It is the dream of all parents to see their children succeed. Most parents hope to send their children off to their dream college so that they can find success in whatever career they choose.
Parents think about ways to raise smart and confident kids. That said, there might be no set formula for raising smart kids, but we can’t deny that parents play a crucial role in their children’s success. Before we jump into the list of tips on raising smart and confident kids, it is important to state that success means something different for every child.
Your child’s success depends on their interest and hobbies and what they aspire to be. However, we cannot refute the importance of a good education and getting good grades in school. This aspect perfectly explains why parents need to be thoughtful when selecting a school for their children. We don’t learn more about how to raise smart and confident kids.
Get Them Interested in Reading
Books make smart people. Lots of studies have proven the benefits of reading books and reading from an early age. You want to start reading to your kids as early and as often as possible. Reading isn’t only important to help your kids develop good speaking and listening skills but also helps them acquire interesting vocabulary and inspires imagination and creativity.
We all know that creative and imaginative kids are smart kids. Reading can also help your kids with improving their cognitive skills. There is a direct connection between reading books and boosting one’s intelligence.
Initially, you will want to start with reading to your kids when they are very young. Later when your kids know how to read, you will want to have them read to you. This way, you will help your child in staying interested in reading. You will also want to encourage your kids to visit the local library and borrow as many books as possible.
The vocabulary that your kids start together from an early age will help them later throughout the school years, especially when preparing for exams such as 7+ class exams. When they are at this stage, you want to give them some other materials to read, such as getting some 7 plus exam papers, prepared question papers and other reading materials.
Also, you will want to understand your kids’ learning styles. Some kids are visual learners, and others are auditory learners. Depending on your kid’s preferred learning style, you will want to provide them with the learning materials and create the perfect studies base that will enable them to focus on their studies without getting distracted.
Encourage Your Kids to Play Games
If you want your kids to be smart and confident, you will want to encourage them to make time for unstructured games. We all know that children are naturally curious and learn best while playing games.
Also, they are good at developing their own games, further improving their cognitive, emotional, and social development. Ideally, you will want your kids to play games that are led by themselves, which will then help them build strong problem-solving skills and give them confidence and independence. Children who learn to solve problems early on tend to be more successful as they age.
When it comes to engaging in unstructured games, you will want to encourage your child to spend more time outdoors with other kids instead of playing online games or being glued to tech gadgets.
The more kids engage with other kids at a young age, the more emotionally intelligent they tend to be. And we know that emotional intelligence is an essential trait of highly successful people.
Focus on their Mental Wellbeing
Children need at least 8 to 10 hours of sleep every day. And if you want your kids to be smart and active, you will have to ensure that they get sufficient sleep. Practicing good sleep hygiene is also important during their exam days. Like adults, kids take exam stress and often feel pressured to compete against other students.
You will want your kids to study strategically by helping them to follow a study plan. Make sure to squeeze in many recreational activities, rest, and other relaxation activities between the study sessions. This will motivate your kids to stick to the study plan. More importantly, you will want to tell them that you believe in them and speak words of encouragement to them.
According to research, kids do their best to meet their parental expectations. As a parent, you should know that the way you speak to them becomes their inner voice, and you will want to ensure that it is a voice of encouragement and positivity, especially if you want your kids to be successful, smart, and confident.
Let Them be Their True Self
Kids don’t have to be perfect. Like adults, they will make mistakes, and then they will grow from those mistakes. Studies have shown that mistakes and failure are the best teachers for learning how to be confident and smart. Kids tend to grow and learn fast from mistakes and disappointments, leading to later life success.
By speaking words of encouragement to your kids, you will help them to become resilient. This way, you will enable your kids to bounce back whenever they fail or make mistakes.
So as parents, you will want to understand that kids are individuals and not an extension of their parents. If you see that your kids are getting into too much trouble, you will certainly want to jump in and guide them, but if you truly want to raise smart and confident kids, you will want to sometimes allow them to make mistakes and learn from them. As a parent, you will want to give your kids the space to learn and grow to become the best version of themselves.
The Takeaway
Make sure to provide a secure space at home for your kids so that they know they can come to you whenever they want and need it. You will want to have dinner together every day, as spending good quality family time is crucial for your kid’s emotional and cognitive development.
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