Ways you can support your child

CHILDREN OF all ages need their parents and other adults involved with purpose in their lives – to nurture and to motivate, to clarify and to connect, and to challenge them into realising their dreams.

NURTURE THE INDIVIDUAL ...

Passion for life, learning, and work comes from within. Help your children discover their passions. Cultivate their sense of hope and believe in their dreams.

Tell your children you are proud of them.

A positive sense about who we are is central to a healthy and productive life. High self-esteem, combined with hope for the future, feelings of control over life events, and a sense of purpose, build positive identity. Praise your children regularly to lay the foundations for a strong sense of self-worth. Encourage them to spend their time doing things at which they feel competent and valued.

Listen to your children and express interest in those things they care about.

Talk with your children about the everyday stuff. Start early by asking about their ideas and opinions regularly. Show them that you are really interested in what they think and feel, and they will become comfortable about expressing their thoughts to you.

Help your children understand who they are and what makes them special.

Ask your children questions about things that interest them and activities they are good at. Share what you observe about their strengths and interests. Probe their unique interests to better understand them. Consider their favourite games, books, school subjects, toys, activities, and make believe. Talk about how they learn best – is it through reading, talking, or doing?

Recognise that your children are unique and that their career paths will be unique.

Sometimes we expect that life should follow a perfect and predictable path. However, career development is a process, and everyone does it differently. Each child learns and develops at different rates. Talk about the positive aspects of these differences. Help your children express and cherish their uniqueness.

Be involved in school activities and support school work because education is important.

Source: www.mychildsfuture.org