Empower children to be adventurous without suggesting danger exists at every turn. Over-hearing some parents you’d think calamity is possible at every moment.
Empower children to settle sibling differences. Adult intervention is sometimes necessary but negotiation skills are worthy of development.
Empower their children to speak up for themselves. You may have heard parents “shush” their children and create “no-go” topics.
Empower children to speak about what is important to the children. They avoid “tell Aunty about your……..” and encourage “tell Aunty whatever you want (or not).”
Empower children to wait when adults are talking and to be respectful of adults engaged in conversations. Constantly demanding and getting center-stage is hardly helpful to the other adults or to children.
Empower children by speaking in your normal voice and by using your normal language. While it is tempting to “ooh” and “coo” with a baby he or she will respond to your regular voice, too, and learn the language you want him or her to speak.
Empower children by promoting the idea of private space among siblings and conversations that do not include the parents. The hope is your children will have each other longer than they will have you.
My sons 27 and 23 — yes, I tried to do all the above — sometimes with success, sometimes not.
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