Many studies have proven that what we expose our children to might influence how their life turns out. Making sure you perform good gestures around your children might help shape them into respectful and good citizens.
As small as some positive gestures may be, they are likely to be seeds of kindness that you will be planting in their little hearts.
Following are six examples by Daniel Wong to help you set a good example for your children.
Follow the rules and obey the law – do this even if there’s no chance of you being caught for any wrongdoing. By displaying integrity, your children will learn to do the right thing, even if no one is looking.
Be dependable – few people do what they say they’ll do 100% of the time. Become one of those people, and demonstrate to your children how crucial it is to be a trustworthy person. Author Daniel Wong states, “I’ve observed that the more dependable you are, the more likely it is that you’ll be successful.”
Apologise when you’ve made a mistake – Daniel Wong adds, “my coaching clients (the majority of whom are pre-teens and teens) frequently tell me that they don’t respect their parents. This is because their parents don’t apologise, even when it’s clear that they’ve made a mistake. Don’t be one of these parents!”
Celebrate the successes of others – acknowledge and celebrate the successes that others achieve. This way, your children will understand why they should never be a sore loser.
Read for leisure – if you don’t read for leisure, your children are unlikely to read for leisure. Once in a while, share with your children the interesting things you’re learning through the books you’re reading. Your children may become more motivated to work hard in school too.
Ask for help if you need it – we all come to a place where we need help. If you need assistance or guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out. As the African proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
