Focusing on the POSITIVES

PARENTING THOUGHT for the week

As parents, we want our children to succeed. Weighed down by our high expectations for them, we get blind sided to the other positive aspects that they possess. When we see our children’s report cards for example, we immediately focus on the negative grades and give minimum attention to the high grades achieved.

The active pursuit of absolving these bad grades begins, finding a solution becomes the ultimate goal. Each child, even within the same family, is unique in their own right. Whilst some might breeze through the logical practicality of mathematical subjects, others find comfort in the subjective irregularity of the written prose. But as parents our immediate attention goes to the subject with bad grades, tutors are found, extra study time is allotted and even ultimatums are dished out. The child spends copious amounts of time in trying to attack what simply does not come naturally to them and an overall dissatisfaction to learning ensues. Instead why not focus on the positives? Yes bad grades indicate there is a problem is at hand.

But give due attention and credit to the good grades acquired, encourage further studies or courses in that particular subject or sports. Allow a child to strive for their passions. As the child gains confidence in themselves and in turn public validation, their overall mood is lifted. They are more positive in addressing the issues at hand. Instead of being bogged down with work that they hate, they feel confident, determined and encouraged to attack the more challenging aspects.