collaborative post
Hard-working adults learnt in childhood that success comes from applying yourself with focus, dedication and consistency to a particular task. They were most likely praised more for their efforts than their results as well. If we want our children to grow up to be hard-working, we need to both demonstrate this ourselves and teach them the right lessons as they mature. To help you, here are some tips from a sixth form in Surrey.
Focus on effort
It’s always tempting to praise our children when they achieve a specific outcome, but it’s best to focus on how they got there and the process they went through. Emphasise that it was their own hard work and perseverance that got them that result so they feel more confident in being able to influence their outcomes in the future.
We should also avoid complimenting or highlighting innate traits which imply that they’re naturally good at something. If we do this too often, children might think they don’t have to work too hard at something because they’re inherently good at it.
Part of being hard working is being efficient and able to work well at problem-solving. There are additional ways you can help your child grow their problem-solving skills, such as those listed in this great resource from Twins, Tantrums and Cold Coffee.
Allocate chores
You can foster a sense of discipline in your child from a young age by giving them some responsibilities around the house, like tidying up their bedroom, washing or drying dishes, or putting the laundry on. This teaches children that they’re partly responsible for keeping the home tidy and clean and boosts their confidence in their ability to do things independently. They’ll be less likely to rely on other people to complete tasks for them.
Embrace failure
Hardworking people don’t give up at the first sign of difficulty and they learn from their mistakes. Help your child see the lessons to be learned from failure - they’re always there if we look hard enough for them. Make sure they also see you bouncing back from disappointment or setbacks in a positive way and take the time to evaluate what you can learn from them.
Work together to find the silver linings in any challenging situations you’re facing so they see that adopting a proactive and positive attitude will help them succeed no matter how difficult things might be.
Help them organise themselves
Giving your child responsibility for their own schedule is another good way to encourage hard work. If they have homework tasks to complete by a specific date or appointments to attend make it clear that they’re responsible for preparing properly and meeting deadlines.
These organisational skills will benefit them for the rest of their life and teach them how to be independent.
