This is probably one of the most difficult times for raising up kids in modern human history.

With the advent of the internet, kids are exposed to things that were once suitable only for adults, and they are exposed from all directions.

They can play violent video games, watch movies or shows with adult themes or expose themselves to cyberbullying, and each of that can have a harmful effect on their psyche.

There are many things that are not even familiar for the parents to be able to take the appropriate action.

As tough as it may seem, parents have to rear their kids to become healthy, responsible and loving individuals, in the midst of all that.

Harvard psychologists provide the following tips for raising up responsible kids in these challenging times.

5 Essential Ingredients To Raise Responsible Kids:

1. Spend quality time with your kids.

Your kids won’t remain kids for the rest of their life. But before they have to grow up and stand up for themselves, make sure that you have invested quality time with them.

Spending quality time with your kids will give them happiness that money can’t buy. Because you are there for them, they will not seek for anyone to be their confidant.

Another thing is, you get to teach them things that they need to learn while growing up.

It’s much better for you to guide them in learning important matters about life than having them learn it from their outside friends.

2. Practice what you preach.

Be a role model to your kids. Don’t teach them things that you can’t actually perform.

If you teach them the value of honesty, let them see how honest you are. Kids learn best by example.

As their role models, there’s a big chance that your kids will follow your footsteps. They may even emulate your actions without you telling them.

3. Teach them the right values.

Pass down to your kids what you believe and stand for.

When they know the right values while they are still young, they are able to navigate through the outside world with less confusion.

Even more, they will build upon these values. They will shape the prism that they will use to observe the world with by these values.

You can share your values through stories or anecdotes to make them grasp the essence of what you are trying to say.

When they get old, these stories will remain with them and they might even pass them on to their kids too.

4. Teach them the importance of gratefulness.

Teach your kids to be grateful for everything that they have no matter how small it may seem.

By being grateful, they might be less prone to comparing what they have with that of their friends.

When they know that everything has value, they are likely to take care of their things. And having a grateful heart will make them much happier individuals.

5. Orient them to the outside world.

Make your kids aware of the bigger world outside of your home.

But most of all, teach them to choose for themselves the role that they are about to play. Show them that their actions have consequences.

When they know that their small acts matter, they are more aware of the needs of other people.

Prepare them for all the possibilities of winning or losing, of happiness or sadness or of being liked or disliked. This will train them how to cope with the world’s dark side.

Teach them that not everything will happen their way, but also teach them that they can make anything happen if they find the right way.

Featured Image Credit: https://nl.123rf.com/profile_gekaskr;

Source: Curious Mind Magazine;

References:
– https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/parenting-resources-raising-caring-ethical-children/raising-caring-children;