As children grow up, they may not always be aware of how important persistence can be in their daily lives. Children can be stubborn and want things for themselves, but there is a big difference between wanting something and striving for something.
Laser Focused
When your children start to get a little older, it is important to set goals for them in their daily lives in addition to their responsibilities at school. This is a great way to help them learn to be persistent and to work towards what they want in life. Of course, it can be difficult instilling persistence when it is something they do not want to do, such as chores, but reminding them of the importance of hard work is a major part of persistence.
As your children get older and start getting more seriously involved in extra curricular activities, they are going to start seeing which activities they truly enjoy, and to figure out how to spend more time doing them. This is a good test of persistence in that it shows kids how “life” can get in the way and that if they want to truly do something and are passionate about it, they may have to figure out a way to make it happen. This can help them hone in on what they want to do with their free time and help them prioritize their To Do lists a little more.
Growth Instead of Roadblocks
Having your children learn the art of persistence also helps them see things from a more optimistic viewpoint, in a sense. For some, when a roadblock comes up in their lives, it can feel like a stone wall instead, and some people give up. But if your child starts down a road of more persistency, they will see these road blocks as challenges to overcome, not a “Road Closed” sign. This can help your child grow mentally and to help gain the ability to see a way out of more challenging situations.
Self-Discipline
Persistency helps your children develop self-discipline as well. It helps them realize what is important and what needs to be focused on for any given day, which will require them to be flexible and work through their day in order to work toward their goals.
Being persistent is a great social and mental skill for any child to learn and add to their repertoire!
Kaite Kyzivat