5 Ways to Instill Happiness and Independence in Your Child
The communication you have with your child can mean the difference between a strong sense of security and a need for ongoing parental dependence. Sometimes, it seems you are constantly telling your two-year-old “no,” and it is disheartening to both of you. The Diocese of Orlando presents the following ways to soften the blow of harder commands and to let your child enrolled in the best private schools in Orlando know you are thinking carefully and trying to reach a conclusion you will both appreciate.
- Think before you answer.
Sometimes your immediate response is “no.” After thinking a few seconds, you reconsider your response, but changing your mind would make you look ambiguous. Instead, think carefully beforehand to model two ideas: your child does not have to answer every question immediately, and you care enough to carefully consider his or her request.
- Say, “Wow!”
Young children are constantly seeking our approval. When we look at their work of art critically or find fault in the clothes they have chosen to wear, we belittle them. Instead, congratulate your child with a positive exclamation of praise and let it go at that. Unless it causes bodily harm, let the praise be the last word, and do not correct any errors.
- Show Affection
Before bed, as they are leaving for school, when they leave the room – any occasion is the right time to let your child know you love him or her. Older children may scoff at the sentiment, but secretly, they appreciate it.
- Almost every mistake is an opportunity to learn.
If your child spills cereal, show her how to use a mop or paper towel to clean the floor. A below-average grade is a time to share your knowledge to help develop either better test-taking skills or more information to excel on the next test. Almost any upsetting situation can be turned around with the correct phrase. This also opens the door to communication since your child feels comfortable sharing any form of information whether it is good news or bad.
- Commend great ideas.
This makes your child feel appreciated. It will also stimulate your child to make further decisions, leading to independence. For instance, if you let him or her choose between beans and peas for tonight’s vegetable side, she will understand how powerful her actions are and offer more suggestions in the future.The best approach to building confidence and happiness in your child is to offer a positive response, even when the information you are giving is negative. Children often pick up your attitude more often than your words, so smiling as you explain why they are not able to do what they want can keep the attitude positive, even with negative words. Make sure you provide reasons for your responses since you know their next question will be “Why?” The insight behind the response will help your child develop critical thinking skills. The Diocese of Orlando has more examples of how you can better communicate with your children on our blog page. Give us a call at 407-246-4903 to learn about our best private schools in Orlando.