Empathy
What a mom feels and how she behaves toward others also influences her children. Specifically, if a mom is always helpful or goes out of her way to help others, it’s very likely that her daughter or son will behave the same way.
For one study, the University of California looked at 35 families. The result was that parents not only inherit the appearance, but also influence the emotional world.
So those who show a willingness to help themselves ensure that their children will also become empathetic. Parents can encourage this even more concretely, for example by guiding children to help classmates with homework or to participate in community service projects.
Mindfulness
Being mindful and calm is incredibly important in later adult life. It’s the only way an adult can manage to face and cope with the modern demands of everyday life.
That’s why it’s important for parents to not be hectic and side-track their children. Shared quiet times, for example reading aloud, are important to strengthen the bond and show the little ones that rest should be something commonplace.
Every day should therefore always include several short mini-quiet times. It sounds so easy, but it’s not. In fact, many moms feel useless. Rituals help to actually take the little time-outs.
In the end, both benefit: The child learns that he or she can cope better with effort if he or she takes a break. And the mother gets out of her circle of excessive demands.
Drive
“I’m going to try that!” This phrase should become a feeling for your child. Instead of thinking that he won’t be able to do anything anyway, that he’s too weak, or that he’ll never get good grades in school, parents should encourage their children to try things.
Parents can start doing this at the youngest age. When the child begins to crawl, the distances should quietly always be extended a little beyond the actual possibilities. Because one thing is absolutely clear: When children repeatedly go beyond their limits, they also learn.
Helicopter parents need to cut back sharply on their urge to protect the child. Even if it’s only well-intentioned, and you want to keep your child out of harm’s way, you’re doing him or her harm. So go ahead and encourage the little one or kids to dare to do something – then they will do it as adults.
Sustainability
Sure, you want to spoil your child above all else. You would love to fulfill his or her every wish. But that doesn’t help the little ones either. Because at some point, the day will come when you or your partner will no longer be there for your child.
And by then, at the latest, your child must have learned to get life on its own track. A sudden job loss, an illness or other unforeseen events can force your child to have to manage money better. The child should be prepared for this moment.
It is therefore important to make it clear to the child at an early age that money has to be earned hard and that values have to be protected. If children earn some extra money by walking dogs or babysitting, for example, they will learn how to handle it at an early age.
And in doing so, you may be fulfilling the child’s most important desire: To become an independent, happy adult in control of his or her own destiny.
Sense of responsibility
Parents are responsible for their children. That is clear. This means they take responsibility for everything the children do. Nevertheless, children must also learn to deal with their own responsibility. This even has a concrete impact on school performance.
If children are always pushed to do homework, this builds up a lot of pressure and their grades get worse.
It is therefore better if the child is aware of his or her own responsibility. This includes, for example, that children should iron out their own mistakes. If the way is always paved for them, they will not learn to take responsibility.
