creative parenting

Creative parenting encourages a self confident, creative child.

CREATIVE PARENTING

THE ABILITY TO THINK CREATIVELY

AND PROBLEM SOLVE

IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN LEARNING

TO READ AND WRITE -

ESPECIALLY FOR PRESCHOOLERS

What is creative thinking?

The pay-off for creative parenting will be a strong, self confident child who is a creative thinker. Creative thinking is about questioning our environment and experimenting; it is about picking up an idea and expanding on it. These skills help children to ask questions and investigate their world. The more they investigate the more they learn, the more they become ready to apply their knowledge in formal learning such as reading and writing.

Creative thinking also helps children develop good social skills. Many problems and ideas our children want to solve are solved best with another person or in a group. Children learn important lessons about working together and negotiating while they think creatively.

Why is it important to help children build a

positive image of their own?

A positive image means that the child is self confident. Self-confidence means they trust their own abilities and know their limits. They have high self-esteem. People who have a positive image can enjoy their lives and can handle themselves confidently in any situation... it is the same for children.

To instill self-confidence in their children, parents must show confidence in their children. Self-confidence is not present at birth. It is shaped by the child's environment. This is where creative parenting comes in.

Children learn a lot more by

trying for themselves...

Thing about your greatest lessons. Did they come from learning through your own experiences? Patience and confidence can do a lot. Give children the time and space and creative encouragement to try something new and learn from their mistakes. Provide them with help if they need it (only if they ask and have tried multiple times to do it themselves). Be proud of them, whether or not they succeed, but above all encourage them to be proud of themselves..."You must be very proud, you did that all by yourself and it turned out great!"

Children with self-confidence are not frightened by new experiences or learning situations. Allowing children to complete puzzles or projects on their own (you can help if they ask and after they have attempted it themselves) will build their confidence.

DO AS I DO, NOT AS I SAY!

Children learn through observation...and they copy adult behavior.... all of it, the good, the bad and the ugly. If they see you yelling, they will yell. If they see you being positive, they will be positive... this is modeling, one of the most effective tools in creative parenting. This is also the most effective way to teach children boundaries. A healthy self confidence built as a child will follow them into adulthood.

WHAT ARE SOME GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW?

Encourage children to make their own creative choices and to be as independent as possible.

Provide many different creative experiences and activities for your children to experience success.

Provide fun opportunities that are challenging but not too difficult or frustrating. Opportunities are easy to find if you know how to look. Virtually everything can be made into a creative opportunity.

To develop new skills, children need to practice and try things out over and over again.

Offer many creative activities where your children can explore the process of creation and the expression of their ideas and feelings.

Encourage children to read. If they are too young to read then make it a point to read aloud to them every day.

WHAT ELSE CAN PARENTS DO?

Be generous with praise. Parents must develop the habit of looking for situations in which children are doing good jobs, displaying talents or demonstrating positive character traits. Remember to praise children for jobs well done and for effort expended.

Teach positive self-statements. It is important for parents to redirect children's inaccurate or negative beliefs about themselves and to teach them how to think in positive ways.

Avoid criticism that takes the form of ridicule or shame. Blame and negative judgements are at the core of poor self-esteem and can lead to emotional disorders.

Teach children about decision making and to recognize when they have made good decisions. Let them "own" their problems. If they solve them, they gain confidence in themselves. If you solve them, they'll remain dependent on you. Take the time to answer questions. Help children think of alternative options.

Show children that you can laugh at yourself. Show them that life doesn't need to be serious all the time and that some teasing is all in fun. Your sense of humor is important for their well-being.

The key to having a creative, self- confident child is

mastering the art of Creative Parenting.

Return from Creative Parenting to Home