Strategies for teaching your child to use good judgment.
We all know that children must learn to use good judgment to be successful. But how do we teach children to do this?
Research shows that treating your child kindly from birth begins the development of good judgment. Children whose parents treat them kindly feel good about themselves while children whose parents treat them otherwise usually do not. Those who feel good about themselves use good judgment more often than people who feel badly about themselves.
Here are some guidelines for teaching children to use good judgment as they grow up.
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Give your child opportunities to make choices even before he can speak.
You should begin with small choices like choosing which shirt to wear. If you let your child choose which shirt to wear, you must allow your child to wear the shirt he chose even if it does not match. Let your child practice making decisions as early as possible.
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Set clear boundaries for your child.
Let him know the areas in which he makes decisions and the areas you control.
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Talk with your child about the decisions he is making,
It is important to address the implications of your child’s decisions, and how his decisions worked out.
Start these conversations with questions or statements that encourage him to think about his decisions. “How will you decide what to play when Alex comes over to play today?”. Or, “I wonder if you will play what Alex wants to play today”.
After your child has made a decision, start conversations with similar questions and statements. “I know you and Alex do not always play nicely together”. Or, “Aren’t you glad that Alex came over to play today?”.
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Tell your child how and why you make decisions even when he is very small.
You might say to your young child, “We should stay inside today. It is cold outside”. Or, ”I will make a salad for dinner. We need to eat healthy foods.”
5. Give him control over his own decisions as he is ready to control them.
A child younger than 12 months can decide which shirt to wear, but a 13 year-old can make many more decisions on his own.
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Expect your child to make some bad decisions.
Help him to consider how things could have turned out differently. Never say “I told you so!” Instead, start these conversations gently. “What choices did you consider?” Or, “I wonder what would have happened if you had made a different choice”.
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Give your child responsible role models to emulate.
Make responsible choices yourself. Surround your child with others who make responsible choices also, and take him to church so he can learn good values.
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You can enable your child to use good judgment. Start when he is young. Continue teaching him to make good decisions throughout his life. He will be much more successful in life if he learns to make good, responsible decisions from early childhood.
Change the world one child at a time! Teach children to use good judgment and make the world a better place for everyone.
Let the encouraging words in these near a river posts help you
soar like an eagle above life’s storms.
Everyone must make this decision for himself or herself.
Good things do come to those who are patient.
Always do your best to keep your promises.
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