Ashleigh Whaley
Embrace Your Child’s Individuality and Talents.
Firstly, we need to look upon our children as perfect gifts from God…
God’s children are created as individuals and need to be treated as unique and special.
A Child’s Potential.
It is up to us, as parents, to help each child to reach their full development and potential as every child is different and this needs to be acknowledged by their parents. What is right for one child, may not be right for another.
Individual Training.
I have spent decades training horses, where I train them as individuals, not as a group. Every horse I have trained has different potential and develops in a different way. For example, some learn fast and others learn slowly.
I have to adapt my methods, to meet each particular horse’s needs and potential, whilst setting goals according to their different temperaments and varied abilities.
Following on from this, I then do the same with my children, as they are unique individuals, with differing gifts and talents.
Most educational systems lump children together, in specific age groups where this tends to lead to endless comparisons, as many children struggle to perform to a uniform standard.
Gifted Champions.
Our children need to be treated as special little champions. They need to have the freedom to develop at their own speed and they need encouragement to do so. It is also important that they have the courage to push through their limitations.
Parents and teachers often limit children’s potential…whereas I have found that children are capable of much more than we can imagine.
Educational Control.
As a homeschooling parent I have control over all aspects of my child’s education and I am able to meet their individual needs.
For example, when my child is struggling with a maths concept, we then spend a week working on whatever the particular maths problem is, before they may continue. We do not proceed, hoping that the maths issue will resolve itself! This way I make sure that my children fully understand every concept, before they move on…
When my children have a growth spurt, this usually means that they need more hours of sleep. I am able to monitor them and let them sleep, as and when necessary. Remember, children usually only grow when they sleep, so sufficient sleep is a super important aspect of healthy development.
God’s Guidance.
It is often only through prayer and thoughtful communion with God, that you can discover what your child needs. Always remember that God will guide you, each and every step of the way. Ask Him to reveal to you what your child’s gifts, needs and talents are…
I suggest that you look at how your child is being educated and where he or she is developmentally. Then make some adjustments, in order to meet their specific needs. This I believe is the recipe for raising successful, healthy confident children.
Do not always compare your children with others of the same age, as children develop in their own particular speed, so do not give them unachievable goals, which can lead to frustration, discouragement and defeat.
Individual Training.
If you look at the professional sporting world, each sports person is trained as an individual. They have a team of people developing and training them, in order for them to meet their needs and achieve their goals. Professional Athletes are not always trained as a group, even in team sports… They are usually trained individually and then put together as a group.
Look, Consider and Pray…
We are extremely privileged to have children and we all desire that our children succeed and reach their potential. I suggest you take a look at what you’re doing with your children and take the required steps to enhance their individuality.
Always remember that God will guide you every step of the way. He will bless you and give you strength, guidance, wisdom and direction, so that your children will go out into the world and be the individuals God created them to be.
As parents, God requires us to love, teach and nurture our children, whist feeding them with the Word of God. This way they can be God’s disciples throughout their lives.
Remember, raising happy, successful children, is a journey that not only needs to be embraced, but should be enjoyed.
May God bless you all!
Proclamation.
Here is a wonderful proclamation your child may declare daily.
‘I can handle anything today, because I am yoked to Jesus. I shall not be overwhelmed, as I cast my cares upon Him, as He cares for me and will carry my load. God is the author and finisher of my faith… so I declare that I shall not be defeated today! This I pray, in Jesus’ Name… Amen’.
Go be the awesome parent you are, and God Bless.
Please leave a comment below…
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[…] of sporting activities, from cricket and golf, to horse-shows. We had to push hard to get all our academic goals achieved for the year, resulting in the children having to do Saturday school most weekends, whenever they didn’t […]