Our children are our future. These little people will be our doctors, engineers, teachers, and leaders of tomorrow! They live in an increasingly difficult and confusing world, so the most important thing we can do is teach them they are important, capable, and loved!

We want our children to learn all they can, so we teach them academics, but all of the knowledge in the world cannot replace the basic life skills that help a child to have confidence and resiliency, a belief in themselves and in the future.

Developing Kids’ Confidence & Resiliency

Failure and setbacks are part of life. Mistakes are part of life. Taking over and smoothing the way for them, solving all their problems, and orchestrating their lives to be perfect and trouble free is not doing a service for our children.

Children need to learn early in life that there are problems and troubles that cannot always be solved or removed. They need to learn when young, a little at a time, bit by bit, how to work through these difficult situations, how to be resilient, and how to continue to move forward even when things don’t turn out as planned.

Children are amazingly resourceful and creative in working out their own problems. They are capable of much more than we realize. Putting the responsibility back on them to take care of the problem gives them practice and confidence that will be important throughout their lives.

A LESSON LEARNED IN PRESCHOOL… We always begin preschool by practicing writing our name on a wipe-off card. One year, one of the children sat down to write his name. He wrote about half of it and then handed me the card. I told him it was his job to finish it and he said he couldn’t unless someone helped him. I gave it back and told him I knew he could do it.

He mumbled and complained, wrote one more letter, and handed it to me again. The same scenario continued for every letter left in his name! He was capable, but just didn’t want to do it. When he finally finished, I praised him for doing it by himself.

There is a fine line between helping a child and stepping in and doing something the child can do for themselves. Make sure the task you give them is appropriate for their abilities, then step back and let them do it. Encourage them throughout the task and praise them when they accomplish it!

Often the task would be easier if we just did it ourselves, rather than teaching a child to do it. It can be a long, painful process that challenges their energy and patience… and yours! However, that process of letting the child follow through and complete the task teaches independence, builds confidence, and helps them become a self-starter. After all, it’s your job as a parent or educator to get a child to the point where they can do the job themselves!

Fostering Kids’ Hope For Their Future

Positivity in the things we say and do is an important skill to model. Talk positively about others. Look for the good, even in difficult situations, and talk about it with your children. Teach gratitude for the many wonderful things they have in their lives. A positive attitude is crucial to a child’s ability to look to the future, even amidst the challenges of this world!

Your child needs to feel their emotions and learn how to appropriately deal with those feelings. They will learn how to do this largely by watching those around them. Be positive and hopeful even when things are hard. Teach your children to look for the positive.

A bright future for our nation and world depends on these children who will become the adults soon enough! Help them to be confident, independent, self-sufficient, and happy, despite what is going on around them.