Let’s start with an inspiring story from our book, “Crazy Cool Family.” In 1940, an African-American girl named Wilma Rudolph was born prematurely in Tennessee.
She contracted a form of polio, leading to infantile paralysis. Doctors told her parents she would never walk again, but her mother refused to accept this prognosis.
Despite having 19 other children and limited resources, Wilma’s mother took her on 50-mile bus rides twice a week for therapy. She enlisted Wilma’s siblings to help with the exercises at home.
By age eight, Wilma was walking without braces, and at 16, she competed in the 1956 Olympics.
In 1960, she won three gold medals and became known as the fastest woman in the world.
When asked about overcoming her disability, Wilma said, “My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mama told me I would. And I believed my mother.” This powerful statement illustrates the immense impact a parent’s encouragement can have on a child’s life.
This story exemplifies the power of parenting and the profound impact a parent's encouragement can have on a child's life.
Parenting is hard. There's no getting around that. But, what if we told you that you had one job as a parent? One that's more important than everything else?
Obviously it's important to teach your kids, to talk to your kids, listen, focus, hear, reward, correct, motivate, praise, inspire, etc. But that will return void if there's not enough encouraging.
Encouragement is a powerful tool that parents can use to motivate their child and help them reach their full potential.
While praise and encouragement are often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings.
Praise focuses on acknowledging and appreciating a child’s achievements, whereas encouragement focuses on supporting and motivating a child to take risks, try new things, and persevere through challenges.
Encouragement is about helping children develop a growth mindset, build resilience, and believe in themselves.
Encouragement has numerous benefits in raising kids. It helps children develop a positive self-image, builds their confidence, and fosters a sense of self-worth.
Encouragement also promotes a growth mindset, encouraging children to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning.
Moreover, encouragement helps children develop resilience, perseverance, and a sense of responsibility.
By encouraging their kids, parents can help them develop essential life skills, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making.
Encouragement can motivate kids to reach their full potential by providing them with the support and confidence they need to take risks and pursue their passions.
When children feel encouraged, they are more likely to try new things, explore their interests, and push themselves beyond their comfort zones.
Encouragement also helps children develop a sense of purpose and direction, enabling them to set goals and work towards achieving them.
By providing encouragement, parents can help their kids develop a sense of agency and self-efficacy, empowering them to take control of their lives and make positive choices.
As parents, we have an incredibly powerful voice in our children’s lives. While the world often seems bent on tearing them down, telling them they’re not good enough, pretty enough, or smart enough, our job is to be their biggest champions.
Your voice as a parent is the loudest, strongest, and most influential in your child’s life. Your communication style as a parent can significantly impact how your child perceives and responds when you encourage them.
It’s crucial to remember that God has created each child uniquely and amazingly. As parents, our role is to draw out the amazingness that God has already placed within them. This requires a conscious choice in how we view our children.
Instead of focusing on their shortcomings or comparing them to others, we should strive to see them as the awesome creations they are. Understanding and managing your child's big emotions is crucial in fostering a supportive and encouraging environment.
Creating a supportive environment is crucial for encouraging kids to take risks, try new things, and learn from their mistakes. One way to do this is to provide opportunities for your child to make mistakes and learn from them.
This can be done by allowing them to take calculated risks, try new activities, and explore their interests. By giving your child the freedom to make mistakes, you can help them develop resilience, perseverance, and a growth mindset.
It’s essential to remember that mistakes are an inevitable part of the learning process, and by embracing them, you can help your child develop essential life skills and a positive attitude towards failure.
- Regularly affirm your child’s God-given qualities and talents
- Look beyond current struggles to see their potential
- Speak life and positivity into their dreams and aspirations
- Pray for wisdom to recognize and nurture their unique gifts
- Consistently remind them of their worth and capabilities
- Regularly praise children for their efforts and achievements to build their confidence and self-esteem
- Put identity into your child
- Draw amazingness out of your children
By consistently applying these principles, you’ll not only be an incredible parent but also help your child develop confidence, love for Jesus, and appreciation for your support. By helping your child see the bigger picture, you can foster a deeper understanding of the importance of their actions.
Regardless of the initial results, stay involved. Don't give up. Keep paying attention to their thoughts, actions, and behaviors. You'll start to see signs (they may be small at first!) that the seeds you've planted are growing.
