Author: Jenna Sherma

Fostering leadership skills in your child not only can benefit them now, but it can also prove valuable to them well into their adult years. And every child has the capacity to be a leader, whether they make straight A’s, struggle with behavioral or mental health issues, or live with a disability. Along with working with a behavioral health service like PRASADA In Home, here are some tips and information on how you can help mold your child or young adult into a leader:

Responsibility

Responsibility is a good skill to begin with. After all, there can be no leadership without responsibility.

• Start by teaching your child to look after their belongings (e.g., school supplies, toys, water bottles, etc.).
• Similarly, model responsibility to your kids by respecting your own belongings and other people; return things you borrow, take care of items while they are in your possession, be considerate and courteous when interacting with others, etc.
• Work with them on admitting to and learning from their mistakes.
• Teach your child the importance of taking care of their health and well-being by engaging in self-care activities with them.

Perseverance

All of the greatest leaders have mastered the skill (and art) of perseverance.

• Regularly assign new challenges to your child that help them to strengthen their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Model perseverance for your child by working toward (and earning) a major life goal like an advanced degree, such as an MBA.
• Reward your child each time they resist the temptation to give up.

Organization

Organization can be one of the most challenging skills to learn as a child, but it’s essential for any type of leadership role.

• Work with your child on keeping their bedroom, play area, and homework station clean and clutter-free.
• Modeling decluttering is straightforward—tend to your own spaces so kids can see that you practice what you preach.
• Assign your child various responsibilities, and allow them to organize when and how they will take care of them.
• Encourage and help your child to organize events in the community.

Teamwork

As with the other skills listed here, being able to work well on teams is vital to leadership.

• Sign your child up for a team sport, which comes with the added benefit of exercise.
• Model the qualities that make you a great team player.
• Encourage them to work with other students on homework, projects, and other activities.
• Invite your child’s friends over to play board games that teach them to cooperate with one another.

Communication

Finally, being able to communicate effectively will aid your child in every stage of their life.

• Read aloud with your child frequently, taking turns reading and discussing the material.
• Model healthy communication in your own interactions and relationships.
• Work with your child on their writing skills by assigning weekly vocabulary words and encouraging exercises like creative writing and letter writing.
• Encourage them to participate in debate clubs, theater, and/or other opportunities to speak in front of groups.

Instilling leadership skills in your child can benefit them for the rest of their life. While there are many skills and qualities required to be an effective leader, helping your child get a grasp on the ones mentioned here will set them on a path to success.