If we want to raise healthy and happy children, it’s not just about being a parent, but it’s about making sure that we have the foresight to invest in the right things. The idea of investing is not just a financial thing, nor is it an emotional thing; it’s a combination of so many different aspects that you will have to consider so you are able to set up a solid life for your children. It’s about giving them those emotional skills and problem-solving tools, while also making sure that they know the modern world involves a significant amount of preparation and resilience. With this in mind, what does it really take for the youth of today to thrive in the world of tomorrow?
Knowledge of the Climate Crisis
The world is in a climate emergency, and this means we have to arm our children with the relevant knowledge to look after the planet long after we are gone. It’s the young children right now who will be paying for the mistakes we have made. What is the answer? It all begins at home! You can find a solar installer near you and have a set of solar panels installed on your home, but you’ve also got to consider every aspect of your life, and this means starting to exhibit behaviors that your children will recognize as beneficial to the planet, but will also continue long after you’ve gone. These are things like walking instead of driving and reducing meat consumption. Additionally, being aware of your carbon footprint is another way to set this example.
The Importance of Self-Worth
An investment into our self-worth is so important, especially if we find ourselves struggling as parents. If we are trying to raise a child that is a considerate and respectful human being, and we hit road bumps, we can start to see ourselves in a more negative light, which will impact our children, no matter how we try to hide it. But this is why we have to focus on our self-worth, while also making sure that our children are asserting their own. The reality is that life comes with various ups and downs. It is important to show confidence in your child’s ability to tackle their problems. One of the biggest mistakes we make as parents is fixing our children’s problems for them. And when we are used to doing this, we are not necessarily preparing them for the big wide world. This is why it is crucial to give your children an abundance of tools to problem-solve effectively. When they know how to solve problems, this will immediately increase their self-worth.
The Benefits of Appreciating What You Have
This is one of the best things we can do at home. We are finding ourselves under increasing pressure. This means that, sometimes, the world can take the rug out from underneath us, which is why it is so important to teach our children the skill to appreciate what they have. This can be done by practicing gratitude. Practicing gratitude is so important because it makes you aware of the good things you have in life, even if you do not think you have anything good. It’s about that “glass half full” mentality, but also understanding that when you incorporate a ritual of gratitude into your life, there isn’t as much space for negativity.
Playing the Long Game
This is such an important skill for children to have. Children can be overwhelmed by what happens in the here-and-now. And it’s unsurprising when our children are experiencing problems in the classroom, they’ve got to worry about getting their homework in on time. But this is where a combination of perspective while also having the ability to work smart rather than working hard is crucial. It takes a lot of work upfront, but if you can arm your children with the abilities to work tactically, this will allow them wiggle room and perspective, while also not sweating the small stuff.
The Importance of Mutual Respect
One of the biggest mistakes we make as parents is that we bark orders at our children and expect them to listen and follow, but if we are to raise inquisitive and intelligent children, we must understand they are going to push back, which is why it’s important to initiate healthy debate, but this is all down to mutual respect and trust. Our children need to be able to argue, and we might feel that we need to shut them down because we’ve had a long day, but if we start to treat our children with respect, and that they are welcome to debate, we must also learn to do it effectively, for example, keeping our voice level at a respectable volume, which will help them to express themselves, especially their feelings, and this also reinforces the fact that we are keeping communication channels open. Communication is so important, and if we do not keep those channels open, we may see the negative impacts on our children later in life.
Providing a Secure Environment
One of the best investments for our children, in an emotional sense, is realizing that they need that sense of security. We need to make sure that our children feel secure at home, because if they don’t feel secure at home, where can they feel secure? It is so crucial, and everything you do for children is underpinned by then feeling secure at home. You can provide security in some simple ways, reinforcing your love for them, building solid routines, while also ensuring they have the confidence to pursue the things they want.
When it comes to those investments in life, we can place a lot of importance on financial or monetary investment, but for children to have the quality of life we want for them, it is more than just being a mom in the here-and-now, but understanding the bigger picture. Whether it’s political changes in life or the internal battles they face within themselves, we can start right now by investing in our children emotionally.
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