5 Tips for Successful Parents | Jack Canfield

Hi, I'm Jack Canfield and today I want to talk to you about parenting and how to raise happy, healthy kids. As a quick reminder, make sure you click the subscribe button and the Bell icon to get notifications when I release new videos. We've all heard the phrase monkey see, monkey do, and this is really what's true when it comes to parenting. In order for your children to be successful, they must witness firsthand the behaviors and habits that make you successful. And for better or for worse, our children mirror every one of our behaviors, whether we like it or not. And based on that, here are five tips that will help give you some guidance on how to raise your children to be happy, healthy, successful human beings now and in the future. Number one, Model good behavior by including your children in your goal setting, no matter what their age. Goal setting is a habit all of our children should learn. Also, have your child set goals of their own. They should be goals that they want to achieve and the process should be fun and based on their dreams and desires. Now, whether it's setting goals to achieve a certain grade point average or to increase their performance in music or sports or the arts, it is a tool that will serve them for the rest of their lives. For a five year old, it might be as simple as to prepare for tomorrow's school day the night before or to read a short book each week. For an older child, it might be to boost their grade point average to a certain number or letter. And setting goals encourages your children to have a proactive mindset and a productive dialogue in a positive form with you. For example, the dialogue could go something like this if you really want to achieve this goal, what actions are required to ensure success? Better yet, what might prevent you from reaching your goal and and how can you turn those obstacles into opportunities and plan ahead to handle them no matter what the goal is? The exercise of setting goals is designed to establish consistent habits for success in your children. Number two, Live your passion and your children well as well. Too many people are okay with settling for mediocrity and if you do this, your kids will too. As a parent, it's even more important to implement the success principles in every area of your life. If up until now you haven't been motivated to do so as much as I want you to do it for you, consider implementing the success principles for your children's sake as well. You know, my friends Janet and Chris Atwood wrote a book called the Passion Test. I want to encourage you to get the book and take yourself through that Passion Test, which is really more of a process to discover your true passions. And after you do it, then take your kids through that same Passion Test process. You know, the Passion Test process actually changed my life and it's the exact reason I founded the Transpersonal Leadership Council, which is a professional organization for people who do the same type of work that I do. Share your values with your children. Demonstrate the importance of aligning your passion, your purpose, and your values and the importance of this alignment in establishing a magical and fulfilling life. The second you deviate from your values, your children will notice. Kids are like sponges. They pick up on more than you think. A great place to discuss your values in an open and safe conversation is at the dinner table. And one way to do this is by playing a game. For the first few minutes of every meal, start by having everyone at the table go around and say one thing they learned that day. Now you could also ask for one thing they accomplished that day. These questions will encourage your kids to recognize their successes in their own ways and in addition, the importance of celebrating them. For example, they might have successfully learned how to solve a new type of math problem or reach the top of the rope ladder in gym class. No matter what they learned or accomplished, be sure to support your children as they discover the emotional and mental benefits of sharing their successes with the rest of the family. Now, number four, keep your agreements. You know, parenting is a full time job and sometimes it's not always easy to be consistent. Consistency establishes trust and safety with our kids, which ultimately supports high self esteem. So don't make promises with your children that you can't keep. And if you do, make them keep the ones you make now, this creates an environment that supports their success. You know, when my son was little, I was in the middle of building my business and I and trust me, there were days where I wished he didn't have any extracurricular activities after school. But I may have even secretly wanted to pass on drama practice, but that's a slippery slope. Instead, I would go along with him and take a few photos that I later framed and I put them up in his room or on the refrigerator. And this sent a message that I was proud of him and supportive of him and his passions. I wanted him to live his passions. Now, additionally, proudly display a photo of a happy family moment with your child in it. For example, to this day, I have a picture of my son and I watching fourth of July fireworks that sits on my dresser in my bedroom. Used to be in his bedroom. And I see that photo every single day and so did he when he was younger made him feel he was loved. So no matter what photos you choose, you want your child to see these pictures and remember that they're talented, they're loved, and are surrounded by people who love them and support them. These photos remind them that they're lovable and capable, the two pillars of high self esteem and Children with high self esteem will experience greater levels of success and more importantly, they're going to be happier throughout their life. Remember to always reinforce their good behavior and when your children find success, ensure that they know that you recognize it and that you acknowledge it. A child who struggles to obtain their parents recognition will likely miss never be fully satisfied no matter how much they accomplish in life. Number five have your children create a vision board of their own. Just as you look ahead to achieving new goals in your personal, professional life, your children should also learn to look ahead to the future. Now you can turn making a vision board into a fun family event. You can make them together and then once each family member has created their own vision board, have them go around and have everyone in the family share their vision board and talk about what's on their board. This will reinforce the importance of goal setting while also providing a chance for you to share your own goals with your kids as well as learn more about theirs. It also demonstrates to your children that you support them in their endeavors no matter what they might be. By getting them into the habit of visualizing, you will also prepare them to create a life of success and fulfillment. Whether it's getting an A on the upcoming Spanish test or getting into the college of their dreams, visualization is a powerful tool to that will help your kids succeed throughout the various stages of their lives. Now the bottom line here is this. Give your children the tools they need to succeed, no matter what their age. You can use these tips to help your children achieve new levels of success. Now, in addition to these five tips which you just covered, you can also encourage your children to read positive books with positive messages, learn how to meditate, maybe meditate with you, go to meditate classes and listen to motivational talks online and on CDs that will inspire them to achieve greatness. Now, through a cohesive routine of setting goals, acknowledging their efforts, encouraging sharing, providing support, embracing visualization techniques, and so on, you can help your children achieve the highest levels of personal and professional success. Now I'd really love to hear what your thoughts are after watching this video. Do you have your children set goals and how are you instilling success habits in your kids. Now, if you feel inspired, please leave a comment below with your answer. I'd love to read what you have to say, so thanks for watching. And remember, nothing in your life will change for the better until you do. Now, if you found this video helpful, make sure you like it, share it with a friend who may need it, and subscribe to my channel for more videos like this one. And for some additional resources on setting up your children for success, make sure to visit my website@jackcampfield.com thanks again for watching.