*
How Children Thrive:
Children thrive in stability and predictability. They cannot find civility in chaos like some of us adults can. So, its up to us parents to give them the sense of security they crave for. It can be a tiny corner at home, on a stage where they perform, or a blank canvas where they can show off the colors in their heart.
A safe space for children is where there’s no pressure to fit in from peers, and there are no disappointments to face of their own expectations. It is a place free of the fear of rejection and judgment.
*
Environments Can Nurture And Help Navigate:
Environments in which children grow up can literally mean the difference between flourish or flounder. Irrespective of so many variances real life has, an ideal environment can be the one stable thing that the children should be able to count on.
*
Home:
Change starts at home. Change starts from within and radiates outward – from us, then home and then society. While creating a sanctuary at home of compassion, we have control over the conditions that we create at home.
Homes give us an opportunity to showcase what’s important to us and what our values are as human beings. We can set an intention to create an ideal environment for children to thrive and respect us as care givers.
When we can show times and places in our home when we relax and are open minded, children pick up on our patience for listening. After all, they want to be held to calm their worries down. And that’s how we create a secure space for them, where they don’t have to be afraid to be themselves.
Create an environment where children have easy access to books, colors, papers that foster that creative urge in them. It can be a small desk, or a corner in a room that looks special and inviting to them. At the same time, don’t make your home a kid centric one. Instead have your own flavor and let them build theirs in their own room, wherever possible.
Dinner Time can be a time for togetherness. A time to open up beautiful arguments. To create rituals and celebrate traditions. And to show that its OK to have opinions. Create tech free, and screen free zones so you create opportunities to engage face to face.
*
School:
Schools are where most children spend a majority of their waking hours. They are the places that come with a greater advantage that even many communities cannot readily offer.
Schools are immune to the divisive walls of religion, economics and politics. They provide cultural literacy and are prime spots for information and ideation.
*
Other Important Environments:
Heads: Our heads can be a good place to be in. Teach children the importance of silence and being able to live alone with their thoughts. Teach them how to label their emotions and recognize the physiological impacts of reactions to events on their bodies and mind.
Art galleries: Museums, art galleries and libraries are invaluable resources to teach children the importance of history and readership. Its our chance to empower them with awareness of their lineage.
Books: We read books of great leaders because we cannot be personal friends with them. Books give children the vocabulary to understand life. Books are rich with the experience of different kinds of lives.
Real life: Real life that plays on playgrounds, play dates and sleepovers isn’t built to keep children out of trouble. That’s the only way to prepare for life in high school and beyond. Showering children with attention is different than rescuing their every fall. Paying attention should help pick up on their needs and gifts.
Technology: Whether we like it or not, technology is a part of their personal and cultural identity for Gen Zers and Millennials. Its their source for information and opportunity. Teach children how to be good digital citizens by embracing digital minimalism. Teaching them how to avoid the dangers of technology addiction, online bullying and reputation damage can help children lead safe online and offline lives.
* * *
About The Article Author:
Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world where distractions are just a click or a swipe away.
I see myself as an advocate for bringing social, emotional and character development to families, schools and communities. I never want to let this idea out of my sight – Our children are not just GPAs. I’m a Writer and a Certified Master Coach in NLP and CBT. Until 2017, I was also a Big Data Scientist. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel. Namasté.
Write to me or call me. Tell me what support from me looks like.
Rachana Nadella-Somayajula,
Program Director & Essential Life Skills Coach for Kids and Busy Parents
Check Out Our Latest In Mindful Parenting!
If Your Child Is Using Tiktok Or Snapchat, You Must Know About Sammy’s Law And Other Legislations
* Organization for Social Media Safety: Here's the story of how teens, social media and drugs collided in the online world resulting in absolute destruction. This is the story of Sammy. And here's what Sammy's mom wrote on her Facebook wall about her son. "As...
I Asked Chat GPT That I Plan To Win The Nobel Prize For Literature In 2044. Here’s What It Told Me.
* Nobel Prize - In Literature for 2044 Me: I want to win the Nobel Prize in 1944 for literature. Chat GPT: I understand that you're interested in winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1944. However, as an AI, I'm unable to assist you in achieving that...
All The Important Terms And Definitions Around College Applications And Admissions
* Early Action: A college admission policy that allows applicants to apply and receive notice of their admission early. Applicants accepted under early action are not under a binding agreement to attend that school and may submit applications to other schools. ...
The Essentials Of Education – Learning Through Play, Exploration And Abstraction
* Natural Born Learners: Children are born with enormous curiosity, an eagerness to learn and a strong will to solve problems. Because of this, they can be very easily taught how to think, learn and behave. Children can be taught to appreciate what they have,...
Free Resources For Financial Aid Scholarships For Teens And College Students Along With Deadlines
* Financial Aid and Scholarship Web Sites: College can be expensive. It is important that you understand all of the resources that are available to you and your family. Below we have listed great resources to help you map out your financial aid plan. Always...
Digital Citizenship: What It Is, How To Learn It, And The Resources You Need
* Technological Literacy or Digital Citizenship is the wealth of knowledge that we all need in order to be good citizens of the digital age. We all have a playbook for how to live in the real world, and digital citizenship guidelines allow us to understand the...
14 Powerful Quotes From The Book, The Big Disconnect – Sustainable Family For The Digital Age
* Quotable Quotes From The Big Disconnect: Excerpts From the book, The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age By Catherine Steiner-Adair EdD. It's a powerful reminder to understand how to protect childhood and family...
What Are Brain Breaks And Why Does Everyone Need Them?
* Brain breaks or mental speed bumps are focused attention activities that give brains a break from intense mentally challenging lessons children are expected to learn every day. They are good for us adults too because so much is expected out of us each day....
Self Efficacy: How The Belief In Yourself Is The First Step Towards Goal Setting
* What Is Self Efficacy: The American Psychological Association defines Self-efficacy this way. "Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments (Bandura, 1977,...
Why Fear Death When It Can Be The Biggest Motivator Of All
* Our Relationship With Immortality: People who don’t know what to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon want to live forever. That’s the lure of immortality. All throughout our lives, we strive for wealth, fame, knowledge and happiness. We also long for immortality...
A To Z About Tech Behavioral Disorders, Managing Addictions, And Their Impact On Relationships And Productivity
* Our digital landscape is changing day after day. And here are some urgent burning questions along with their answers. Please click below to learn more. 1) Why is Technology Addiction or Digital Addiction a problem at all? Can’t I have my hobby or interest? 2)...
Understanding Relationship Etiquette In A World Of Faceless Usernames And Two Dimensional Emojis
* How We Learnt FOMO: Listen, I have nothing against technology. I can turn on and off the lights in my house from 200 miles away if I need to. During the pandemic, we bought a new car without ever stepping out of the house. What’s more, I don't have to wait...
Questions, just ask!
Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email: info@futurestrongacademy.com
Bringing a Group? Email us for a special price!
Trackbacks/Pingbacks