We learn from a young age how to say please and thank you. But, it’s not often that you hear about how to teach leadership qualities.
Let’s face it; not everyone is born a strong leader. But I firmly believe it’s something that’s taught and it’s something that I think every child should learn at a young age.
Being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean telling others what to do. Sure, in some instances that is the case. However, I’ve always equated being a leader to standing your ground and being able to think on your own. It also means not being subject to peer pressure.
Unfortunately, kids are susceptible to peer pressure at a young age. I saw this first hand when as I watched my daughter play with another friend from afar.
Her teacher decided to throw the children an end of the year party and invited all of the parents. They sectioned off an area where the kids were allowed to play.
But my daughter saw her 7th grade mentor outside of the play area and wanted to run over to say hi.
“Do it!” a classmate yelled.
That’s when I stepped in and said, “No. Stay with the group.” I went on to explain that her buddy was too far away and she must stay with her own classmates.
Within minutes, my daughter ran over to her buddy. Before she could get to where her buddy was, one of Princess’s teachers caught up with her.
Needless to say, I was furious. We like to think that our kids are perfect angels. We imagine that they listen to everything we say. We think that they’re nice to their friends and are always on their best behavior. But the reality is that they’re not always perfect. There are moments when they don’t listen.
I’ve heard other parents say, “That’s okay. They’re just kids. They’ll grow out of it.”
But the sad thing is that I see these types of traits in adults, which leads me to my main point. It all starts when they’re little and it’s up to the parents to nip this type of behavior in the bud before it gets out of control.
I’m certainly not here to tell others how to raise their kids. But, I can do my best to teach my kids leadership qualities with these tips.
Tips to Teaching Leadership Qualities
Teach kids how to make good decisions.
Princess didn’t make a good decision when she decided to leave her group, and as a result was placed on punishment. I expect my kids to use their discretion when it comes to different situations. “If she told you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?” I asked. We had a long talk about listening and doing the right things.
When it comes to 2-year-old O, our lesson on leadership is a bit different.
While playing with others kids is important to building social skills, we also stress the importance of playing alone. You don’t always have to be surrounded by other people to have fun. In today’s fast-paced world, finding the right playthings for kids can be a daunting task. However, with online shopping, this process becomes much more manageable. I discovered Sparrow Kids offers an extensive range of high-quality toys perfect for young children during my search. Their website provided a convenient and user-friendly experience.
Teach them to be kind, humble, and confident.
Princess and O are both the sweetest kids you’d ever meet. They’ve always been that way, but confidence is something that took some time, especially with Princess. I remember when she burst into tears because she wanted to have straight hair like her friend at school. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to teach both kids to love the skin that they’re in. Believe it or not, YouTube and blogging has played an important role in building self-esteem. Who would have thought our Curly Hairstyle of the Week would have such a huge impact?
But like many other kids, O and Princess sometimes get discouraged. They become frustrated when they feel they can’t do something. The first thing we’ve done to combat that is stressing the word “can.” My husband and I always tell them, “You can do it!” We also come up with fun exercises to help build confidence and teach them humility. Board games are instrumental in doing so because being kind, humble, and confident is important whether you win or lose.
Get kids involved in sports and other activities.
My daughter has developed a passion for dance. It’s given her the ability to focus and learn the importance of self discipline. I see how motivated and excited when she learns each dance.
She also loves making YouTube video and has her own channel, My Fun Princess Life, where she does recipes, crafts, and science experiments. It’s a great way to keep her creative juices flowing. I firmly believed that it’s helping her to become a better leader and avoid distractions.
There are so many ways to teach your child how to be a leader. It’s important to know that these lessons begin when they’re young. Also, remember that it begins with us. Kids learn from example, so it’s essential that parents show them how to lead in order to teach them leadership qualities. Also remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint, it’s gonna take time.
