When you discover you’re welcoming a child, you start making decisions that impact your child’s life. Some choices may have a short-term impact, such as what color you paint the nursery, while other decisions could have a long-term impact.You can help your child succeed with decisions that have a positive long-term impact. You may take some steps during childhood and may not take other steps until high school. Let’s explore steps you can take to set your child up for success.
1 Ensure they receive appropriate health care
Infants and children need to visit their pediatricians frequently. It’s essential to monitor their developmental milestones and address any concerns. Learning about typical development and the right questions to ask will ensure you capitalize on your child’s medical appointmentsand know about any health or development warning signs you should address immediately.
2 Invest in critical resources
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that almost 8 percent of children between 3 and 17 have speech, swallowing, or voice disorders. Promptly addressing these issues can help your child overcome speech disorders and other issues.
A speech-language pathologist is an expert equipped to diagnose and treat speech and swallowing disorders. Your child may benefit from speech therapy because a speech therapist can help them manage or eliminate these challenges. You can also use fun speech games created by speech-language pathologists. Public speaking activities are typical at school, and public speaking challenges can impair a child’s ability to socialize with their peers. Playing articulation games is a great way to help your child master language skills.
3 Support their extracurricular interests
Recognizing their ability to perform tasks successfully can boost your child’s confidence. Help them find extracurricular activities they enjoy and give them the tools needed to thrive in those activities. Investing in guitar lessons can allow music lovers to perform in a band or write original music. Perhaps your child loves art: Sign them up for painting or pottery. Doing well in a preferred activity can boost your child’s confidence. Additionally, extracurricular interests strengthen your child’s college applications and help them get into their dream school.
4 Help your child plan for the future
Choosing a career path is one of the most significant decisions your child will make during their lifetime. Identifying career goals helps them take appropriate steps during high school to ensure they’ll qualify for acceptance to college programs that equip them to qualify for their chosen career.
Arrange for your teenager to work with a college admissions counselor. The counselor will help them identify appropriate postsecondary programs suited to their career goals. They can also review their current application package and offer feedback to help your teen impress the admission committee when they apply to college.
In their capacity as a college essay counselor, your teen’s counselor will help them emphasize their strengths in a college application essay. They’ll provide feedback designed to help your teen set themself apart during the admissions process. Producing the best college essay can ensure your teen’s acceptance to their first-choice school. Additionally, your teen will benefit from feedback on their personal statement and essay because they may need to write essays when applying for scholarships.
5 Teach your child how to manage their money
Teach your child how to create and follow a budget. Many teens lack money-management skills, which can undermine your child’s ability to thrive because they’re always worried about their finances. Poor financial skills could impair their ability to pay for college and other essentials, preventing them from getting the education they need for their chosen career path. Teaching your child about money can help them take control of their financial future and make sound financial decisions.
There are many ways parents can set their children up for success. Using the tips explored here can boost your child’s confidence and give them the tools they need to succeed.
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