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Raising Successful Children
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50
Ways to Bring Out Your Child's Best |
As
an anonymous observer once said: "All children are gifted, some
just open their packages later than others. "You can play a
crucial role in awakening latent talents or developing current
strengths through experiences you give your child at home. Here
are 50 ways for you to bring out your child's best, regardless of how
his gifts are packaged:
1.
Let your child discover her own interests. Pay
attention to the activities she chooses. This free-time play can say a
lot about where her gifts lie.
2.
Expose your child to a broad spectrum of experiences. They
may activate latent talents. Don't assume that he isn't gifted in an
area because he hasn't shown an interest.
3.
Give your child permission to make mistakes. If
she has to do things perfectly, she'll never take the risks necessary
to discover and develop a gift.
4. Ask questions. Help your child open up
to he wonders of the world by asking intriguing questions: Why is the
sky blue? Find the answers together.
5.
Plan special family projects. Shared
creativity can awaken and develop new talents.
6.
Don't pressure your child to learn. If
children are sent to special lessons every day in the hope of
developing their gifts, they may become too stressed or exhausted to
shine. Encourage, but don't push.
7.
Have high expectations. But make them realistic.
8.
Share your work life. Expose your child
to images of success by taking him to work. Let him see you engaged in
meaningful activities and allow him to become involved.
9.
Provide a sensory-rich environment. Have
materials around the home that will stimulate the senses: finger
paints, percussion instruments, and puppets.
10.
Keep your own passion for
learning alive. Your child will be
influenced by your example.
11.
Don't limit your child with
labels. They may saddle her with a
reputation that doesn't match her inner gifts.
12.
Play games together as a family.
13.
Have a regular family time for
reading, listening to music, talking.
14.
Have reference materials
available to give your child access to the
world.
15.
Allow your child to participate in
community activities that
interest her.
16.
Use humor, jokes, silly stories to
encourage creativity.
17.
Don't criticize or judge the
things your child does. He may
give up on his talents if he feels evaluated.
18.
Play with your child to
show your own sense of playfulness.
19.
Share your successes as a
family. Talk about good things that
happened during the day to enhance self-esteem.
20.
Provide your child with access to a home, school
or public library computer.
21.
Listen to your child.
The things he cares about most may provide clues
to his special talents.
22.
Give your child a
special space at home
to be creative.
23.
Praise your child's sense of
responsibility at home when
she completes assigned chores.
24.
Visit new places as
a family.
25.
Give your child open-ended
playthings. Toys like blocks and
puppets encourage imaginative play.
26.
Give your child unstructured time to simply
daydream and wonder.
27.
Share inspirational stories
of people who succeeded in life.
28.
Don't bribe your child with
rewards. Using incentives to get
children to perform sends a message that learning is not rewarding in
its own right
29.
Suggest that your child
join peer groups that
focus on her gifts.
30.
Discuss the news
to spark interests.
31.
Discourage gender bias.
Expose your child to both feminine and masculine
toys and activities.
32.
Avoid comparing your child to
others. Help your child compare
himself to his own past performance.
33.
Be an authoritative parent.
34.
Use community events and
institutions to activate interests.
Take trips to the library, museums, concerts, plays.
35.
Give presents that
nourish your child's strengths.
36.
Encourage your child to think
about her future. Support her
visions without directing her into any specific field.
37.
Introduce your child to
interesting and capable people.
38.
Think of your
home as a learning place. The kitchen
is great for teaching math and science through cooking.
39.
Share feelings. A
child's gifts can be stifled by repressed emotions.
40.
Encourage your child to read.
41.
Honor your child's creations.
42.
Do things with your child in
his areas of interest.
43.
Teach your child to trust her
intuition and
believe in her capabilities.
44.
Give your child choices.
It builds willpower and fuels initiative.
45.
Show your child how to use
books to further an interest.
For example, "how to" books for the "hands-on"
learner.
46.
Set aside an area of the house for
displaying creations and
awards.
47.
Encourage your child to tackle
areas that are difficult for him. Help
him learn to confront any limitations.
48.
Be a liaison between your child's special
talents and the real world.
Help her find outlets for her
talents.
49.
Introduce children's
literature that honors and develops gifts.
Books like the Little Engine That could encourage a "can do"
attitude.
50.
Accept your child as he or she
is. Most important
(
By Thomas Armstrong (celebrated educationist,
psychologist & author)
This
text is derived from www.geniekids.com
and we are grateful to Ratnesh Mathur and his team for the favour of
allowing us to reproduce his excellent write ups.
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