4 Things You Can Do To Keep Your Kids Encouraged And Inspired

Have you ever thought of ways with the help of which you can help your kids feel encouraged and inspired, but have come up short?

On a given day, a child may endure an argument with a friend, a disapproving remark from a teacher, a bad grade, or any other number of discouraging experiences. As a parent, you want your child to move past these experiences, learn from them, and maintain a positive outlook. The best way for you to help them with this is to make sure they always feel encouraged and inspired. Unfortunately, many of the things that parents do and say may not work as well as they intend.

If you want to raise resilient and positive children, try a few of the following techniques.

1. Acknowledge Effort Regardless of Results

Think about the things you say to your children when they succeed. Do any of the following phrases sound familiar?

  • Congratulations!
  • You are so smart!
  • You are such a great athlete!

Then, when they donโ€™t succeed, you probably encourage them to work harder and to try again next time. If this is true, you arenโ€™t alone. This is probably how most parents encourage their children. After all, doesnโ€™t it make sense to praise children when they do well and encourage them when they do poorly?

As it turns out, giving this kind of praise doesnโ€™t have the intended effect at all. Children who are complimented on their achievements are actually less likely to work hard and try to improve themselves. Instead, they tend to stick to safe activities where they know they will succeed and get the praise that they crave. They also tend to become competitive in an unhealthy way. They donโ€™t just seek praise, they also want to know that they are receiving more praise than others.

The children who benefit most from praise are the ones whose parents acknowledge effort over results. These kids tend to work harder and challenge themselves because it is their hard work that earns them the positive affirmations that they crave from their parents.

Here are a few phrases that praise effort instead of results.

  • I know you spent a long time working hard on that project.
  • You sure broke a sweat out there on the court.
  • Youโ€™ve really been studying hard to memorize those vocabulary words.
  • You practiced for two whole hours! Iโ€™m proud of youโ€ฆ
Keeping Your Kids Encouraged And Motivated

ย 

2. Ask Open-Ended Questions

One way to raise a child who feels inspired and encouraged is to simply let them speak and to genuinely listen to them. You can do this by replacing questions that can be answered yes or no, with open-ended questions that allow your child to speak about what is going on in their lives.

You can take this one step further by responding to what they say with even more open-ended questions such as, โ€˜Why do you think that happened?โ€™ or โ€˜How did you feel when she said that to you?โ€™.

This accomplishes two things. First, you are avoiding the tendency that many parents have to turn conversations into lectures or instructional sessions. In addition to that, you are also encouraging your child to get to know themselves and explore their own feelings a bit more. Remember that it is crucial that your child walks away from discussions with you feeling encouraged and not criticized.

3. Be Open About Your Failures

Many times, when children fail at something or make a mistake, they feel as if they are the only person in the world who could have possibly messed up that badly. Not only is this feeling terribly isolating, but it can also cause your child to feel extremely discouraged.

It is during these times that they need to be inspired to pick themselves up and forward. One of the best things that you can do as a parent to help them is to share stories of your mistakes and failures, and then show how you were able to recover and move on. When you do this, your child will see that they arenโ€™t the only one who falls short at times and that there is no mistake they can make from which they cannot move on.

Want to know more about how you can keep your kids encouraged and inspired? Read 9 Pieces of Wisdom Every Parent Should Teach Their Children

4. Let Them Tell You How You Can Help

One issue that many parents run into when trying to encourage their children is the tendency to help on their terms, and not on the childโ€™s terms. For example, after a disappointing loss, the parent of a young baseball player might spend the car ride home offering lots of sympathy and encouragement. They may even stop to pick up a treat in an effort to cheer the child up.

All of this is wonderful if these are the things that truly make the child feel better. Unfortunately, if this is not what the child needs, they may end up feeling more frustrated and discouraged. This is why one of the most loving things a parent can do for a child is to simply ask them what they need when they are discouraged or disappointed and then listen to what they say. It may be that the child simply needs some time, left alone, to process what happened and sort out their own feelings without a lot of discussions.

If you want to know more about how you can keep your kids encouraged and inspired, then check this video out below:


Things Keep Your Kids Encouraged Inspired Pin

— Share —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

How To Deal With A Disrespectful Grown Child: 10 Parenting Moves That Work

How To Deal With A Disrespectful Grown Child

Itโ€™s one of the toughest pills to swallow: a disrespectful grown child. Whether theyโ€™re dismissing your advice, talking back, or just acting like they couldnโ€™t care less about you or your feelings, it hurts. But how to deal with a disrespectful grown child without feeling like youโ€™re losing your mind?

Today, we are going to talk about the signs of a disrespectful grown child and how to deal with one. Spoiler: Itโ€™s not about โ€œgetting back at themโ€ โ€” itโ€™s about creating change together, so that you can have a healthy relationship with each other, that’s based on mutual respect.

First, let’s start with the signs of a disrespectful grown child.

Related:

Up Next

Give Your Mom A Break: 5 Ways To Pamper Her This National Lazy Momโ€™s Day

Give Your Mom A Break Ways To Pamper Her

Motherhood is a non-stop role, with no time-outs or scheduled breaks. From managing household chores to balancing work and family life, moms are always on the go. This National Lazy Mom’s Day, it’s time to give mom a break and show her she deserves a day to relax and recharge.

Moms constantly juggle numerous tasks, leading to mental exhaustion and a lack of personal time. Just like anyone else, moms need a break to decompress and regain energy. A day of rest not only refreshes them but also helps them continue being the loving, attentive figures theyโ€™ve always been.

Up Next

The Parentified Daughter: 10 Signs Your Childhood Was Burdened With Responsibilities

Parentified Daughter Childhood Was Burdened With Responsibilities

They say girls โ€œmature too fast,โ€ but for some parentified daughters, itโ€™s a reality driven by the heavy responsibilities for their families, well beyond their years. This phenomenon is known as child parentification.

It occurs when a child is burdened with tasks and emotional support roles that should belong to their parents or guardians. When the parentified eldest daughter takes on responsibilities early in life, it can profoundly shape her personality and relationships.

If this sounds all too real, letโ€™s learn the common signs of a parentified daughter, so you can understand the unique challenges and childhood experiences that continue to influence their lives as adults.

Up Next

When Grandparentsโ€™ Love Goes Sour: 8 Signs Of Toxic Grandparents And How To Survive Them

Signs Of Toxic Grandparents

Have you ever noticed certain behaviors that make you wonder if your grandparentsโ€™ love might be a littleโ€ฆ off? Spotting the signs of toxic grandparents can be tough, especially when society paints them as the ultimate source of unconditional love and support.

But sometimes, grandparents might cross boundaries, show favoritism, or create a stressful environment that doesnโ€™t quite feel right. If youโ€™ve ever felt uneasy about their behavior, youโ€™re not alone.

In this article, weโ€™ll dive into the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of toxic grandparents and give you some strategies regarding how to deal with toxic grandparents, without causing family drama.

First, let us try to understand what are toxic grandparents.

Up Next

Unlocking The Pain Of The Past: 10 Signs Of Repressed Childhood Trauma In Adults

Ever find yourself reacting strongly to situations and not quite sure why? Either you hear echoes of your past, or itโ€™s probably because you listen to your inner child. In this article, weโ€™re delving into the signs of repressed childhood trauma in adults โ€“ those subtle whispers from your younger self that can shape your present.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Up Next

The Hidden Toll of Childhood Emotional Incest: Identifying Signs and Effects

Emotional incest confuses parent-child dynamics, creating emotional dependency. Letโ€™s look at the signs and effects of this incomprehensible relationship to gain a better understanding.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Emotional incest has been compared to actual incest because it similarly creates long-lasting effects on psychosocial developme

Up Next

How To Create A Toddler-Friendly Home: 10 Helpful Tips For New Parents!

Bringing a toddler to your house can be both exciting and challenging. As soon as they begin taking notice of their surroundings, the environment in which they dwell must be secure, comfortable, and conducive to growth.

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

It is important to learn how to create a toddler-friendly home because this will provide them with holistic development o