Failure. Most will agree it’s a part of life. Why is it then that it can feel so scary to imagine failing? We tend to rather avoid, not decide, distract, or do anything to not have to face it.
When it comes to parenting, finding a balanced approach to any concept is what we strive for – whether it’s nutrition, sleep, or discipline. We all have universal goals for our kids. We want them to feel loved, happy, and healthy. We want to do everything we can to optimize their development and set them up for success in the future.
Do you remember going on a trip to visit a grandparent or aunt, and lugging along your cherished book? Or maybe you were the kid who brought a book to the beach and couldn’t wait to lie in the sun and just read, like the adults?
We all want our children to succeed; show me a child trying something new, and I'll show you a parent anxiously hoping for the best. What that best looks like varies from home to home and family to family, but the desired outcome is the same - we want our children to experience happiness, success, and joy. This means that, at some point, our children will have to navigate difficult or uncomfortable situations requiring our children to be little leaders. But are leaders born or made? Regardless of the answer there are things we can do as parents to help develop those skills and prepare our kids for when that time comes.
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