Every parent wants to see their kids succeed, and some go to great lengths to ensure that they prepare the kids for the future. Whether it is taking kids to good schools, engaging them, or walking the talk, you can impart some life skills to your kids in many ways.
Unfortunately, I had to learn most things that I know today by myself while growing in a foster home. My early experiences in life might not have been ideal for a young kid, but luckily, I could beat my path. I believed my dedication to soccer and fitness played a crucial role in achieving success in life.
Fast forward, I can now use my experiences to impart some noteworthy life lessons to my kids. As I try to be that parent that I never had, I have had my struggles and a fair share of experiences. My two kids, Juliana and Graham, are now grown. Looking back, here are some essential lessons that I believe were instrumental in helping me nurture these responsible young adults.
The Value of Honesty
The best way to instill honesty in your kids is to live an honest life. Looking at my dark past growing in a foster home, I was lucky enough to get a wife who went to great lengths to teach me how to live an honest life. I now love everything about honesty and the joy of spending life around an open family. Well aware that kids take cues from parents, we had to refrain from any dishonest behavior. Also, we had to reward them occasionally for their virtuous deeds. In case we noted some signs of dishonesty, we had to encourage them to own up their wrongs and explain the consequences of lying.
The Essence of Being Respectful
Respect is fundamental to a child’s development. Respect for elders, authority, other people, and most importantly, respect for oneself is vital to becoming a responsible adult. Training your kids to be respectable cultivates a feeling of self-worth and respect for others. It also goes a long way in helping your kids co-exist and accept everyone for who they are, irrespective of their caste, religion, or creed. Any sign of disrespect should be addressed immediately. At times, spend some time talking to your kids about the value of respect and the consequences of disrespect. You can even make them to attend youth ministry lessons on the Bible, so that they not only learn respect but other values of life as well. There are several essential qualities such as obedience, self-control, kindness, and cleanliness that follow when your kid can demonstrate basic human respect.
The Importance of Time Management
I am a person who values time. Hence, I do my best to manage time, meaning that I refrain from making mistakes that can cost me a moment of my life. Let me help my readers understand the above-mentioned point with an example. Say that I had to spring clean my house. As everybody must be aware, there are so many tasks when it comes to deep cleaning the house, from dusting to mopping and everything in between. I know that all these tasks require a lot of time. Hence, I do not try to juggle myself between them and waste my time unnecessarily. Instead, I consider hiring a helping hand (from firms like Modern Maids–look up house cleaning services San Antonio TX to locate them on the Web) who can assist me in my cleaning endeavor, so that I can finish the tasks quickly and move on to something else that needs my attention. You see, I love working with anyone who can keep time. And looking at the gains that come with effective time management, I knew that I had to raise kids who could manage their time well and meet deadlines. And whenever I got a chance to help them learn how to manage time, I was glad to grab it. Parents should teach the value of time management to their children when they are still young. This means coaching them on simple time management skills and practices such as prioritizing, planning well, and keeping time. The best time to impart this skill to any child is when they are old enough to understand what it means to save time and honor deadlines.
The Weight of Being Responsible
Parents who want the best for their kids should not compromise on responsibility. Your kids will undoubtedly benefit from learning to be responsible. As far as cultivating responsibility goes, I always advise parents to model responsible behavior. This means that you do not have to keep instructing them on how to be accountable. Instead, show them by walking the talk. Cultivating responsibility goes a long way in helping kids develop a healthy attitude and pride in everything they do.
I now understand that learning is a lifelong process that requires serious efforts from both parents and the kids. As a parent, you have to keep encouraging your kids along the way without losing motivation, even after they are past the age of majority. To achieve success in the parenting journey, then you should be it in the long haul. It is easy to lose touch with your kids when you have to attend to professional demands. You should be wary of all manner of demands that might compromise your parental obligations to find a way of giving your kids the best.