Image by F. Muhammad from Pixabay
Two of the most important character traits you can teach your kids are delayed gratification and honesty.
You can begin to teach putting off immediate reward for a larger one that is given later by creating exercises such as the famous marshmallow test.
For this test, a young child was left alone with a treat and told if they didn’t eat it, they could have more in a few minutes, then the adult left and the child was recorded.
Some kids ate the treat and then lied.
Many years later, the kids who didn’t eat the treat had higher rates of college graduation, were wealthier and healthier.
This study is important. It tells us that children need to have parent education and practice to achieve this skill. It doesn’t come naturally.
Give them chances to learn to wait and work for a reward and when they don’t tell the truth, treat the event like the life lesson that it is without harsh punishment. Set your child up for success.
Claudia
Join me on Facebook at Dr. Claudia McCulloch.
At DrClaudia.net, click on the "Ask Me" button and send me a question.
Get all 5 blog posts and 5 Parenting Pointers delivered to your digital door every Sunday when you sign up for the "wrap-up"/newsletter.
You can begin to teach putting off immediate reward for a larger one that is given later by creating exercises such as the famous marshmallow test.
For this test, a young child was left alone with a treat and told if they didn’t eat it, they could have more in a few minutes, then the adult left and the child was recorded.
Some kids ate the treat and then lied.
Many years later, the kids who didn’t eat the treat had higher rates of college graduation, were wealthier and healthier.
This study is important. It tells us that children need to have parent education and practice to achieve this skill. It doesn’t come naturally.
Give them chances to learn to wait and work for a reward and when they don’t tell the truth, treat the event like the life lesson that it is without harsh punishment. Set your child up for success.
Claudia
Join me on Facebook at Dr. Claudia McCulloch.
At DrClaudia.net, click on the "Ask Me" button and send me a question.
Get all 5 blog posts and 5 Parenting Pointers delivered to your digital door every Sunday when you sign up for the "wrap-up"/newsletter.
