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Dear Parents,
The new year has arrived, bringing a host of new expectations. The anticipation of what this year will hold can inspire us to achieve many new things. As you consider your expectations for your children, it is important to remember that they will rise to meet your expectations. Set the bar high, but be sure to give them the encouragement and resources needed to meet your expectations. This approach will help them develop the habit of creating high expectations for themselves, as well as the commitment to achieve them. In addition, it will help them gain self-confidence as they see that they can create and meet high expectations. As 2012 begins, help your child learn the important life skills of setting and achieving high expectations.
Other Things Parents & Caregivers Can Do to Help Their Child Achieve High Expectations
- Make a list of expectations. It shouldn’t be too long. Be sure to let your son or daughter take the lead in making the list. It can include items such as making straight A’s in school, or earning a black belt, or doing their chores without being told. Include whatever you and they believe will be important and achievable, but if they are not really dedicated to meeting an expectation, don’t include it. These are important factors in making sure they meet the expectations that are made.
- Encouragement, Encouragement, Encouragement! Your support and encouragement will be the most important factors in your child achieving the expectations you and they create. Consistently voicing your belief in their abilities, your confidence in them, and your pride in their effort will give them the confidence to be successful.
- Give them the resources they need. If you and your child create an expectation of straight A’s, be sure they have a regular study time in a place free from distractions. If they expect to earn their black belt this year, they need to regularly attend their martial arts classes and practice at home. Whatever their expectations may be, if they don’t have the tools and resources to accomplish them, they will become discouraged.
- Create realistic expectations. You want to establish high expectations, but they must be things your child can achieve. The type of expectations that are created will be based on age, maturity level, and skills and abilities. Be careful not to set your child up for failure by creating unrealistic expectations.
This month our weekly lessons will cover:
Week One:
“High expectations are the key to everything.” – Sam Walton
Week Two:
“The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.” – Theodore Rubin”
Week Three:
“Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it, too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it.” – Diane Sawyer
Week Four:
“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination.” – Tommy Lasorda
