You Want To See Your Kids Succeed? Be There

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You want your kids to succeed? Then you’ve got to be there. It’s not enough to just send them to school and assume that they are going to teach them everything that they need to know. Yes, in terms of academics then the school is going to be able to teach them far more than you will ever be able to, but that doesn’t mean that there is nothing that you can offer them. In fact, there is plenty that kids are going to miss out on if their parents aren't present in their life or their education, and that’s what we’re going to be talking about down below.

If you want to see your child succeed, then there are things that you are going to need to do. It’s important that you do them to the very best of your ability, but first, you need to know what they are. Keep reading if you want to find out what these things are.

Show Up When They Need You

One of the most important things that you can do for your kids is to show up when they need you. When they need you to be there, you have to move heaven and hell themselves to make sure you can be there, or at the very least make sure someone they know is there. It’s always best if it can be you, but in an emergency, as long as they have someone there when they need them, that is what is going to count. Try not to make this a habit though, or they will always end up expecting someone else rather than counting on you coming through for them.

This could be when they are having a bad mental health day and they just want their parents to be there with them. It could be that they have a game with their team that they want you to be there for. The possibilities are endless, but if they tell you that they want or need you there, or even if you can just sense it, you need to do your best to be. 

Being able to rely on your parents is an important part of emotional and mental growth. If we feel as though nobody is paying attention and nobody cares, then a lot of the time people stop trying because they don’t feel as though there is a point. Don’t let this happen to your kid, be there.

Encourage Their Passions

Whether you understand them or not, whether you agree with them or not, you have got to encourage the passions that your child has. If they love art, encourage them all you can with this by getting them into art clubs, buying them supplies and so much more. If they seem to be interested in sports, or cars, or whatever it is, you need to make sure that you are there, helping them to develop this passion because who knows, this could be the very thing that they make a career out of. We know that you hear about parents telling kids what they can and cannot do, this is not good for the development of your child. Not only do they then not get to pursue the things that they like, but they also don’t learn how to make decisions for themselves.

While encouraging their passions, also encourage their schoolwork. The importance of early childhood education and also beyond is massive, and it’s not something that you want to let dwindle in the corner.

Help With Homework Where Needed

There will be times when your kid asks you for help with their homework, and you need to be willing to do that. Even if you don’t know the answers, that’s what your phone is for so you can look them up when they are not looking. You’re not the one who needs to know the answer anyway so it’s not like it counts as cheating!

Some parents like to directly give the answer just so that they don’t have to spend as long with their kids doing this work, but this is not the right approach to take. You need to give them hints, help them to get to the answer on their own, or else they are never going to learn. It’s important that you spend this time with them, helping them, but never giving it to them so easily and letting them know the answer without working it out, or working for it.

This is not to say that if they are struggling you should withhold the answer. If they are simply not understanding, then you can either give them the answer and ask their teacher to explain it a little more in class, or leave the question blank and have them do this. It depends on the child and if they need that closure right there and then of having an answer on the page.

Life Skills

If you want to see your kids succeed, then you have got to do more than just encourage them academically, you have to teach them life skills. It is your job as their parent to ensure that they are prepared for the world when they move out, so you have to take responsibility for this and get started at a young age. In fact, it’s recommended that you start teaching your kids about money when they are young, so that when they grow up they’ve got an idea of how to manage it. You can do this by giving them an allowance each week, and only allowing them to spend that much on the things that they want. It might be tough at first, but they will get used to living on a budget so that when they have to, they can.

Not only that but you also need to teach them how to cook, clean, do their laundry and other basics like this. There are too many people who leave home without knowing how to do this, and that’s a failure on the part of the parent.

Don’t Let Them Give Up So Easily

There are going to be times in life where your kids are going to want to give up on something. It might be a club that they have joined, it might be a sport, it might be a relationship, or it might be their schoolwork. You need to encourage your kids to not give up at the first sign of trouble. If they have really thought this through and they are no longer interested in whatever it is, then sure they are allowed to quit. Nobody should be forced to do something that they don’t want to do.

However, kids are quick to give up on things when they go slightly wrong, and this is where you need to step in. Tell them to think about it, give a few days before they make a final choice. This way, they will make a choice that is right for them, and not just out of frustration. 

So, there you have it then. These are some of the things that you are going to need to do if you want to see your child succeed. It’s not always going to be easy to make it happen, there are always going to be bumps in the road and things that are thrown up to knock you and your child down, but you have got this. Together, and with the help of the school, as long as you keep going then nothing is going to get in their way. We wish you nothing but the best of luck, and hope that your child ends up achieving everything that they are dreaming of.