Thinking Ahead: How To Set Your Child up for Success

As a parent, you probably struggle to figure out how to set your child up for success because there’s no one right answer. Luckily, some guidelines have worked time and again. Keep reading for our tips to make sure your child grows up to be the kind, well-rounded person you know they can be.

Teach Social Skills

A Penn State and Duke University study showed that children with good social skills were more likely to be successful in their twenties than children lacking in those areas. Everyday pleasantries like “please” and “thank you” might seem like no-brainer skills to establish, but don’t underestimate their importance.

Encourage your kids to express their feelings, and help them learn the vocabulary to explain their emotions well. Focus some time on problem-solving, too. Depending on the situation, allow your child to take a crack at finding a solution to a problem they bring to you before you explain what you would do.

Make Them Do Chores

Giving your children jobs around the house is not just a way to take chores off your plate. Teaching kids that they are living in a community where everyone contributes to the good of the whole will make your children better coworkers, roommates, and friends. Chores are also a simple way to begin showing your child examples of personal responsibility.

Set High Expectations

Explaining to your children early in their lives that you expect them to achieve a higher education makes them more likely to go to college. Having gone to college yourself is also helpful in this regard; your children want to see you practicing what you preach.

Of course, high expectations are great, but make sure they come with encouragement, praise, and comfort. The last thing you want is for your children to feel like they can’t come to you with their problems because you expect them to be perfect.

Work On Yourself

A study conducted by the University of California found that happy parents are more likely to have happy children. Your kids can sense when you’re stressed, so consider therapy to help yourself and them.

Raise Them With a Second Language

Bilingual kids often have longer attention spans and are superior multi-taskers. Children who learn two languages are also more accomplished listeners than children who grow up with one. Even if you are only fluent in one language, you can raise a child with two. Learn along with your children, and you’ll be shocked at how much more quickly they pick it up!

Now that you have some ideas of how to set your child up for success, help guide them toward the future you know they deserve.