Learning to connect with others is essential, especially since the fractures of American society and online activities supplant interactions in person. Children need help to build compassion and empathy for others and skills in stable relationships, as well as healthy curiosity.
Mothers and fathers can feed the connection skills of their children by showing compassion and concerns for others. Building “cognitive empathy” of children – understanding the emotions of others without taking the feeling itself – is more likely to develop when parents speak of feelings, to actively listen to their children and to avoid reprimanding them to express unpleasant opinions. “Breathe and lift it later,” advises Mory. Even invite very young children to help home and be affectionate with girls and threads. The boys are completely needing emotional support as girls, especially given the subtle clues they receive for “man” in the first sign of anxiety. Promote curiosity by asking children and welcoming their questions.
If learning to face and connecting the construction of well-being, finding how to cultivate practical capacities is more a “turning outward” talent, which will help children “engage with the world in a healthy and productive and constructive way”, told me. Children must seize certain basic skills of life that can be absent from the school program: financial literacy, media knowledge and social media know-how.
To facilitate these capacities, parents can often talk about budgets, investments and debt. In the absence of these open discussions, children will find it difficult to understand how to manage income and expenses – an increasing concern for many young people who find it difficult to get out of it. To support the literacy of media, mothers and fathers can educate their children on logical errors and ask questions about information itself. What is missing in history? Who could benefit from it? The practice of good media hygiene also helps, as is the desire to tolerate uncertainty. As for social media, parents could allow access to these sites gradually and be aware of the use of a teenager; Active engagement is better than passive use. Try not to panic and expect the frequency to which you turn to Instagram and Tiktok.
Although his book bursts out of advice, Moyer admits a certain discomfort to provide parental advice. “There is no unique approach to raising children,” she writes, recognizing that a particular strategy that works for a child can explode with another. Moyer encourages parents to adopt the approaches that best suit their own family and keep the situation in mind as a whole. In case of doubt, concludes Mory, stick to these three truisms: the preparation of children is better than protecting them; Listening beats conferences; And comforting is more productive than rumbling. “You don’t need to be a perfect parent and it’s good if you are not,” she told me.
