novel study assignment, for example, you can discuss the book with them. You’ll gain insight not only into their level of knowledge but also about how they think. Plus, you will help them become more self-assured when answering the questions.
Expose Them to New Things
Children are explorers by nature. When they are little, they’re capable of asking “What is this” for the tiniest thing until you answer. Your answers and their immediate experience broaden their knowledge and encourage them to learn further.
Give them a chance to try out new things, such as new sports and hobbies, and they will discover their potential and interests. Also, it would be good to travel with them, face them with different cultures, take them to museums, and the like.
Encourage Independence
It’s natural that you don’t want to see your children struggle, even in the simplest things like preparing breakfast or getting ready for school. However, if you keep helping them with these simple tasks, it will be difficult for them to be self-sufficient later. Depending on their age, encourage them to be independent in household chores, studying, and socializing. This will result in them learning responsibility and being accountable for their actions. Of course, you will be there to provide support and guidance all the way.
Set Achievable Goals
Having clear goals helps children focus on the work ahead and encourages them to evaluate their work. Furthermore, it can compel them to think about the future and how they can achieve what they want.
However, it’s very important to be realistic when setting goals, as unrealistic expectations can only lead to frustration. That being said, it’s vital to explain to them that failure isn’t final. Not everything is lost if they get a bad grade. Show them that they have your full support and explain that failure is an important part of success.
Allow Them to Work at Their Own Pace
Every child is different. They have different attention spans and different interests. This doesn’t mean children who “don’t like to study” should be encouraged to perform poorly at school. Identify their academic strengths and weaknesses to see what kind of progress can be made and in which areas. Talk to their teachers to see how your child can improve the way they’re doing their assignments or participating in class.
Try to make positive changes together. Decide together on study time and leisure time. Some kids prefer doing their homework right after school, while others find it easier to do it in the evening.
In Closing
Toru Kumon, a Japanese mathematician, said that “every child was born with unlimited potential.” That potential, however, requires nourishment and a small push here and there. And who better to play that part than the parents? The tips above will help you deserve an Oscar for the role or, even better, be the parents of happy, successful children.
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