Often I have heard that leaders are born, not made. Do you think this is true? How many times did you read a biography of a great leader, and discovered that as a child, he has been quiet, reserved and rather shy? Are those natural qualities of a leader? Of course not! These people have developed their leadership qualities later in life.
Would you like your child to be a leader?
What are the qualities of a leader?
Here are some of the qualities required to be a leader, and how you can encourage the development of these qualities in your child.
* Integrity - remember to be a good example, a role model for your child. Parents teach by example, and integrity is a quality kids learn from their parents. Talk with your child about integrity. One tool that is very helpful is story telling. Look for books that tell about the value of integrity. To find more resources for stories that promote values in kids, look at http://www.all-gifted-children.com, under "Resources". You can find it at Inspirational Kids Stories on the web. You can also make up your own stories, that tell about the value of integrity.
* Courage - always praise courage. When your child shows courage, notice it and praise it. Praise courage wherever you see an expression of it. Story telling is also very effective in this case.
* Creative, independent thinking. In order to develop this quality, it is very helpful to ask questions. When you talk with your child about any subject at all, always ask open questions, that encourage creative thinking. Use the "One Step Farther" principle. After you have gotten all the obvious answers, ask one more question, to come up with a deeper, more creative idea. Questions like "why", "what would happen if...", "how do you think did it feel...", encourage your child to think creatively. Talk to your child, encourage independent thinking.
* Confidence - this is one of the most important qualities required for success in general. To develop confidence in your child, avoid criticizing your child, praise your child sincerely and often, develop a habit to talk about your child's strengths and achievements with him every day. Remember to make it a point to bring up at least one good quality of your child every day. If you adopt it as a routine, over time it will do wonders for your child. It takes only a few minutes to mention an achievement or a strength (a good quality). Encourage your child, repeat the phrase "you can do it" often.
* A leader takes responsibility. When something goes wrong, sometimes it makes us feel better if we can blame something else or someone else. A leader takes responsibility. Make sure your child knows that he is the "boss" in his life. His success is his responsibility. We are not victims of our environment, we have control over our life. Teach your child to "come from a place of power". When your child blames someone else or something else for a mishap, or comes up with excuses, you have an opportunity to encourage your child to assume responsibility. Make sure that your child knows that it is Ok to make mistakes. Mistakes are an opportunity to learn.
You can help your child draw conclusions, without "making him wrong", by asking: "what did you learn from this?", "what do you think went wrong?", "why do you think this happened?", "how could you avoid this?" and again "what do you think would happen if...?". Your child should understand that he has no control over other people, and is not expected to have control over other people's actions, but he has full control over his own reaction. This will give your child the feeling of power, as opposed to "being a victim".
The conversations that you hold with your child have a profound effect on your child's future. Make sure you take the time to talk with your child every day, to be involved with what is happening in your child's life. To support, encourage and inspire. By doing that, you are being a leader, and you are developing your child's leadership skills.
For the last 26 years, Esther Andrews has studied, researched and practiced the ways to develop a child's intelligence. She also served as the principal of the School for Gifted Education. As a result of this experience, she developed her own method and philosophy, that proved to be extremely successful with her own 2 highly gifted children.
In her web site, http://www.all-gifted-children.com, she helps parents develop their child's genius, and provide for their kids the opportunity to achieve their maximum potential.
All babies cry, but if yours cries a lot, isn't... Read More
When my oldest daughter was born, I walked the floor... Read More
When I was pregnant, we knew that we had some... Read More
For many adults, reading a book or newspaper seems effortless.... Read More
Vacations are fun ! Weekends with the family are nice.... Read More
Is there a way to build a robot to help... Read More
How to Get Your Child to Love Reading was conceived... Read More
Little Suzy has really been having a hard time getting... Read More
Start some gardening traditions with your kids. Give them their... Read More
Before my daughter was born my house was... Read More
Not Letting Them Think.We all implicitly know that anything questioning... Read More
Early childhood educators have called play "children's work". Many parents... Read More
It's hard to explain to the uninitiated the changes that... Read More
Parents play a critical role in their child's success. These... Read More
1 - Forgive even if you will never be able... Read More
As parents, we love our children and want to do... Read More
Before going further into choosing computers for children, I believe... Read More
In today's busy world, many parents have lost the art... Read More
Memorabilia ? Children can create enough artwork for an entire... Read More
Successful parents have learned to be both firm and kind... Read More
One of the most important aspects of parenting, is ensuring... Read More
Most research into children's friendships shows that those children who... Read More
Many children who suffer from the psychological effects of child... Read More
Boredom, limited space and overflowing energy are a source of... Read More
I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western... Read More
Ever feel like you're out of the loop when it... Read More
Paula's last child had just gone off to college and... Read More
The big yellow school bus is coming down my road... Read More
There are times when my ideas of raising a child... Read More
In our last issue we posted some of our suggested... Read More
Have you ever had this struggle with your teens? Did... Read More
Teenagers are a work-in-progress, and parenting teenagers can be tricky... Read More
Young people generally want to fit in to their various... Read More
Many parenting books advise against eating out with young children.... Read More
I had just completed a session with 17-year old Julie... Read More
You no longer have to use Ritalin or other stimulants... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More
Gift shops are a kid magnet and often a trip... Read More
One of the basic issues we need to understand is... Read More
"Home Schooling ? Look Before You Leap"Are you considering home... Read More
Many children enjoy TV, and they can learn from it.... Read More
Results of the Spanking Poll on Rexanne.com: Voters - 233Percentage... Read More
All too often, children with learning disabilities are seen through... Read More
Having been a parent educator and a PBS consultant for... Read More
One fantastic way to get your children involved in what... Read More
Ask parents what their biggest school year challenge is, and... Read More
Did you know there's a game children and parents play... Read More
Are you looking for the Ultimate Airplane Themed Party Games... Read More
Do you have a consistent problem with your child lying... Read More
The wonderful adaptability of children in dealing with the challenges... Read More
It was a hot summer day in august and The... Read More
Researched through personal experience!Budget Your Money. Even if you are... Read More
When a couple steps forth with a baby in tow... Read More
Everyone in a private practice setting who works with children... Read More
What is the mystery of motherhood? I know that when... Read More
Most people have more training before they receive their driver's... Read More
It's no joy to be sick. It's even less joy... Read More
Are you a parent concerned about passing values on to... Read More
Are your children truthful, kind, and helpful? If so, read... Read More
Last night Tom's daughter, Sue, came out of her room... Read More
Homework. It doesn't have to be a daily battle of... Read More
Chaim Ginott was a schoolteacher whose ideas and observations helped... Read More
So, the thing is? I am feeling a little guilty.I... Read More
There is nothing pleasant about failure, at least not at... Read More
The Greatest Gifts in Life, which are always created for... Read More
Levels of SafetyBy teaching our children there are different levels... Read More
Parenting |