How to raise successful children

Hi Chris,

I had a rough time in school. I found it hard to fit in, and I do not want my children to have a similar experience. How can I help them to be successful at school and get on with the other children?

Successful Children

Hi Successful Children!

Start teaching your children social skills right from when they are tiny because it will make a big difference to their whole lives. Straight away you will notice that other children will like playing with them because even as early as age four or five, children prefer to play with children who are developing attractive social skills. And later, as grown-ups, they will make good friends more easily.

Start by touching your children lots. Children who grow up in a family full of touching, hugging and kissing become comfortable with themselves, self-confident and assured.

Make sure they are not shy. Most tiny children go through a phase of hiding behind your skirts, but that is not cute. Because being shy is a real curse once you are an adult, and it is best fixed early. All you have to do if your child is shy is to help them to talk to other people.

Help them to greet and respond to visitors. Encourage lots of small children into your home and help them play together. Because if your home is full of family, friends and neighbours, your children will learn the skills of getting on with everyone. They'll learn to make friends without even trying.

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Teach them how to listen well. And to be good at reading other people's emotions from their body language and tone of voice.

Teach them to watch whoever is speaking. Play games with them like, "Guess how I am feeling", by pretending to be sad, cross or happy, and ask your children how you are feeling.

Once your children start to pick up cues like these, other children will love them. And you will have set them off on a successful social life. Because we all feel close to people who listen and do not just want to be heard.

All the best,