5 Rules for Raising a Bright Personality

How can you help the kid reveal the innate potential? The mankind keeps the memory about many people who left a bright trace in the history of its existence. As a rule, they have brought something new and original to the world, overcoming a huge number of obstacles and the resistance of the common minds. In fact, it is due to such bright personalities, who are able to slightly change the world that the humanity steps forward.

To help the child reveal his/her inherent potential, it is necessary to adhere to at least five basic rules in education.

Rule one. Encourage innovative thinking

As long as the child is very little, his/her every word and deed causes delight in the parents, which is so immediate and extraordinary! Alas, this period passes very quickly. As soon as the baby “faces the world” at school, kindergarten or in a sandbox, it is time to think and be like everyone else.

Do not rush to force the child act like everyone else. Respect the manifestations of his/her uniqueness. Make it a rule of yours to encourage any manifestation of non-standard solutions in any situation. Set the tasks before your child that will require coming up with a new way of finding solutions. In books and cartoons, pay attention to the unusual ways of solving problems.

And most importantly – watch his/her own manifestations of decision making carefully and manage to assess the non-standard course of his thoughts and actions in time. All bright personalities are able to get out of the “box” of frameworks set by others.

Rule two. Do not forget that imagination is the most important acquisition of preschool age

Any creativity – in art, science, or personal life – is impossible without imagination. Imagination is a departure from reality, the creation of a new, hitherto non-existent, image. If imagination does not develop in childhood, it will not develop ever since.

To develop the imagination of your child, you must:

• provide the kid with information, experiences and emotions (all invented images are based on real-life experiences of children – the richer the experience, the brighter the images);
• develop speech (it is the ability to speak that allows to imagine a subject that a person has never seen before);
• offer substitute items in the game (the children whose toys are all “real,” like the real things, seriously lose in terms of their imagination development compared to those who jump on a stick instead of a naturalistic pony);
• use unfinished drawings at the classes of creativity (turn a simple square into something interesting, make this square a part of the figure);
• give opportunities for experimentation rather than knowledge (learn what you are going to get).

Remind yourself that children’s imagination is a treasure that must be protected.

Rule three. Let your child learn to defend his/her beliefs

Many wonderful ideas and inventions have died in oblivion just because their author was unable to defend his/her beliefs and surrendered under the pressure of circumstances or other people’s opinions. For the child to grow up capable of overcoming resistance, pay attention to how you communicate with him/her.

The phrase “Oh, what a wonderful soup! Mmmm … I have never tasted anything equally delicious! Try it!” is a suggestion that influences the mind and will of the child through the senses.

Such communication is acceptable with little kids, but by the age of 4-5 conviction should become the main form of communication, and its formula should include the presence of substantial information plus a conscious attitude.

Conviction that lasts for a long time, as a form of communication, does not allow the child to learn to express his/her reasoned opinion and often generates heightened emotionality, sensitivity, and anxiety.

Rule four. Learn to turn your dreams into goals and achieve them

Successful people are different from losers only due to their way of thinking and the course of their actions.

The ability to achieve your goals, even if they require a significant investment of time and effort is developed in childhood. To achieve your goals, you need two main skills: to dream and to act. How often do we pay attention to these skills in parenting?

Help your child understand the fact that dreams may come true, if he/she turns them into goals and takes some pain to make them come true. Just do not forget the value of perseverance rather than stubbornness. Do not always bring something to a logical end if it has lost all meaning. Successful people differ from losers only due to the way of thinking and the course of their actions. A three-year-old kid can be introduced to the basics of “business thinking” and the strategies for achieving goals.

Rule five. Cultivate an interest in people

In sorrow, in joy and while making discoveries, the most valuable thing is people’s support. The children, who are able to build relationships with others, grow into more successful and vibrant adults. It is important to instill in a child the ability to feel sincerely interested in others if you want him/her to have no problems in the relationship.

The biggest enemies of communication are shyness and aggressiveness. Oddly enough, they have the same source: the increased interest to your own person. Both an aggressive and shy child, appreciating his/her personality, feels doubtful as to the positive attitude of others. However, the first one attempts to prove his/her advantages and assert his/her “ego” with the help of force, while the second one feels reserved and is afraid of contacts.

The child, who is able to see a worthy individual in another person rather than the mirror for his/her own reflection, is “doomed” to be successful in communication. Such a child can hope for interesting meetings, useful contacts, help, and real friendship.

Following these principles, you bring up a person who may not turn the world upside down, but will surely make it a little brighter.