Often parents are worried about what their child will be when they grow up. So many times parents are focused on developing one aspect of their child's personality, but a well rounded child is the best way to have a child grow up to be a well rounded adult. By developing strong leadership skills, your child has to be a well rounded and strong individual. Check out these great ways to help your child become a strong leader!
Why Leadership is Important
Even shy children need the chance to be a leader. While leadership is often used as a synonym to bossy or strong willed, it is intact very different. Leadership can be shown by both being a loud, independent child or by being more methodical and focused. By allowing your child to find their way to show leadership early, you are allowing your child to understand their strengths and continue to build on them. It is important to help encourage and reinforce your child's strengths, even if they are different than your own.
Allowing your child to become a leader allows them to develop their own self confidence. As they continue to grow, they will continue to build confidence in their own thoughts and opinions and learn that their thoughts and opinions are valuable for themselves and by people around them. This confidence will allow them to continue to develop independence and self worth.
How Can You Reinforce Leadership
Remember, this entire process will need to be led by your child. If you are the driving force, you will be developing your child into your own type of leader, instead of the one they are meant to be. Try out these great ways to help your child become a leader:
- Step Back: Let your child take the lead whenever possible. By allowing your child to make their own decisions, you are putting value on their opinions and ideas.
- Relax: Trust your child. Let them have a chance to mess up and learn from their mistakes. Along with this, try to step back and look at yourself as well. Are you forcing your child to keep to a strict schedule? Is it important? If not, relax and let them decide what is next.
- Play, Play, Play: Once again, it cannot be stated enough that children learn through play. Give your child the chance to have free play and make all the choices. It will allow for her to develop without restrictions and guidelines.
- Expand on Ideas: This one is my personal favorite! Instead of shooting down your child's ideas, dig deeper! Ask questions like why and how when they state something silly or out there. Teach them to think harder and deeper into ideas that they are interested in. When needed, be ready to help out with information, but make sure your child is still leading the discussion.
Remember, being a leader is important for all children and adults. Allowing your child to develop these skills now will give them the upper hand as they continue to grow. it is never too early, or too late to learn these skills. It simply takes a moment and a bit of a reset and you are ready to help shape a leader of tomorrow!
