It’s difficult to navigate the tricky 21st century culture of instant gratification and constant distraction.
As parents, we experience even greater stress over these complications of a modern world because we’re trying to raise our children into successful adults!
First of all, you’re already leaps and bounds ahead of most parents because you’re reading this article. Most parents don’t take the time or energy to craft a thoughtful parenting strategy to help their children succeed.
One of the first steps toward an effective parenting strategy is educating yourself about what practices will set your child up for success.
So read on to continue educating yourself on how to help your children become successful.
You’re raising an adult, not a child
It might seem like a strange concept, but it’s important to remember that you’re raising your child to be a healthy and successful adult, not a child.
The goal is to help your children become happy and healthy adults that lead successful lives. If you’re only thinking about the immediate future of your child’s life you will make decisions that are focused on your child’s immediate happiness and comfort.
That isn’t a healthy parenting strategy.
If you want to set your child up for a successful adult life, you will need to make decisions that are focused on long-term benefit, rather than short term reward.
You’re parenting future adults, not future children.
Give them responsibility
This is one of those long-term focused parenting strategy choices that will help your child develop successful habits.
If your child isn’t picking up their toys, then someone else is picking them up for them. And that won’t teach your child how to take care of themselves.
Julie Lythcott-Haimes, author of How to Raise an Adult, notes that when you don’t make your kids do chores “they are absolved of not only doing the work but learning that work has to be done.”
It might be easier to avoid the fight and pick up the toys yourself, but you aren’t doing your child any favours by coddling them. Integrate chores into your parenting strategy and see your child begin to invest in the wellbeing of the whole household.
Expect a lot and be involved
Having high expectations might seem like adding undue stress to a child’s life, but studies show that when parents have expectations of their children and are involved in helping their child meet those expectations then children are more likely to exceed these expectations.
If you see university in your child’s future you can help manage their decisions that lead toward that goal. If you have an optimistic and ambitious vision of your child’s future then you can help craft your parenting strategy around that vision.
You aren’t setting your child up for success if you don’t believe they will be successful.
Expect greatness from your children and help them make smart decisions that will lead to greatness.
Have healthy relationships with their kids
Being involved in your child’s success can’t be the only point of contact in your relationship. Having a healthy relationship with your child will lead to later academic achievement and social well-being.
Children who have parents who are “sensitive caregivers” when they are young are proven to have healthier and more successful adult lives. A sensitive caregiver responds to a child’s needs appropriately and in a timely fashion.
Being engaged and compassionate as a parenting strategy seems obvious to some people, but for others, the focus is all on test scores and results. Parenting is more complex than that!
Your children need comfort, support, and love. They need it from you and from their other caregivers, so make sure your childcare facility has the right care centred philosophy.
Basically, love your children well and it will help them succeed!
Minimise conflict in the home
Children who grow up in homes with conflict don’t do as well in school and social situations. This isn’t to say that parents should stay married despite conflict within their relationship.
Children who had married parents who had conflict-filled relationships generally fare worse than children in divorced homes if the divorce is amicable.
The stress between the two main adults in a child’s life will affect that child’s development and later success. So consider your relationship with your spouse, partner, or ex as an important part of your parenting strategy.
The stress that surrounds you affects your own life. You’ve probably felt the bad attitude of a friend or co-worker bring your own mood down. Your relationship stress has the same effect on your children, so working hard to have healthy relationships is an important parenting strategy.
Invest in yourself as a parenting strategy
This might sound counter-intuitive, but children who see parents achieving personal goals are more likely to strive for their own success.
Parents who achieve higher levels of education are more likely to have kids who achieve higher levels of education.
Families with mothers who work outside of the home are more likely to raise more helpful and involved children. Unfortunately, traditional culture sometimes paints women who work outside of the home as selfish or not as sacrificing.
However, the reality is that children who are raised by a working mother are much less likely to be driven by damaging gender stereotypes.
So if you’re a mum who is feeling torn or guilty about working outside of the home, don’t doubt yourself. It’s not selfish or bad for your kids. In fact, you are modeling a behavior that will lead to your kids later success.
Putting your child in an outside care facility isn’t going to harm them or slow their growth. In fact, group childcare with play-based curriculums is great for a child’s development.
Consider your own personal health and success to be an important parenting strategy. It’s not selfish and your kids will reap the benefits of your success as well.
You are already ahead if you’re thinking about planning a parenting strategy to set your children up for success. Many parents are too overwhelmed or unaware to consider the opportunity of influence that they have as a parent.
As a parent, only you know what’s best for your child. But if you implement some of these tips into your parenting strategy, then you’ll be well on your way to raising a healthy, happy and successful adult!
If you’re in need of quality childcare that invests in your child’s success, then check out Piptree and see if this program is right for your family.
