6 Empowering Lessons to Teach Your Children

June 13, 2017

From the day your child was born, you have envisioned a bright future for him/her – one filled with huge dreams and potential that serves as an inspiration for those whom he/she is bound to meet in life. So, what can you do to ensure that your little one makes that fearless spirit and the confidence of a champion a part of who he/she is while going through the ups and downs of life?

Here, we share six important life lessons that you can incorporate into your children’s lives to empower them to grow up into that strong, resilient person that you have imagined since day one:

1. Your happiness is in your hands

We often stress to our children on the importance of being responsible for everything in life, no matter how big or small they may seem. At the same time, it is also crucial that we help them understand that there will be times when roadblocks happen and things may not go as planned. Instead of letting situations like this pull them down, we need to bring across the message that their happiness is not dependent on the circumstances of their lives – rather, it is up to them to take charge of the situation and find ways to make things work. In short, there is no need to sit back and wait for someone else to make things better when they can do it themselves.

2. The power of gratitude

As parents, it is natural for us to go the extra mile for our children to give them the best things in life – some of which they are completely oblivious to. To avoid them from developing a false sense of entitlement or to take things for granted, it may be worthwhile to point out the wonderful things that we (and the other people in their lives) do out of our love for them. This essentially teaches children the value of gratitude and emphasise the importance of being thankful for everything that they have in life. At the same time, it also brings to light the value of paying it forward by doing something nice for others, whenever they get the chance to. After all, this also allows them to live up to the saying, “One good turn deserves another”.

3. Confidence in your own body shape

Through the messages that are communicated by the media these days, children are led to believe that their self-worth and confidence are tied to the size and shape of their bodies. This eventually leads them to develop an image of “the perfect body shape” in their minds, one that leads them to go to great lengths to achieve in order to fit in.

To turn this around, our children need to realise that their accomplishments are not reflected merely in the shape of their hips and thighs, nor the size of their muscles. We need to help them see that the world is filled with successful individuals such as doctors, politicians, businessmen and women, and scientists who come in various shapes and sizes. Thus, they should make it their mission to find the one thing in life which they are truly good at that brings them joy and a sense of fulfilment, rather than focusing on achieving that “perfect body shape”.

4. True beauty lies in your behaviour

We often define a person’s beauty through their external appearance. However, there is another side of beauty that is often overlooked – and that involves the way a person behaves (i.e. when they show positive values such as kindness, compassion and generosity).

Our children need to realise that it is the way that they behave towards others that really defines their beauty, as this helps them become a better person. When they shift their focus from the external aesthetics (e.g. having the perfect hair or face shape) to the qualities that make them beautiful on the inside, there are many things they can do to inspire others and to make the world a better place to live in.

5. Making the best of your intelligence

We all have a skill or area in which we are good at. In fact, research shows that girls often have an advantage when it comes to language and emotional skills, while boys tend to do better in their motor skill development. Our children shouldn’t have to doubt if their unique strengths are good enough, nor should they feel like there is a need to “hide” their intelligence in order to fit in. Instead, we need to encourage them to take pride in their strengths by letting them make the most of it and to give them the opportunity to develop it further. Along the way, do be generous with your praises by acknowledging their efforts to give their best.

6. Stand up for your beliefs

It takes a lot of strength and self-confidence to stand up for the things we believe in, and the toughest part often involves making our stand to those who do not agree with us. Despite the challenges, this is by far, one of the most valuable lessons that we should impart to our children.

From going after their dream job to standing up for friends who are being unfairly treated, there are various situations which give our children the chance to step out of their comfort zone by standing up for what they believe in. On our part, we need to do all we can to model this behaviour and encourage them in their pursuits of making tough choices.

At MindChamps PreSchool, children are instilled with positive values such as compassion and gratefulness through their day-to-day lessons. Visit your preferred centre now to find out more!

Written by Justina Goh