Success used to mean that a person followed the master narrative provided by the cultural majority. In simpler terms, this means that a young person would graduate from school, get a good job, work, find a partner, have kids, then retire. With globalisation and the power of the Internet, that traditional, linear path to success has been tossed out the window. People are carving out their own futures, starting their own businesses, and finding ways to help and better the world on their own terms. As a parent, you should want nothing more than your child to be happy and fulfilled in their life, which means you should follow these tips to help your child succeed on their own terms:
Enrol Them in a School That Supports Their Talents
Schools are the primary point of education for most young people, which is why the quality of school they attend is so critical. You don’t want to put your child into a school that believes test results are the only way to measure success, because that method of schooling is the least impactful. You want a school that really engages your child, makes them think critically and gives them the tools that they need to succeed. You also want a school that is dedicated to extra-curricular activities, like Breaside Preparatory School, so that your child can succeed with their own talents, and not just academically.
Help Them Get Out There and Learn About the World
Just as you should enrol your child in a school that cares more than test results, so too should you parent better. Thankfully, parenting better doesn’t mean more work, it just means spending more time together as a family. Teach your child how to cook, or how to do the laundry. Go on trips with them and teach them about the world and other cultures. Exposing them to the world and helping them learn how to live within it successfully is the best way you can help your child become an independent, confident adult.
Challenge Them
Humans thrive on challenge more than anything else. It is this ability to rise up to adversity that has led us to the success of today, which is why challenging your child is another great way to help them succeed. Ways you can challenge them include signing them up to classes to learn new skills, to even play Devil’s Advocate in debates. Challenge their worldview and their abilities, and they will be able to overcome anything thrown in their way.
Listen to Them
Though you as a parent can do a lot to better your child’s chances of success, the whole point is for them to succeed on their own terms. Give them the tools they need, but always listen to what they want to do. Passion and hard work always go hand-in-hand, so nurture their passions and otherwise help them become a strong individual capable of following their own dreams.
Success is hard to define because the only person who should ever decide what success is and isn’t is the individual in question. As long as your child is independent, capable, and confident, you can rest assured you have given them all the tools they need to carve out their own future.
