Teach Your Child the Art of Survival

I bought the most expensive helmet for my son while he was learning to ride his bicycle and even ensured that I had no sharp edged furniture when he started walking. After all it’s about protecting our children and as parents we definitely don’t want to take chances. Virtually, parenting seems to be most demanding role in today’s world and to be able to bring up our children in a healthy social and emotional environment is indeed a challenge, in such difficult times ,when every news paper is flooded with stories of suicide, murder, rape, child abuse, terrorist attacks and other such heinous crimes. As a mother I wish, I had something-say an instrument or so, to protect my child throughout his life. But unfortunately life has its own rules and our children will confront problems in future that we can’t even perceive in the present day. The only way is to prepare them for the challenges of life, for we won’t be there for ever to protect them.

As our children grow older and get ready to face the world without our help, if there is anything we can do for them, is to make them independent. It is extremely important for them to learn to deal with crisis and come up with solutions independently. We face problems, because we don’t know the right way to deal with them, so when your child comes to you with a problem, don’t give a solution out rightly, instead encourage him to find solutions himself. By doing this you are preparing him to deal with bigger crisis independently in future and he develops self-confidence.

Do every possible thing to boost your child’s self-confidence, because a confident person emerges as a winner amidst the most adverse conditions. The times are tough anyways for our children, as the competition in fierce and positions are scarce; our children are vulnerable to emotional breakdowns. It is important to learn to believe in one’s own self, to stand tall under circumstances where one’s personal abilities are being questioned.

It is highly essential to teach children to learn to make informed choices. The world around them is full of choices and they have to choose the best option. As parents we can’t guide them through out their lives, on what to do and what not to. Cultivate in your child the ability to make informed choices and take the right decisions in life, particularly in matters of friendship, lifestyle and matters affecting their future. But accept them when they turn to you for support, for taking a wrong step in life and not succeeding. After all as they say "to err is human", isn’t it?

As parents we always want to give our children with the best, but have you ever thought that our children are getting used to the standard of life we are providing them with and they will have to strive harder to achieve a similar lifestyle themselves. In order to prepare them for the future uncertainties, put small challenges in front of them. Overcoming these challenges will give them a sense of accomplishment and make them stronger mentally. Putting challenges doesn’t necessarily mean, to deprive your children of their needs, but encouraging them to walk to school, if it is close by or to wash their own clothes, even if you have a help, would just allow them to make better adjustments and become humble.

Most importantly teach them the art of positivism and perseverance in everything that they do in life and rest experience will teach them.