Personal Growth
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5 min read
5 min read
Helping kids keep on going, when the going gets tough.
Teaching kids to persevere when things are tough seems to be a huge problem for parents in the modern era. Kids seem to fall apart at the first sign of adversity, and parents are having a hard time moving their kids forward through these everyday challenges.
In order for children to grow into responsible and emotionally-healthy adults, they need a "can-do attitude." Making mistakes, getting stuck and pushing through is an essential part of learning how to cope, gain confidence, grow and finally succeed in life.
Many successful people failed repeatedly before reaching their goals. However, the obstacles they faced were pushed aside, as if success was achieved magically:
How can parents help their children develop the ability to keep trying when they don't succeed, along with solution-oriented thinking patterns?
Related article: "Conquer Frustration"
Achieve expertise – in any area – requires many little steps and a lot of practice.
When a baby learns to walk, we clap and cheer for each step taken, no matter if they fall.
We need the same attitude when our children:
Here are 6 ways to encourage young children to keep on trying.
Instead of making light of a difficult task ("This is easy; it will take you no time to learn"), show respect for a child's struggle.
Telling a child that something is easy often leads to a double-edged discouragement. If he completes the task, then he merely did something "easy" and it is not much of an accomplishment. If he can't succeed, he has failed at something that should have been easy.
If we show respect for a child's struggle and say "this can be hard," or "it is not so simple," then we send a message that if he does succeed it is a meaningful accomplishment. If he fails, at least he knows he made the effort on a difficult task.
You can also give more useful information with the non-confrontational phrase "sometimes it helps." For example:
Parents sometimes make the mistake of disregarding children's fears and hesitancy:
Instead, acknowledge the child's timetable:
Everyone needs encouragement. Try saying things like:
Children do as we do, not as we say. If you learn to persist in your own challenges, this will set the best example for a child struggling to achieve.
In our fast-paced world, it is imperative that we teach our children the lost art of perseverance. It might take a while, but with a little perseverance, we can do it!
Sources: Reachinginreachingout.com, "How To Talk So Kids Will Listen," "How To Talk So Kids Can"