A child responds to what they watch, listen to and experience in the different social situations they share with their parents. Make sure your actions count.
“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” –Denis Waitley
One of our main goals as parents is to prepare our children to live responsibly and with integrity. There is no perfect formula for turning out great kids who then become great adults, however, here are a few techniques that we can add to the parenting tool belt:
Model Responsibility
Yup, the old adage is true, “More is caught than taught.” So when you wonder why your daughter leaves her backpack and toys and books all over the living room, remember how you handle your personal items. Are they neatly put away or piled high on the coffee table? When we as parents take responsibility for our belongings our children see it, then they know it’s important, too.
Model a Strong Work Ethic
Families provide a basis for learning how to serve one another and work together, thus creating a sense of belonging and importance. When children see their parents working hard it fosters the understanding that work is important. Giving children tasks in the home, even as toddlers, is key to building their skill set for handling chores and boosts their feelings of significance. Something as simple as cleaning the kitchen together as a family each night can help develop good work ethic and a sense of belonging.
Model Respect
“Do as I say, not as I do,” is not the sage advice of a well-seasoned parent. If you desire your child to treat others with respect and treat themselves with respect, then you must do the same. Sometimes that may mean that mommy and daddy take time for a date to nourish their relationship, or perhaps mommy takes a walk to keep fit and relaxed or daddy gets in some surf time. When we take care of ourselves, we let our children know to care for and respect themselves as they grow up, too.
By modeling responsibility, a strong work ethic and respect we give our children the wings they need to grow into independent, responsible adults. JP
