Harvard University psychologists found 7 guideposts to raising a well-adjusted, caring, happy child in today’s crazy world.
1: Spend quality time with your child. Communicate openly, listen closely, connect by doing things together (screen free), read to them, and acknowledge their emotions. Children learn caring and respect when they are treated that way.⠀
2: Help children develop self-control and manage feelings effectively. Set clear boundaries, teach conflict resolution strategies, identify feelings, and help them learn patience and self-control.⠀
3: Let your kids see a strong moral role model and mentor in you. Monkey see, monkey do, right? Model good habits, manners, humility, and honesty. Admit your mistakes, apologize, and tell your child how you learned from it. We are all human.⠀
4: Teach your child to care for others and set high ethical expectations. Teach them to do the right thing, even when it is hard. Responsibilities and obligations are important: chores, school, manners, teams, friends, and promises. Send the message that “The most important thing is that you are kind, healthy, and happy.”
5: Provide opportunities for children to practice caring, appreciation, and gratitude. People who practice gratitude regularly are more likely to be generous, healthy, helpful, compassionate, forgiving, and happy.
6: Promote children’s ability to be ethical thinkers and positive change-makers in their communities.⠀
7: Expand your child’s circle of concern. For young children, expanding their circle of concern begins with “putting other people on their radar,” says child psychologist Richard Weissbourd. It’s easy for kids to empathize with people they are close to, such as family members and close friends. But parents get them in the habit of noticing people outside of this circle and seeing needs that others might have. As a starting place, “point out the kid on the playground who may not be playing with any of the other kids,” says Weissbourd, or ask your child to tell you about a new classmate — and then talk about how to welcome them.
👉🏻 Which number are you totally rocking and which number will be a goal to strengthen this year?
Source: Making Caring Common Project, Harvard University
Happy reading!
Isabelle, Founder⠀
