Image courtesy of Pexels
Every parent dreams of their child growing up to be happy and successful in life, and hand-in-hand with those dreams are your child’s abilities to lead. Leaders tend to do well in their career development, their social lives, and in their home lives.
You might be surprised to learn that leadership capabilities can be learned and nurtured. The following resources can help moms and dads ensure that their children have every tool at their disposal to become successful in all aspects of life.
The Antinanco Earth Arts School is dedicated to environmental stewardship and preserving the knowledge and traditions of indigenous peoples. We offer educational programs for children, families and youth groups. Reach out to us today to find out more.
Pinpoint Principles
Before you can dig too deeply into your child’s leadership, you need to give some thought to what it is that makes a good leader in the first place. According to Black Enterprise, these principles are at the core of good leadership:
● Integrity is what it takes to choose conviction over convenience.
● Even when times are tough, leaders must be ready to make decisions and take action.
● Leaders must have the will to overcome challenges that come up.
● It takes courage and hard work to see things through.
● Passion helps leaders to stay the course and remain energized.
Shape Yourself First
We all know the old cliché about apples not falling far from trees, and there is a lot of truth in that. As Huffington Post explains, children will pick up on their parents’ actions — rather than instructions — to learn how they themselves should act. In other words, you need to model good leadership skills in order for your child to develop good leadership skills.
● Be mindful of what you say and how you act around your child.
● Good self-care ensures you have enough energy to remain positive and set the right example. Get enough sleep, exercise, and eat right.
● Confess your mistakes to your child.
● Be dependable, doing what you say you will do, and being where you say you will be.
● Teach a healthy amount of skepticism so your child learns to be discerning.
● Exhibit loyalty in your everyday life, such as helping friends with their problems and patronizing businesses that have served you well.
● Always strive to improve your life and continue learning such as acquiring new skills or earning a master’s degree.
Clear Barriers
As a mom or dad, you might inadvertently be building barriers to your child’s leadership growth. Avoid common parenting pitfalls that could be inhibiting your child’s leadership development:
● Too often, parents keep their kids from taking risks. However, risk-taking encourages self-confidence, resilience, and endurance.
● Coming to your child’s rescue too soon can get in the way of your child’s ability to navigate troubles in life.
● It’s easy to think a gifted or intelligent child is ready to take on the world. However, mistaking those abilities for maturity can lead to your child making serious mistakes. Remain the rudder until your child is old enough to take on more independence.
Building up your child’s leadership skills begins with a better understanding of leadership and how you’re modeling those characteristics. Dive into being the best example you can be and avoid common parenting pitfalls. Shaping the next generation of leaders is a tall order, but with these tools in your arsenal, you’ll do an amazing job!
About Daniel Sherwin:
Daniel is a single dad of two, who created Dadsolo.com with a goal to help equip other dads with resources regarding single parenthood. He considers raising his 10 year old daughter and 7 year old son both an adventure and a blessing.