By Sheriss Crosskey, founder of TampaBayMoms.com
As parents, you are at the heart of your child’s development. And while your role in raising your child is unique, you are not alone. In the span of five months, we have had to navigate conversations in our homes on everything from germs, viruses and quarantines to racial equality and systemic equity. Together we are asking ourselves, what can we do to guide our children in creating a better world? How can we help our kids create a better tomorrow?
Photo Credit: Howie Mac Photo
Just as children do better growing up in strong families, families do better in safe, healthy and strong communities. Part of the important job of empowering our children to make a better tomorrow is not only being intentional on the community we create for our families to live in but being intentional on the values and skills we impart to our children.
Crosskey's husband Johnny and daughter Harper.
Photo Credit: Danielle Freyre
How parents can help Their kids create a better world. WE CAN START BUILDING THESE CHANGE MAKERS AND GUARDIANS OF PEACE BY: TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS to help children build positive relationships with peers, which in turn leads our children to be better at sharing, listening and cooperating FOSTERING HEALTHY INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS that reduce stress, resolve conf lict and improve communication DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR CHILDREN because children who have a healthy relationship with their parents are more likely to develop positive relationships with other people around them ENCOURAGING GROWTH mindset that equips children with the knowledge that they can overcome any challenge BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT OUR PARENTING STYLE and understanding that while it's OK to have high expectations for your children, we need to listen to our kids and provide love and warmth in addition to limits and fair discipline TEACHING THEM TO IMAGINE because this is how children begin to develop problem-solving skills and come up with new possibilities and new ways of seeing and being, which develop important faculties in critical thinking that will help them throughout life SETTING BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS so children will know and understand what's expected of them, which gives them confidence MODELING EFFECTIVE WAYS TO RESOLVE CONFLICT to help children accomplish goals and strengthen relationships TEACHING EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND SELFREGULATION because our children will need coping skills to do the work that lies ahead CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE because we make sense of how the world works through stories. They shape our world view. By controlling the narrative, we have the power to help our children create a better tomorrow. You have heard this before, but it's true: We are in this together. I believe together we can intentionally lay the ground work where all children have a shot at making a positive difference in this world.
JULY 2020 TampaBayParenting.com
15