Children are by far the most important part in parents’ lives. This is the reason why many parents choose to work long and arduous hours in order to guarantee the best of opportunities for their children. Nearly all parents put their back into ensuring that the children have all the necessary tools that they need in order to become a successful pillar of society tomorrow.
However, there are some instances when children wish to help their parents. Granted, these efforts are often small and don’t matter much but appreciating them can nonetheless prove incredibly beneficial for their confidence.
Appreciate their efforts:
Appreciate the efforts that these children want to put in to help you. This is an important quality that you should groom and encourage in your children. Only if you appreciate this quality early on will they retain this in their adulthood and become productive members of society.
Praise their efforts:
It’s almost certain that if you’re trying to do your taxes and your child opens up their math book beside you to help you with numbers, it won’t be of much use. However, that gesture matters. The fact that your child saw you doing something and thought about helping you out of their accord is something that you should encourage. Be supportive and appreciate their help. This will further solidify this tendency in them to be ready to help others who need their help.
Don’t let them overdo it:
While it’s important that you appreciate their efforts to help you out as well as the willingness to assist you, it’s equally important to not let them overdo it. Most of the time these children won’t be able to complete the tasks and this could instill a fear of failure or lack of confidence in their own abilities. Hence, be sure to allow them to chip in but not get carried away too far as it might end up doing them more harm than good.
Feedback:
Nearly all children view their parents as their heroes. That’s one of the primary reasons why their parents’ view and appreciation is important to them. It is a parent’s responsibility to provide this feedback and let them know how proud they are of their efforts. Children need to feel confident and empowered, and the people who can begin this process are their own parents. Let them know how good they are, what improvements they can make and in some cases, what not to do.
Becoming a team player:
Childhood is the time when almost everyone develops some of the characteristics and behaviors that will define them for most of their life. It is important that you appreciate your child’s efforts and even more when they do something as part of a team. Working well with others is an invaluable quality that will serve them well even in their adulthood and parents can be the ones who lay the foundations of this critical quality in their children.
