5 ways we can help our children succeed

In the wake of the recent college admissions scandal, in which rich parents paid thousands or even millions of dollars to bribe coaches or have someone else take standardized tests for their children so that they could get into elite colleges, there has been a lot of discussion about admission to elite colleges — and about what it takes to succeed. All parents want their children to succeed in life. Going to an elite college can help, mostly in terms of networking and resume-building, but is that the ticket to success? Probably not. True success and happiness in life comes from being able to create, persevere, roll with life’s punches, and work with others. The good news is that parents and caregivers can teach children these skills from infancy onward — for free. Here are five ways parents can set up their children for success. 1.  Reinforce executive function skills. Executive function skills are our “air traffic control” skills, such as our ability to pay attention, plan, troubleshoot, multitask, control our emotions, negotiate, and delay gratification. These are skills that children learn as they grow — and are skills that can be taught and reinforced. There are activities and games that parents can do with their children that help build these skills, many of which involve using their imagination and interacting with others — which works best when devices are turned off, and when time is not filled up with scheduled activities. 2.   Let children be indepe...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Adolescent health Children's Health Parenting Source Type: blogs