In the last tip, I talked about the importance of strengthening and nurturing relationships. It teaches children about themselves through their interactions as well as skills like empathy, patience and understanding of others. In this blog series, I have prepared some of my favourite ‘survival tips’ for you and your family to have a happy healthy New Year and make lasting changes.
This week, we are diving into my next tip, becoming a positive role model for yourself and for your child. If you didn’t realize it, you are already a role model for your child as they are always observing your behaviour. When you think of yourself as a role model or a figure that others look up to, it makes you accountable. In being accountable, you become more conscious of the impact of your actions and how you treat yourself and others.
Easier said than done, so read on to learn more.
Tip #3: Be a Positive Role Model
- Children are eager to learn social skills and look to parents as their first teachers and role models. Practice self-love so that your children do the same while learning the importance of respect for themselves and others.
- Become present with yourself and your behaviour. Your children are always watching and soaking up your behaviour like a sponge. Try to avoid talking negatively about yourself, your body or your past actions. In doing so, your child will learn self-confidence. Aim to model generosity, truthfulness and acceptance.
- How to do it: Practice what you preach. Adopt healthy habits, model the behaviour you wish your child to have and speak positively about yourself and others. Apologize and admit mistakes when they happen so your child learns that it’s okay to make mistakes and to create an open dialogue when it happens.
- For you: Sustainable happiness is based internally; the more we learn to build ourselves, the more we can exert that into our surroundings. So the next time you think that taking time for yourself is selfish, remember that you have to strengthen your soul to be the best for others around you.
- For your child: Schedule daily reflections (e.g. before bed) to reflect on positive actions your child has made during the day. By focusing on the positive, your child will learn to embrace who they are and their own positive attributes.
In the next tip…
I will discuss the importance of being present to reduce stress and introduce calmness into your life – a great tactic for combatting a hectic schedule. Stay tuned for next week!
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