Helpful Tips on Raising Kids

There are lots of ways to raise your kids well, and the personality and attitude of children can be shaped by more than just their parents. Different countries and regions have their own ways of rearing kids, so it is impossible to set strict standards. However, there are some common elements that can help you raise your kids correctly. The core element would be a strong support system at your home where your kids feel content with their ambitions and achievements.

As a parent, you have to make your child feel confident and competent, and develop in them a sense of purpose and passion. Moreover, the education that she gets in those years before starting school is crucial to her development. With that said, here are some tips on how to rear your child to have a healthy, happy and well-balanced life.

• Encourage Her Special Skills
This might seem cliché, but a lot of ways every child really is a special snowflake. They have their own talents and specialties, even if it is not evident or immediately relevant. These attributes may show up during school or after it. As a parent, you should try to encourage these attributes. It does not have to involve spending lots of money. For instance, a dance or music class with dad or mom may seem unstructured, but it can open your kid’s minds. Dancing in the living room, playing in the backyard and other such activities can help a lot in the personal, physical and intellectual development of your child. You can even find a hobby for yourself to encourage your child.

• Acknowledge Their Efforts When Necessary
Your mindset can influence your child’s behavior. A very common mindset in people is to praise others as being ‘talented’ or ‘naturally smart’. However, a better option would be to praise your child for their hard work rather than their talent. Otherwise, your kid may grow up thinking that their achievements come naturally, which will make them reluctant to try new challenges. On the other hand, kids who grow up knowing the value of their hard work will be more willing to put effort and learn new things.

• Start reading more often
As a parent, you will be spending lots of nights sitting and ready stories to your kids, so there is no harm in practicing early on. These reading sessions, along with just the mere presence of books, can encourage reading skills and language development in your kids. Even if they do not understand what you say, they will understand the rhythm of the language, which eventually helps build their listening vocabulary. In the UK, a study by the Institute of Education found that five-year old children who were ready every day by their parents had a lower chance of having behavioral problems in their school.

• Respect the Differences in Your Kid
Let’s assume that you like working in a quiet environment. Your kid may or may not prefer the same kind of environment. According to Harvard researcher Howard Gardner, there are eight kinds of ways in which kids learn best, or ‘intelligences’. These include interpersonal, linguistic, logical-mathematical and musical traits. Observe your child and see how she learns best. For instance, if your child has visual intelligence, you could try different visual mediums to help her study.

• Eat together
First of all, this does not have anything to do with your cooking skills. You may be great, average or barely competent in the kitchen, but the key element to raising your children is to eat with everyone as a family. The emotional and educational rewards of dining table conversations will help your children grow up properly. Informal topics of discussion, like how your kids did in their tests or what they did in the day, can help them understand the values of your family. According to a Columbia University study, children who have family means at least five times a week had a higher chance of scoring higher grades in school and had a lower chance of suffering eating disorders. It can tough, especially when everyone at home have their own different schedules. However, just find a time of the day when everyone can sit together and talk about their day, even if it is over a midday snack.