Encourage Your Child

Children are at an age where they need lots of love and encouragement to grow up into healthy young adults. You need to encourage your child to develop their own thoughts and opinions.

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” — Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Acknowledge Their Efforts

One of the first few things you could do is acknowledge their efforts. Most of the time, when we give our children household responsibilities we always forget to let them know that they have done a great job in it. If they didn’t perform their task very well, don’t go straight for the negative criticism. Tell them that they did put in a good effort and give a suggestion in a positive manner. A suggestion given in a kind tone will be taken more positively by your child.

Also see: The Power of Positive Discipline: Effective Strategies for Guiding Behavior

Express Gratitude

Secondly, when they have done something great, remember to thank them. This is positive reinforcement and will make them proud of the good things that have done. In addition, you are also cultivating good manners in your children by being a good role model yourself.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” — Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Be a Good Listener

Next, remember not to brush off their problem aside. How often when your children come home complaining about something, you just brush them off by saying that it is nothing? This would make your children feel that their problems are of a trivial matter and not worth their parent’s time. Next time, your children would not bother coming to you with their problem and they will try and suffer their problem in silence. Instead try listening to what your children has to say and be supportive of them.

Also see: Strategies to Raise Kids Self-Esteem

Show Affection

Furthermore, remember to tell always show your love to your children. Tell them that you love them all the time. Give them a hug or a good night kiss before they sleep at night. You would want to encourage your child to grow up to be loving, healthy adults. If you hardly express your feelings to them, your children may grow up being cold and unemotional adults unable to express their feelings. Your love will provide them the encouragement they need when they are sad or feeling discouraged.

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” — Dr. Seuss

Encourage Creativity

Lastly, remember to encourage your child’s imaginative side by having fun. Have activities together with them and let their imagination take charge so your adults will grow into fun loving adults. So what are you waiting for, don’t wait till tomorrow to start encouraging your kids. Start now!

FAQ

1. How can I encourage my child without putting too much pressure on them?
Focus on their effort rather than the outcome. Praise their hard work and persistence rather than emphasizing the need to win or be perfect. This helps them feel valued for their effort rather than just their achievements.

2. What should I do if my child gives up easily when faced with challenges?
Encourage a growth mindset by framing challenges as opportunities to learn. Share examples of times when you faced difficulties and overcame them through persistence. Celebrate small progress to build their confidence.

3. How can I encourage my child to try new things?
Create a supportive environment where trying is celebrated, even if they don’t succeed. Reassure them that mistakes are part of learning and emphasize the fun and experience gained from exploring new activities.

4. What if my child is afraid of failure?
Help them reframe failure as a normal and valuable part of growth. Talk about famous individuals who failed before succeeding, and remind them that effort and resilience are more important than immediate success.

5. How can I encourage my child without making them dependent on external validation?
Balance encouragement with fostering intrinsic motivation. Help them recognize their own achievements by asking questions like, “How do you feel about what you accomplished?” This shifts the focus from external praise to internal satisfaction.

More Resources on Encouraging Your Children

1. Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck
   This book explores the importance of cultivating a growth mindset and provides practical strategies for encouraging children to embrace challenges and develop resilience.
2. The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary
   A guide to mindful parenting that emphasizes connecting with your child and empowering them to thrive emotionally and mentally.
3. Raising Resilient Children
   A website offering evidence-based tools and resources to help parents encourage their children to become confident, independent, and emotionally resilient.