Although, as parents, we want to keep our children safe from anything that might hurt them in the ‘real world’, what we actually need to do to help them the most is to let go more and help them follow their dreams instead, no matter what those dreams might be. Keeping them safe is crucial, but if it comes at the cost of stifling their ambitions, then it’s too much.
Yet it can be hard for parents to know what to do to help their children follow their dreams, especially if you have been used to taking care of every little thing for your kids and you aren’t sure they’re ready to take steps by themselves. With that in mind, here are some things you can do that will help both you and them achieve more.
Help Them Believe Anything Is Possible
The first thing you should teach your kids is that nothing is truly impossible. Don’t be scared by how big their dreams are, especially if they are young.
So what if your child doesn’t have much chance, for example, of becoming an astronaut? As long as they believe it, they will work toward this goal, and even if they don’t reach it, they may still get the next best thing. It’s not your job to put their dreams in boxes; it’s your job to let them grow in any way they want.
Encourage Independence
Parents often don’t want to let their kids go, so they keep them in a bubble. However, that can hurt them more than help. Let your kids run around, even if it means they might fall down sometimes. Let them figure out how to deal with some mental and emotional problems on their own. Let them work out what it is they want to do in life. Your job is to be there for them in case they need help.
One way you can help is to offer them choices so they can reach their ultimate goals. By showing them the Juilliard acceptance rate, for example, they can determine whether their dreams of attending that school for acting or dance are possible, and if they are, they can work towards making sure it happens. If they’re not, they can look for alternatives and still keep their dream alive.
Chase Your Own Dreams
After all that, we come to the last point. You can’t expect your children to be motivated to pursue their aspirations until you set an example for them. Children learn most by watching their parents, so if they see you aren’t sure of yourself and don’t want to succeed – or at least show that side of yourself, whether it’s true or not – it’s likely that they will have the same outlook.
However, if your kids see you aren’t afraid to stick up for yourself, fight for what’s yours, have a healthy dose of self-esteem, and strive for growth and development every day, they’ll absorb the positive aspects of your behavior.
In other words, what are your dreams? If you haven’t yet started to follow them and you want your children to enjoy a happy life, now could be the perfect time.
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